Jacob Hickman encountered a happy bunch of Nebraska football coaches in the locker room Saturday night following the Huskers' season-opening win against Western Illinois.

Hickman, a standout lineman at Centennial High School in Bakersfield, Calif., made the night even more joyous for Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan and Co.

The 6-foot-4, 244-pound Hickman gave Callahan an oral commitment to accept Nebraska's scholarship offer, becoming the ninth high school player to announce his intentions of joining the Huskers' 2005 recruiting class.

"The sea of red and how insane people there are about that school — it's awesome," Hickman said Sunday night from Bakersfield shortly after returning from Lincoln.

Hickman is a three-star recruit in rivals.com's five-star rating system. His list of finalists also included UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State. He had also received scholarship offers from Colorado and Washington, among others.

Hickman plays tackle on both sides of the ball for Centennial, which finished 10-3 last season and opens the 2004 season on Friday. Hickman last season recorded 56 tackles and 13 sacks. He has covered 40 yards in 5 seconds.

Hickman said Nebraska recruited him as either a center or a defensive tackle.

"I don't have a preference," Hickman said. "Either way is fine with me."

Rivals.com ranks Hickman as the nation's No. 17 prep offensive guard. He's No. 41 in rivals.com's preseason California Top 100.

Nebraska made a formal scholarship offer to Hickman in mid-May, and he visited Lincoln in late July. After that visit, he said, he began leaning toward the Huskers.

His visit this past weekend sealed the deal.

Oral commitments from high school players become binding when they sign letters of intent in February.

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.