Wanted: Offensive Recruits

[Wally]

This is an interesting article

 

http://bigrednetwork.com/archives/2007/12/...e_recruits.html

 

You’d have to think that the hiring of Bo Pelini will give the Huskers an excellent chance to retain the defensive recruits that have committed to Nebraska or to replace them with other players. The Huskers also appear likely to meet their needs on the offensive line and at tight end. Offensively, that leaves…well…everything else.

 

After next season, the Huskers will have only two scholarship quarterbacks with eligibility. They’ll need more. The upcoming class needs to include one to two more. Blaine Gabbert would seem hard to lure back from Missouri, but James Vandenberg, Iowa’s all-time leading passer could become a Husker. Beyond those two, Nebraska doesn’t appear real close on any other quarterbacks.

 

With the Huskers losing a slew of wide receivers this year (Maurice Purify, Terrence Nunn, Frantz Hardy, and Dan Erickson) and next (Todd Peterson and Nate Swift) new faces will be needed to fill the holes. So far aside from trying to keep juco transfer Adrian Hilburn and lure back D.J. Woods, there’s been little action toward bolstering the receiving corps.

 

The Huskers have running back options, but they can quickly be depleted. Marlon Lucky could go pro, Cody Glenn could continue struggling with injuries, Major Culbert could be needed on defense, and Collins Okafor could opt to go elsewhere. That would leave only the three running backs from last year’s class (Quentin Castille, Roy Helu, and Marcus Mendoza) unless the Huskers poach another defender like Prince Amukamarato fill out the position. Fortunately, running back is one spot where teams can be late to the game and still find a good one. Brandon Jackson was a late recruit for Nebraska back in 2004.

 

The Huskers might also want to add a fullback. They don’t have a single scholarship player at that spot on the roster, nor do they appear real close on luring one to Lincoln. Of course, depending on the offense it may not be a need, but if it is then the Huskers have a lot of work to do.

 

The fact that the Huskers are needy on offense makes sense. For weeks or even months it’s been apparent that the coaching staff at Nebraska would not be returning. Defensive guru Bo Pelini has been announced as the new head coach but so far no formal announcements have been made about the assistants that will be running the offense. Will Nebraska continue to run the West Coast offense? Will it be a spread option? A triple option? Until the coaching staff can get real specific about the future of the Husker offense, it will likely be a struggle to lock in commitments from offensive skill players. And particularly at quarterback and receiver, there’s no time to waste.

[Aim9]

Honestly I don't see our offensive recruiting as a problem at the moment.

 

We already have a stable of solid RBs, and Marlon Lucky will probably come back for another year. It would certainly make sense for him- if he had a stellar year he could get make a few million more out of a contract. All the same though, with Glenn, Helu, Mendoza and Castille, we have plenty of RBs. If things ever got really dicey we still have Culbert and Prince.

 

As for WR, the only WR that we are losing that I will truly bemoan is Maurice Purify. I've been dying to see Holt and Paul get more playing time because they have GREAT talent.

 

As for QBs, I'm just fine with Zac Lee, Joe Ganz, and Patrick Witt. I honestly think it will be a QB battle next year. Joe Ganz did a good, but not great job this year, as he had some problems with turnovers. Zac Lee and Patrick Witt are both very good, and Lee is more mobile than Ganz. (or at least he was before the injury)

 

I'm just fine with the class we have now- I think our bigger concern is actually doing something with the talent we already have. Hopefully Bo will drive them to play at their highest level. That's something we haven't seen in years.

[robsker]

Honestly I don't see our offensive recruiting as a problem at the moment.

 

We already have a stable of solid RBs, and Marlon Lucky will probably come back for another year. It would certainly make sense for him- if he had a stellar year he could get make a few million more out of a contract. All the same though, with Glenn, Helu, Mendoza and Castille, we have plenty of RBs. If things ever got really dicey we still have Culbert and Prince.

 

As for WR, the only WR that we are losing that I will truly bemoan is Maurice Purify. I've been dying to see Holt and Paul get more playing time because they have GREAT talent.

 

As for QBs, I'm just fine with Zac Lee, Joe Ganz, and Patrick Witt. I honestly think it will be a QB battle next year. Joe Ganz did a good, but not great job this year, as he had some problems with turnovers. Zac Lee and Patrick Witt are both very good, and Lee is more mobile than Ganz. (or at least he was before the injury)

 

I'm just fine with the class we have now- I think our bigger concern is actually doing something with the talent we already have. Hopefully Bo will drive them to play at their highest level. That's something we haven't seen in years.

