NU coaches recruiting hard

[Husker_Power]

NU recruiting efforts zero in on Texas

 

It might have been a bye week for Nebraska's football team. It was hardly that for most of NU's coaching staff.

 

Tis the beginning of recruiting season in college football. Well, every month, in this modern era, is recruiting season. Let's just say that, starting with mid-November through signing day in February, the fever gets a little hotter.

 

Six NU assistants hit the road for two days earlier this week. On Friday and Saturday, NU head coach Bo Pelini, offensive coordinator Shawn Watson and linebackers coach Mike Ekeler will visit recruits. During the next two months, the Cornhuskers hope to hold on to their 16 known verbal commitments and finish out the class by addressing need areas, like wide receiver and safety.

 

So far, Pelini said, so good. The first-year coach is happy with the effort and Nebraska's prospects with a few more prepsters.

 

"We've had good reception from people," Pelini said after Thursday's practice. "We've identified a lot of guys over the last couple days. I like where recruiting is right now. We're going to have another staff meeting about it tomorrow to make sure everybody's on the same page."

 

College coaches can't make in-home visits to recruits for another week, recruiting coordinator Ted Gilmore said, so the on-the-road chats are currently reserved to "evaluation" conversations with high school coaches.

 

Nebraska's current 7-4 record has elicited positive feedback, Gilmore said, "particularly in Texas" where NU's 37-31 overtime loss to current No. 2 Texas Tech turned some heads.

 

"They're as hot as anybody and kids know you had a chance to beat them," Gilmore said. "That creates enthusiasm, and they'll give you a second look."

 

Although NU is recruiting nationwide, it's focused a good portion of its energy in the Lone Star State, long known for its "'Friday Night Lights' mystique," Gilmore and running backs coach Tim Beck said. Nebraska already has nine verbal commitments from the state and is pursuing several more players, including highly-touted running back Rex Burkhead out of Plano.

 

"They're playing a lot of football," Gilmore said. "They get coaching year round. There are some staffs down there that have more people than we do…although it's important here, it's on a whole different scale there. It's a different animal. You can go into a one-horse town and it's a serious thing. Those kids are brought up on it."

 

Beck, who from 1999-2004 was a head high school coach in Texas, was partially responsible for Kansas making inroads in the state. He spent this week in Florida, but he's helping Nebraska do the same in 2008.

 

One advantage Beck said NU has in Texas that it might not enjoy in talent centers like Florida and California is instant name recognition.

 

"It's a Big 12 state," Beck said "It doesn't matter if it's swimming, if it's volleyball, soccer, whatever the sport may be, they cover the Big 12 Conference. So, every day, you can pick up a newspaper and the word Nebraska is probably in there somewhere."

 

While it's hardly the deciding factor, winning games helps, too. It's a "here and now" world out there among high school football players.

 

"Who's winning, who's on TV, who's in bowl games," Gilmore said. "That's what they're paying attention to. That's universal no matter where you go."

 

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Coaches receiving positive vibes on recruiting trail

 

On the recruiting trail during this bye week, Husker tight ends coach Ron Brown said there was just an air of good feeling.

 

It felt familiar.

 

"I just came from recruiting down south and the reception down there from high school coaches was great," Brown said. "Just their view of Nebraska again is of a team that's back and playing well, and that was exciting to hear because that's what I was used to in the past. I think it's got a different note to it because we went through some adversity and some trials. I think everybody in this country loves a comeback story."

 

There seems to be a disagreement on the favorite to win the Texas Tech - Oklahoma game.

 

A late-season surge by the Big Red has not just boosted the morale of the fan base. It'll no doubt also help the Husker recruiting sales pitch.

 

Recruiting has been a major focus of the Husker staff during the bye week leading up to the Nov. 28 home finale against Colorado.

 

"We've identified a lot of guys over the last couple of days," Husker head coach Bo Pelini said. "We should have a decent group come in for the Colorado game. I like where recruiting is right now. We're going to have another big meeting tomorrow as a staff to make sure we're all on the same page. I think we're in pretty good shape."

 

The Huskers currently have 16 known commits — eight of them from Texas. Coming off a 5-7 season, NU coaches knew the recruiting climate wouldn't be the easiest for them in this first year with a new staff.

 

But as the team has progressed to a positive 7-4 record this fall, Brown has seen people take note of Nebraska's step forward.

 

"As this season has unfolded, I think coaches are saying, 'Man, you guys have really turned the corner. We just see a different team than we have the last few years,'" Brown said. "So it was good to hear that, positive in recruiting efforts and just as a measuring stick for us. These high school coaches are often pretty good barometers."

