Ohio Pete Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Top-tier RB Bryce Brown leads Kansas, Nebraska crop When you talk about the states of Kansas and Nebraska in terms of football, you normally speak about hard-nosed football players who may not display the speed and quickness of athletes in other areas of the country. Still, these tough, fundamentally sound players are the foundation of success in the sport of football. Nine of the top 10 players in the area are from Kansas and line up primarily on the offensive side of the football. Although the No. 1 player from the region is a running back, three of the top four players play in the offensive trenches -- including one tight end. They are talented players who, for the most part, have not decided where to continue their football future. Offensive linemen Jon Lechner (Omaha, Neb./Creighton Prep) and Justin Aumen (Junction City, Kan.) are the second and third best players in the region. They are typical of the physical players one finds on the gridiron in these two Midwestern states. Top recruit Bryce Brown, running back East H.S. (Wichita, Kan.) Verbal commitment: Miami Brown has continued to keep up his reputation as one of the finest running backs in the country by recording huge individual game performances in the first half of the 2008 season. He possesses a great combination of speed and power. Brown is an explosive running back who has great vision and makes sharp cuts without losing acceleration. He is an exceptional cutback runner; he consistently makes the opposition miss in the open field. Brown also displays solid receiving abilities and demonstrates the confidence necessary to beat a linebacker, one on one, on the option route or when going vertical. He has the ability to make the ever important yards-after-catch and turn a short pass into a long gain. Brown has the skills to be an impact player at the next level and could very well break into the two-deep in his freshman year of college. Recruit under the radar C.J. Zimmerer, fullback Daniel J. Gross (Omaha, Neb.) Verbal: Nebraska Although he isn't a prototype fullback in terms of size, he is a tough and explosive back who drives his legs on contact, attacks the linebacker on the isolation play and kicks out the defensive end on the off-tackle play. He's a tenacious blocker who stays after the defender until the whistle blows. He is a strong and powerful fullback who hits the trap and dive with quickness, and heads north and south instinctively. He can break tackles and run over would-be tacklers. Zimmerer is a versatile two way player that could end up on the defensive side of the football as an inside linebacker. He is especially impressive in pass defense and is a great reactor to both drop back and play action passes. On the Trail Kansas, 14 commits (Oct. 8) The Jayhawks are off to a good start and have captured a solid class of verbals. They have placed an early emphasis on offensive linemen and defensive backs. Safety Prinz Kande tops the field of players committed to the Jayhawks and is the sixth player from Texas to verbal to Kansas. Nebraska, 12 commits (Oct. 8) Like Kansas, the Cornhuskers traditionally reach to Texas for many of their recruits. The class is fairly well balanced between offense and defense, but quarterback Cody Green (Dayton, Texas) stands above the rest. Kansas State, five commits (Oct. 8) The Wildcats don't have as many players as Nebraska or Kansas. The ones they have brought into the fold are steady football players but not exceptional. The Wildcats must continue to go after fast and aggressive defensive players. ESPNRISE.com Nebraska or Kansas Game of the Week Papillion-La Vista South (5-1) at Bellevue West (5-1), Friday, 8 p.m. ET:: Something has to give when Class A-District 4 rivals collide at Thunderbird Stadium. Both teams are ranked in the top-10 in Nebraska's largest classification (A), and both are riding four-game win streaks. The Bellevue West Thunderbirds are fresh off a 35-19 wrecking of Millard North-Omaha and average nearly 40 points. Quarterback Tyler Seals threw for 231 yards and four TDs last week, including a pair each to Greg Hardin, his favorite target, and Evan Herring. PLS's Michael Burrus (5-7, 175), a smallish back, leads the state in rushing with more than a 1,000 yards, including a season-best 243-yard performance. -- Christopher Lawlor Quote Link to comment
AR Husker Fan Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Top-tier RB Bryce Brown leads Kansas, Nebraska crop ***SNIP*** Kansas State, five commits (Oct. 8) The Wildcats don't have as many players as Nebraska or Kansas. The ones they have brought into the fold are steady football players but not exceptional. The Wildcats must continue to go after fast and aggressive defensive players. ***SNIP*** And it's back to the JUCO ranks... Quote Link to comment
Ohio Pete Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 Top-tier RB Bryce Brown leads Kansas, Nebraska crop ***SNIP*** Kansas State, five commits (Oct. 8) The Wildcats don't have as many players as Nebraska or Kansas. The ones they have brought into the fold are steady football players but not exceptional. The Wildcats must continue to go after fast and aggressive defensive players. ***SNIP*** And it's back to the JUCO ranks... And how: Robert Thomas drops Kansas State for Razorbacks Muskogee (Okla.) defensive tackle Robert Thomas has pledged to Arkansas after decommitting from Kansas State. Thomas, 6-foot-1, 300 pounds, is the 19th commitment for the Razorbacks in the 2009 class. He was also recruited by Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, among others. Quote Link to comment
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