Bo has hard line on soft commits

[Glendower]

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.

 

Yes, he knows that. He won't pressure people to commit. He wants them to have a look around and he doesn't want to make them commit if they're not ready. He doesn't think that people should "soft commit," commit when you're ready, don't if you want to keep looking around.

[shyndy]

Only Sith Lords deal in absolutes..

Yeah, and like the Jedi Council is somehow immune to falling into the "trappings" of absolutism.

I think if Pelini were a Sith Lord, his power of force persuasion would be more effective on the referees.

[hack]

Only Sith Lords deal in absolutes..

Yeah, and like the Jedi Council is somehow immune to falling into the "trappings" of absolutism.

I think if Pelini were a Sith Lord, his power of force persuasion would be more effective on the referees.

 

... and he'd use force choke on everyone else.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

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.

I see what you're saying, but I think from Bo's persective he's just saying, "If you don't know if it's the right choice then don't commit." It's pretty easy IMO, if you're not sure don't say yes. It's getting a little ridiculous with these kids and their is obviously nothing in a word anymore.

[Billyball]

I think that "my way or the highway" approach would be great and I'm sure works for Texas or USC, Fla etc. In a program that is truly elite you can perhaps intimidate kids into not taking a visit after a commit.

 

For a program like ours, instead of playing hardball, you had better be in there schmoozing and trying to retain recruits or like we are trying to do in other situations, get somebody else's recruts to vist and decommit. Indeed both the kids and the staff know that if we run a 4* kid off with an ultimatum who has orally committed, out of the program that it is likely he will be replaced with a lessor perhaps a 2* player. Therefore both sides know that it is not a policy that is likely well thought out,, but feels good right now.

 

 

Only when you reach the top will his harda$$ approach be the best way to handle recruitiing. Carter and Gabbert might have been gone anyway and probably would, tut it seems they were the first to hear about this 'no visit' policy.

 

I think persoanlly you saw Bo "being Bo" and having a little public fit in that statement that will be revised when it obviously doesn't fit where we are at in the eyes of recruits these days. When a hat with an N on it is seen on several of the silly games at the All Star HC game. Till then ultimatums will unlikely work and kids certainly will look around.

[Nexus]

Same story, but additional Bo quotes from LJS.

 

Pelini said it’s important to communicate well with players up-front. “If somebody tells me, ‘Well, I still want to take visits,’ I say, ‘Then don’t commit (yet). Let’s not go down this road.’ It’s as simple as that.”

 

“I don’t sit there and try to pressure a lot of guys and get them into my office and try to get them to commit,” he said. “They’re 17- or 18-year-old-kids. If you get them to do that, then all of sudden they’re like, ‘Oh, I did it because I felt like I was pressured into doing it.’ And that’s when you have problems.

 

“I don’t take that approach. I try to be on the same page. I try to communicate well and let them know that the ball is in their court. If you feel you’re ready, commit. If you don’t, don’t. It’s worked well for me in the past. It keeps everybody on the same page from start to finish. I’m not going to try and trick them into committing, because that’s when you end up having problems in the process.”

 

http://huskerextra.com/articles/2009/12/20...1e231163718.txt

[Karawithasmile]

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.

 

 

I see what you're saying, but nobody is pressuring these guys to take the plunge. They can visit Nebraska and like it, but just hold off on committing. Then they can visit other schools at their leasure and make sure they make the right decision. Bo's not asking them to do anything but think about their decision before making an actual committment. It's the best strategy. Otherwise you'd have guys coming to a school and committing and then going around to other schools with an open mind - how is that a "committment" in any form?

[NoKoolAidForME]

I think that "my way or the highway" approach would be great and I'm sure works for Texas or USC, Fla etc. In a program that is truly elite you can perhaps intimidate kids into not taking a visit after a commit.

 

For a program like ours, instead of playing hardball, you had better be in there schmoozing and trying to retain recruits or like we are trying to do in other situations, get somebody else's recruts to vist and decommit. Indeed both the kids and the staff know that if we run a 4* kid off with an ultimatum who has orally committed, out of the program that it is likely he will be replaced with a lessor perhaps a 2* player. Therefore both sides know that it is not a policy that is likely well thought out,, but feels good right now.

 

 

Only when you reach the top will his harda$$ approach be the best way to handle recruitiing. Carter and Gabbert might have been gone anyway and probably would, tut it seems they were the first to hear about this 'no visit' policy.