 

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[WVhuskerXX]

That is a great read....I think this staff has done a great job recruiting for the circumstances...and what i mean by that is what happened last year...they have rly gotten some kids to buy into what they are going to do in the future....lets hope we get some more good players in this class and many more to come....

[gmoney88]

I agree....I can see next years class being pretty damn impressive too if we can get a bowl win and continue the on field success!

[Husker_Power]

Recruiters getting 'positive' results

BY MITCH SHERMAN

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

 

 

LINCOLN - Tim Beck spent the first half of his week in Florida.

 

Mike Ekeler bounced around Houston and the "Golden Triangle" between Port Arthur, Beaumont and Orange, Texas.

 

Ron Brown also visited Texas. Ted Gilmore traveled through California, Arizona and Utah.

 

Nebraska, because of its bye week before Friday's regular-season finale against Colorado, got a jump on the upcoming contact period in football recruiting.

 

Minus 20 days from late December through mid-January, coaches are allowed in-person meetings off campus with prospects from Nov. 30 through Jan. 31. In the meantime, up to seven NU coaches hit the road this week to use among the last of their NCAA-allotted, 42 in-season evaluation days, chatting with high school coaches and checking progress.

 

The early word upon their return looks promising.

 

"It's been positive," said Beck, the first-year running backs coach and a noted recruiter. "We've gotten a lot of good publicity, so we're pleased. I feel good. I don't know why we wouldn't be. We've targeted guys and been able to go round those guys up.

 

"We're still looking for some need areas, but everybody is at this time."

 

Nebraska nears Thanksgiving with 16 oral commitments for its class of 2009 and ranks 42nd nationally and seventh in the Big 12, according to rivals.com. Scout.com ranks NU 30th nationally and No. 5 in the league.

 

Check back in a month for a more accurate read - if such a thing exists with ranking recruits.

 

According to Ekeler, the linebackers coach, Nebraska has bolstered its image among recruits by playing well this year under first-year coach Bo Pelini.

 

Many of the high school coaches Ekeler has met this fall already knew much of Pelini from his time as defensive coordinator the past three years at Louisiana State.

 

Nebraska's current stretch of four wins in five games strengthened Pelini's reputation around Houston, Ekeler said.

 

Brown, who coaches the NU tight ends, said he thought that the Huskers' overtime loss last month at Texas Tech, now ranked No. 2 nationally, helped earn respect in the state.

 

"Everybody believes Bo has it on the right track," Ekeler said. "They all appreciate Bo's style of coaching. Texas coaches, they coach hard. We walk into places and people are asking right away about Bo."

 

Additionally, in comparison to his first weeks on the job as a recruiter last winter, Ekeler is using a new tool in recruiting.

 

"Anybody can be a used car salesman and say, 'We're going to do this and we're going to do that,'" Ekeler said. "My approach is this: 'Turn on the TV. We're going to recruit you on Saturday.' I felt confident in saying that, because that's who Carl (Pelini) is and that's who Bo is."

 

Not far from Houston, Nebraska quarterback recruit Cody Green is enjoying a banner season. And the 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior, set to enroll at NU next month, remains enthralled with the Huskers, said his coach at Dayton (Texas) High School.

 

"I don't know if anybody in the state has been better as a quarterback this year," said Jerry Stewart, whose team was to play Friday in the second round of the 4A, Division 2 playoffs.

 

Through 10 games, Green was 170-of-260 passing (65.4 percent) for 2,275 yards with 23 touchdowns and four interceptions. He had also rushed for 825 yards and 20 scores.

 

An NU coach was scheduled to watch him play Friday.

 

Also on tap Friday was a meeting among the coaches to discuss recruiting and devise a monthlong plan to ensure that this class looks good when the contact period goes on hold Dec. 21.

 

"I think we've had good reception from people," Bo Pelini said Thursday. "We've identified a lot of guys and even some new guys over the last couple days. We should have a decent group coming in for the Colorado game.

 

"I like where recruiting is right now. I think we're in pretty good shape."

 

Gilmore, the receivers coach, said he also liked the Huskers' position. But the recruiting coordinator in him remains leery.

 

Feedback from the road has been "really positive," Gilmore said, but he won't relax until the Feb. 4 signing date.

 

The Huskers have yet to lose a pledge this year, marking a dramatic change from recent years. Primarily because of the coaching change, 15 players backed out on Nebraska last recruiting season.

 

"Historically, you're going to always have some surprises," Gilmore said. "I'll be finished when those letters of intent come across our fax machine."

[Husker_Power]

dp

[redout22]

Hopefully we can bring in a couple heads that we turned