 

Very nice post. The offense, especially with the OL recruits that are coming up and, if those who are verbals do in fact commit (it would be nice to add Trevor Robinson to that list) we should be fine. The defense though is talent thin.

[HANC]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Lee have 3 years of eligibility left..... If he is nearly as talented as the "Rumors" and "hype", then we should be okay at QB for awhile.....then, Witt drew great reviews all spring and fall......

 

I expect Lucky to go pro....but Okafor will be a Husker...and Hulu looks like a scat back that can grab chunks of yards quickly....Castille will be a load for the next 3 years.....look for him to be all-big 12 before he is done.

 

At WR, it is time for this young talent to step up...Paul, Holt, Brooks, along with Swift and Peterson...... I am missing a few more young ones too...

 

OL needs to lose weight, get quicker and develop an attitude..... a lot of young recruits coming in......

 

I think we will be okay...

 

Watson won't change much, besides adding a running game....the line will probably go back to man-man blocking and not use the zone read as much.....

[Touchdown Tommie]

I just don't think it would be wise for Lucky to go pro this year. The draft will be stocked with better RBs than he is...now if he stays one more year, he will be in the top. I am not too worried about the QB situation either. We have some young guys that do have time left to play. I think bringing in one or two more top notch WRs will be very beneficial, but with Paul and Holt, etc... it should be just fine. I agree with Hanc about the O-line. The young guys are going to be pushing the vets for spots and I hope the vets step up to the plate. It would be nice to see Murtha finally live up to the hype he had in high school!

[dman22]

I'm perfectly content with how the current recruiting class shaping up. Our immediate needs are certainly on the defensive side of the football and the recruiting class seems to be catering to that. Still can't believe people think Lucky is going pro. He would be a total moron not to wait and try to improve his stock. He ran very timid most of the year, granted he did great with screen passes, he didn't prove that much to me between the tackles.

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

I just don't think it would be wise for Lucky to go pro this year. The draft will be stocked with better RBs than he is...now if he stays one more year, he will be in the top. I am not too worried about the QB situation either. We have some young guys that do have time left to play. I think bringing in one or two more top notch WRs will be very beneficial, but with Paul and Holt, etc... it should be just fine. I agree with Hanc about the O-line. The young guys are going to be pushing the vets for spots and I hope the vets step up to the plate. It would be nice to see Murtha finally live up to the hype he had in high school!

I hope Lucky doesn't leave for the Pro's, but considering he's basically an A-Typical NFL style running back after Callahan's tenure, I'm wondering if pro teams will show him a little more interest.

[tulsahusker]

On Rome today, Bo did say something to the effect of "Watson will add some wrinkles to the spread offense, and we'll see what he can do", so it sounds like Watson is staying as the OC -- it'd be hard to interpret what he said any other way. That should calm offensive recruit fears. If he's saying that on the radio, I guarantee it's part or recruit visits.

[huskerfan500]

Do they know Culbert has been on defense for half the year, because they said he might move to defense?

[Cy the Cyclone]

This is an interesting article

 

http://bigrednetwork.com/archives/2007/12/...e_recruits.html

 

After next season, the Huskers will have only two scholarship quarterbacks with eligibility. They’ll need more. The upcoming class needs to include one to two more. Blaine Gabbert would seem hard to lure back from Missouri, but James Vandenberg, Iowa’s all-time leading passer could become a Husker. Beyond those two, Nebraska doesn’t appear real close on any other quarterbacks.

 

 

They just announced on the radio that Vandenberg committed to Iowa. More interested in drinking and credit card theft than football I guess...

[NMHUSKER]

I just don't think it would be wise for Lucky to go pro this year. The draft will be stocked with better RBs than he is...now if he stays one more year, he will be in the top. I am not too worried about the QB situation either. We have some young guys that do have time left to play. I think bringing in one or two more top notch WRs will be very beneficial, but with Paul and Holt, etc... it should be just fine. I agree with Hanc about the O-line. The young guys are going to be pushing the vets for spots and I hope the vets step up to the plate. It would be nice to see Murtha finally live up to the hype he had in high school!

I hope Lucky doesn't leave for the Pro's, but considering he's basically an A-Typical NFL style running back after Callahan's tenure, I'm wondering if pro teams will show him a little more interest.

mm depends on which team takes him IMO. Can you imagine him with the Patriots? Doesn't need to carry 30 times to make an impact there.

I don't know his background if he needs the money but he did have a stellar year IMO with this NU team. NFL teams will look at his pass recieving as well.

IMO he goes PRO. Becomes a late 2nd or 3rd round pick to a team that needs a great contributor not a star.