Auburn, Pittsburgh and Nebraska have work to do

[BLKSHRTS]

I used to be really into the stars and rating system that rivals and scout has done. It's still fun to watch that stuff from time to time and read up on the guys checking out the school but it really doesn't do it for me when guys that have 5 or 4 stars come here as pre-madonnas and dont want to work and earn their spot...they are usually the ones that leave when they're dads (freeman) or moms (beck) or friends (gabbert) tell them that they are the best thing since sliced bread and that even though they haven;t stepped foot on campus or enrolled in a class. IMHO I would much rather have an entire class of 2 and 3 star guys that are the meanest hardest working SOB"s in the country that will claw and scratch to get their spot on the depth chart. And those kids that are coachable than these guys that are all about "me". Forget about the rankings

[HSKRNOKC]

We have some very good athletes in this class which is ranked 25th nationally by rivals.

[redout22]

Maybe we can convert him into a WR and then we could go after McBurse

[UGAHusker]

In reference to stars and rankings, I'm not sure that everyone is aware of the fact that the seniors who composed the 1995 team (also known as the greatest college football team of all time) were for the most part apart of a recruiting class that was ranked 26th in the country at its best. Obviously stars mean something, but I always found this to be an interesting stat.

 

In case anyone is wondering, this statistic is listed in the book "Behind Every Champion."

[gamecocks]

In referene to stars and rankings, I'm not sure that everyone is aware of the fact that the seniors who composed the 1995 team (also known as the greatest college football team of all time) were for the most part apart of a recruiting class that was ranked 26th in the country at its best. Obviously stars mean something, but I always found this to be an interesting stat.

 

In case anyone is wondering, this statistic is listed in the book "Behind Every Champion."

 

People also need to remember that 10 to 15 years ago. These recruiting services were not as big and the resources were just not what they are today. Back then, a lot of the star rankings where from the camps that kids went to and off of a couple of videos. Now there are a lot more camps in the summer plus a lot more players are attending these camps as well. The amount of video and substance on these kids is so much greater now than what it was back then.

 

Ratings are a crap shoot in general, but I would say that they were even harder to grade back then with less resources than they are now.

[The Maudfather]

We're Nebraska...ESPN should be suckin on our ball sacks!

Not licking yet, but grasping:

Plano star Rex Burkhead picks the Huskers

 

Running back / receiver Rex Burkhead of Plano, Texas, has given his committment to Nebraska over Texas A&M and Stanford. He also had offers from Texas Tech, Michigan, California, Mississippi, Louisville, Virginia and Auburn, among others.

 

ESPN's Billy Tucker elaborated on the pickup, "Pelini lands another quality prospect in Burkhead, a kid who will add great versatility and toughness to Nebraska's future roster. He is a blue-collar, high-motor type player who really fits the first-year Cornhusker coach's style."

 

"Potentially recruited more as an athlete, we feel Burkhead could line up at receiver or even tailback in Lincoln. He has good speed, agility and great vision with the ball in his hands. It may be his true grit and hard-nosed running style that stands out the most on film. While not overly fluid he can be a load to take down when he squares up his shoulder pads and accelerates downhill. Not an ideal positional prospect, but Burkhead is one of the better pure "football players" in this class."

 

"Another non-ESPNU 150 member for Nebraska, but its eighth prospect with a solid Scouts Inc, grade of 77 or higher. He may have started off a bit slow, but Pelini could sign a very quality class come February filled with system-fitting prospects with immeasurable intangibles."

 

During his senior season, Burkhead rushed for 1,762 yards and 28 touchdowns. He also had 24 receptions for 594 yards and five scores.

Who knew committment had so many Ts?

What do they mean another?!! I thought they said everyone else sucked..

[kstatehater]

As of right now.

 

 

Both Scout and Rivals has us in 4th in the big xii.

 

Scout has us at 19. Rivals at 25th.

Missouri Scout 29. Rivals at 28th.

 

 

We currently trail Texas, OU and Texas A&M.

 

 

 

This article is pretty much not checking facts.............

