Bo has hard line on soft commits

[Nexus]

LINCOLN — Recent decommitments by top quarterback and receiver prospects do not signal a change in offensive philosophy at Nebraska.

 

Just a hardening of the Huskers’ stance on recruits who look to visit elsewhere after pledging to NU, coach Bo Pelini said Saturday.

 

“If somebody’s committed to us and they take a visit, they’re not committed anymore,” Pelini said.

 

Quarterback Tyler Gabbert and receiver Curtis Carter recently dropped from Nebraska’s list of oral commitments, which are nonbinding until players sign letters of intent in February.

 

Both players expressed an interest in taking additional visits. Gabbert has since committed to Missouri, where his brother, Blaine, is the starting QB.

 

“It’s a two-way street,” Pelini said. “I don’t quite understand all this stuff about people being committed and taking visits.”

 

Pelini said he also doesn’t buy into the idea of a so-called “soft commitment.”

 

“There’s not a lot of soft in my world,” he said. “It’s like, ‘OK, I’m going to go on a date the night before I walk down the aisle.’ It doesn’t make a lot of sense. I won’t play that game at all.”

 

The Huskers have collected 16 commitments for their class of 2010. Because of its small senior class, NU will sign a relatively small class in February. The group is expected to number 18 to 20.

 

Pelini said he expects loyalty from committed prospects, in part, because of his recruiting methods.

 

“I’m different than a lot of coaches,” he said. “I don’t sit there and pressure a lot of guys, get them into my office and try to get them to commit. They’re 17-, 18-year-old kids. I try to be on the same page and let them know that the ball is in their court.

 

“If you feel you’re ready, commit. If you don’t, don’t. Keep everybody on the same page from start to finish. I’m not going to try to trick them into committing, because that’s when you end up having problems.”

 

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091219/BIGRED/712199805

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

I love it!

[Nexus]

I lol'ed at this:

 

“There’s not a lot of soft in my world,” he said. “It’s like, ‘OK, I’m going to go on a date the night before I walk down the aisle.’ It doesn’t make a lot of sense. I won’t play that game at all.”

[HUSKER 37]

I lol'ed at this:

 

“There’s not a lot of soft in my world,” he said. “It’s like, ‘OK, I’m going to go on a date the night before I walk down the aisle.’ It doesn’t make a lot of sense. I won’t play that game at all.”

 

 

So...

 

Does this mean there were no hookers at Bo's Bachelor party?

[craigsker]

YES!...You either want to play for the Huskers or you don't...Otherwise goodbye! Way to go Bo!

[Never Skerd']

Only Sith Lords deal in absolutes..

[Danimal]

Bo doesn't pressure them to commit, I'm good with a "you look around, so do we" approach. We put up with Gabbert's crap for too long.

[redout22]

Hmm... Don't think I agree with Bo on this one at all. Making your decision on where you go to college is one of the biggest you make in your life. You want to make sure you made the right choice. If I was a high school player who commited to a school and wanted to take a visit to a different school just to make sure the choice I made was right, and a college coach told me I couldn't chances are I would probably decommit on the spot and say I am no longer interested in playing for your program.

I'm just looking at it in the eyes of the recruit.

[Rep The 402]

I think he's pissed off about all those kids decommiting to missouri

[Nexus]

The thing I appreciate about Bo's attitude is that he's NOT gonna kiss anyone's ass to get them here. This article sends a strong message to future recruits about how he runs things around here. This also eliminates any possibilities of prima donna, diva types who feel the need to be catered to like spoiled kids.

 

Commit or get out of the way.

[Captain K]

I don't like all of the screwing around that goes on either. I'm kind of old school in that respect, but sometimes you have to play the game. Recruiting is like sales. You may be a straight shooter and tell clients like it is, but if you are going up against snake oil salesmen, you might not like the results. Sometimes it is better to play the game. I just think it goes directly against Bo's personality to the extent he just can't do it. His approach is probably looked at as a good one for Midwesterners, specifically one's that bleed red to begin with. I just hope Bo's methods don't limit us too much.

[EZ-E]

Hmm... Don't think I agree with Bo on this one at all. Making your decision on where you go to college is one of the biggest you make in your life. You want to make sure you made the right choice. If I was a high school player who commited to a school and wanted to take a visit to a different school just to make sure the choice I made was right, and a college coach told me I couldn't chances are I would probably decommit on the spot and say I am no longer interested in playing for your program.

I'm just looking at it in the eyes of the recruit.

 

Then dont commit to a school on the spot. List that school as your leader but withhold your committment until you have taken other visits. See: O.O.

[Nexus]

Hmm... Don't think I agree with Bo on this one at all. Making your decision on where you go to college is one of the biggest you make in your life. You want to make sure you made the right choice. If I was a high school player who commited to a school and wanted to take a visit to a different school just to make sure the choice I made was right, and a college coach told me I couldn't chances are I would probably decommit on the spot and say I am no longer interested in playing for your program.

I'm just looking at it in the eyes of the recruit.

 

Then dont commit to a school on the spot. List that school as your leader but withhold your committment until you have taken other visits. See: O.O.

 

Which is why Bo shared the wedding analogy.

[HuskerInLostWages]

Hmm... Don't think I agree with Bo on this one at all. Making your decision on where you go to college is one of the biggest you make in your life. You want to make sure you made the right choice. If I was a high school player who commited to a school and wanted to take a visit to a different school just to make sure the choice I made was right, and a college coach told me I couldn't chances are I would probably decommit on the spot and say I am no longer interested in playing for your program.

I'm just looking at it in the eyes of the recruit.

 

Then dont commit to a school on the spot. List that school as your leader but withhold your committment until you have taken other visits. See: O.O.

 

This is exactly the first thing that popped into my mind. If you aren't ready to commit, then don't jump into it. I know a lot of kids no longer are raised to know their word is what makes them a man. It's a shame that people constantly go back on their promises now a days, but it's becoming more prevalent throughout the years. Fortunately out of the college football world others wont see this and wont know that both of the Gabbert boys words mean nothing, so that is good for them. I wish it were different and people could still be trusted by their word, that is slowly dying out of our culture.

 

I'm not old by any stretch, but even at 33 I see it, just imagine what my elders see and think of it.

[Glendower]

YES!...You either want to play for the Huskers or you don't...Otherwise goodbye! Way to go Bo!

 

That's not what he said and that's a self-destructive attitude. He doesn't mind if prospective players are on the fence and he seems to expect it (e.g. 17-18 year olds comment), but he expects people who say one thing to actually follow through with it. He didn't say "Commit or you're not with us." Hell, he said the opposite-- that he wouldn't pressure people to commit and that they shouldn't until they're sure.