Justin Tomerlin

[kramer]

Recruiting regulations allow college coaches from any school no more than one day of off-campus visitation per week with a recruit, his family and friends. Multiple coaches can make several stops, but it all must occur in the same 24-hour period.

 

So on Tuesday as NU Tight Ends Coach Scott Downing visited Tomerlin at Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kan., assistants John Blake and Bill Busch met his parents in San Clemente, Calif. At the same time, Offensive Coordinator Jay Norvell visited Tomerlin's girlfriend in Tallahassee, Fla.

 

Five coaches in three states equaled one oral commitment.

 

"They threw everything they had at me," said Tomerlin, a 6-foot-6, 265-pound defensive end and tight end. "It's my second time going through recruiting, and I've never seen anything like this. After this week, I've got a whole lot of faith they can lead (Nebraska) to the promised land."

 

A four-star player as rated by rivals.com, Tomerlin accepted the Huskers' offer Thursday and backed out on his previous commitment to Michigan State. He is the 11th junior college member of the No. 2-ranked Nebraska recruiting class and the 30th overall pledge....

 

"I just saw an opportunity that I wouldn't be able to live with if I passed it up," Tomerlin said.

 

He visited Nebraska last weekend as a favor to ex-juco teammate Zac Taylor, the Huskers' newest quarterback. But by the time Tomerlin departed Lincoln, he said, the chances he would join Taylor had grown from 5 percent to 50 percent.

 

They were 100 percent Thursday.

 

"I did not go in there with an open mind," Tomerlin said. "But that coaching staff, I can't say enough about them. I've only known them for a couple weeks, and that group of guys is phenomenal."