 

O5 Rivals had us 2nd(big xii) behing OU

06 Rivals had us 3rd behind OU and Texas

07 Rivals had us 2nd behind Texas

08 is where we slipped to 8th. Keep in mind we had a 5-6 record, hired a coach who had never been a HC before and only had two months to get his class together..........

09. We sit at 4th behind, OU, Texas and A&M.........

 

What Rivals and Scout don't show is the number of Walk-ons......... Callahan didn't KILL the walk-on program but he didn't emphasis it........... Pelini redshirted 50 players THIS YEAR........ Did Callahan redshirt 50 players in his 4 years combined?????????????

 

 

Many of those walk-on maybe 2-3(3 a rarity) star guys, but simply haven't been evaluated by the services or go to the combines............

 

out of 30 walk-on players maybe one, two or three of them are starters by the time you leave, you never know..........

 

Taking high school talent and having it be successful at the college level is a crap shoot, it certainly doesn't hurt to increase your intake in players to find a few "diamonds in the rough"

[HuskerJosh]

ESPN can kiss my ass. Stock Down? I would think our stock is up considerably from last year.

 

No worries there bro. It's just an opinion. And according to the "statistics" he is looking at ... he is factually correct. Those that put a higher "weight" in those areas will make those judgments ... as they should and most would.

 

Everyone knows "stars" mean something and lots of great talent comes out of 2-3 star athletes ... so we have done a solid recruiting class for the year ... with a coaching staff in place and some time to work the plan.

 

The article is spot on in my opinion ... we have lots of work to do and we are competing in areas that many competitors are strong ... we have also dropped into the same catagory as A&M, TT, Mizzou, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State (a few of those teams we are behind right now). The next few years will be about seperating our team from them and starting to challenge the TX/OU teams.

 

Sometimes I think we should take a chill pill ... media typically give "respect" to teams that are due it ... I don't think we deserve much respect yet ... I just know that I like what I see ... and recruits see who Bo is and what he can do ... and that is exciting.

 

It's ok to be a sleeping giant while you get things in place.

 

SheepdogMark

 

He is factually correct and correct in every way. The Huskers are a long way away from hanging with Texas and Oklahoma on the field --- and the recruits that NU has coming in are not narrowing that gap. If anything, the gap widens.

 

There is much work to do. Recruiting is the key.

 

Huh, I must I have missed the last two Texas games, both within a field goal. That's not a long way.

[caveman99]

As of right now.

 

 

Both Scout and Rivals has us in 4th in the big xii.

 

Scout has us at 19. Rivals at 25th.

Missouri Scout 29. Rivals at 28th.

 

 

We currently trail Texas, OU and Texas A&M.

 

 

 

This article is pretty much not checking facts.............

 

O5 Rivals had us 2nd(big xii) behing OU

06 Rivals had us 3rd behind OU and Texas

07 Rivals had us 2nd behind Texas

08 is where we slipped to 8th. Keep in mind we had a 5-6 record, hired a coach who had never been a HC before and only had two months to get his class together..........

09. We sit at 4th behind, OU, Texas and A&M.........

 

What Rivals and Scout don't show is the number of Walk-ons......... Callahan didn't KILL the walk-on program but he didn't emphasis it........... Pelini redshirted 50 players THIS YEAR........ Did Callahan redshirt 50 players in his 4 years combined?????????????

 

 

Many of those walk-on maybe 2-3(3 a rarity) star guys, but simply haven't been evaluated by the services or go to the combines............

 

out of 30 walk-on players maybe one, two or three of them are starters by the time you leave, you never know..........

 

Taking high school talent and having it be successful at the college level is a crap shoot, it certainly doesn't hurt to increase your intake in players to find a few "diamonds in the rough"

 

I think the other big advantage of a robust Walk On program run the way TO did it and Bo is doing it, is that those players don't hold back and push every single second of practice. They make the scholly players have to compete hard also to hold onto their spots. The evaluation that ESPN did of the Burkhead commitment says it all, hard working SOB that is a gamer. You take that attitude in a player, add in the competitive fire the walk ons help feed in practice, and an mantra of the BEST players play PERIOD, that is what we saw in '95 and that is what we are starting to see again.

[zoogs]

Did Callahan redshirt 50 players in his 4 years combined?????????????

 

Almost certainly.

[HANC]

Just listening to local radio show in Omaha, and Tom Lugenbill from espn (scout).......and guy who wrote the article mentioned above.......he did some explaining about the "overall" concept of article and from what he said, I tend to agree with most of what he said.

 

He said that he wasn't necessarily talking about this year's class solely, but at the entire body of work. He explained that he was talking about NU competing with other schools within the conference on a "yearly" basis and comparing it to the past. He pointed out that it used to be NU-OU-TX and then everyone else would fight over the guys the big 3 didn't take.....but now, it is just OU-TX and that NU isn't competing with those 2 schools very well. Right now, he mentioned that we are battling MU-KU-AM and the schools that we would normally not have to worry about losing recruits to.......whether you like it or not, he is spot on !!!!!!

 

He did say that NU was probably leading the North as far as recruiting this year, but also added that we should be...

 

Then, friggin Brian Munson (Big Red Report....recruiting guru) comes on and says that 4-5 big names are in academic jeopardy..... Byrd, Norman, Robinson, and a few more.....he said both guys from Eulices (sp) prep school are in trouble academically and that Bodtman is kind of in "no man's land" because he has been hurt and has lost so much weight that he is now lighter than most of our safety recruits.....sounded like NU may be leary of his scholly.

[RedDenver]

Then, friggin Brian Munson (Big Red Report....recruiting guru) comes on and says that 4-5 big names are in academic jeopardy..... Byrd, Norman, Robinson, and a few more.....he said both guys from Eulices (sp) prep school are in trouble academically and that Bodtman is kind of in "no man's land" because he has been hurt and has lost so much weight that he is now lighter than most of our safety recruits.....sounded like NU may be leary of his scholly.

Sounds like Brian Munson - not NU - is leery of Bodtman's schollie. It's not like the NU coaches are telling Munson what they think of individual recruits.

[husker98]

yea i like the stars but i'm guilty of judging players based of their forty times or how much they can lift. and personally i think pelini has gone out and assembled the most underratted and talented bunch of kids this year after i compared us to the rest of the Big XII. so f**k ESPN and the fact we don't have any of their top 150 who cares? USC does and they are struggling to beat OSU and Stanford with their 5 stars and 4 stars heck Jaquizz Rodger a 3 star with 4.6 speed and he and his 2 star rated brother demolished the trojans.

[Ohio Pete]

yea i like the stars but i'm guilty of judging players based of their forty times or how much they can lift. and personally i think pelini has gone out and assembled the most underratted and talented bunch of kids this year after i compared us to the rest of the Big XII. so f**k ESPN and the fact we don't have any of their top 150 who cares? USC does and they are struggling to beat OSU and Stanford with their 5 stars and 4 stars heck Jaquizz Rodger a 3 star with 4.6 speed and he and his 2 star rated brother demolished the trojans.

One of the most prolific offense in the history of college football (Oklahoma) has no 5 starters. Bradford and Iglesias were 3 guys. Bradford may have been rated a 2 when he committed.

[husker98]

yea i like the stars but i'm guilty of judging players based of their forty times or how much they can lift. and personally i think pelini has gone out and assembled the most underratted and talented bunch of kids this year after i compared us to the rest of the Big XII. so f**k ESPN and the fact we don't have any of their top 150 who cares? USC does and they are struggling to beat OSU and Stanford with their 5 stars and 4 stars heck Jaquizz Rodger a 3 star with 4.6 speed and he and his 2 star rated brother demolished the trojans.

One of the most prolific offense in the history of college football (Oklahoma) has no 5 starters. Bradford and Iglesias were 3 guys. Bradford may have been rated a 2 when he committed.

 

 

yea that's just more proof that the stars really don't tell the whole story it comes down to the players character, work ethic, and more importantly the coach who molds him into a some thing hopefully good. then you can evaluate his forty and lifts.