 

I think persoanlly you saw Bo "being Bo" and having a little public fit in that statement that will be revised when it obviously doesn't fit where we are at in the eyes of recruits these days. When a hat with an N on it is seen on several of the silly games at the All Star HC game. Till then ultimatums will unlikely work and kids certainly will look around.

I understand where you are coming from, but Bo is setting a standard. I for one never drink the BO is always right Kool Aid, in this instance I think he is right on. The kid that please the hat game in press conferences is not a kid that he is really looking for. He is going to recruit the way he was recruited. DR Tom didnt promise BO anything. He got an pay increase when he started preforming. Bo is not a schmoozer. He is going to get the type of kids in here that want to be N and if they dont best of luck to them. Long quote short, if these kids had never committed then they would never be in that position with Bo and Nebraska.

[jeepdad]

Sounds like Bo has an ego problem.

 

Sorry, but the "you're either with us or against us" approach may be good for the Husker faithful to hear, but I'm not sure it's a winner with recruits.

 

Someone earlier used the salesman analogy. If I'm buying a new car, and I strike a good deal with Dealership X and feel like I'm ready to sign on the dotted line, but mention I'd first like to take one more visit to the dealership across town -- that first dealer better not say, "F U, we don't want you anyway. Take your business somewhere else."

 

Bottom line: If you have a winning product, you shouldnt be afraid to let customers shop around. They'll come back to you in the end.

[Ohio Pete]

The point is he is trying to establish a culture here. There isn't a short term fix that can be successful if you compromise your principles. It will come back and bite your ass. So no tricking kids into coming here; no special exceptions for the starting LB or RB. If you are successful, you can be proud you did it the right way and don't have to explain your actions 20 years later. IF you fail, at least you can sleep at night knowing you put what was important first.

[carlfense]

I love Bo's stance on commitments and I think his no pressure style will pay off. Also, I fully agree with his hard line on "soft commits." If you look around, we're going to look around too. It's tough. It's fair. It's Pelini style recruiting. Remember when Pelini said we were recruiting character and not just athletic ability? Here's one way of determining these kid's character.

[carlfense]

Sounds like Bo has an ego problem.

 

Sorry, but the "you're either with us or against us" approach may be good for the Husker faithful to hear, but I'm not sure it's a winner with recruits.

 

Someone earlier used the salesman analogy. If I'm buying a new car, and I strike a good deal with Dealership X and feel like I'm ready to sign on the dotted line, but mention I'd first like to take one more visit to the dealership across town -- that first dealer better not say, "F U, we don't want you anyway. Take your business somewhere else."

 

Bottom line: If you have a winning product, you shouldnt be afraid to let customers shop around. They'll come back to you in the end.

 

Jeepdad . . . you haven't been seen around here since the Missouri-Nebraska game. It's curious that you show up now that Missouri is "tearing it up" in recruiting. Perhaps you didn't want to eat the crow being served? I think you were fairly confident of a MU victory back in October. Better luck next year.

 

Maybe you should read the whole article. Bo is saying don't commit until you are ready. Once you commit, you are COMMITTED. In your analogy, he's saying don't buy the car from me until you know you know it's the one you want. Shop around all you want . . . just don't say you are buying from me unless you are actually buying from me. Hopefully the recruits have better reading comprehension than yourself. (Or maybe you never bothered to read the article.)

[jeepdad]

Sounds like Bo has an ego problem.

 

Sorry, but the "you're either with us or against us" approach may be good for the Husker faithful to hear, but I'm not sure it's a winner with recruits.

 

Someone earlier used the salesman analogy. If I'm buying a new car, and I strike a good deal with Dealership X and feel like I'm ready to sign on the dotted line, but mention I'd first like to take one more visit to the dealership across town -- that first dealer better not say, "F U, we don't want you anyway. Take your business somewhere else."

 

Bottom line: If you have a winning product, you shouldnt be afraid to let customers shop around. They'll come back to you in the end.

 

Jeepdad . . . you haven't been seen around here since the Missouri-Nebraska game. It's curious that you show up now that Missouri is "tearing it up" in recruiting. Perhaps you didn't want to eat the crow being served? I think you were fairly confident of a MU victory back in October. Better luck next year.

 

Maybe you should read the whole article. Bo is saying don't commit until you are ready. Once you commit, you are COMMITTED. In your analogy, he's saying don't buy the car from me until you know you know it's the one you want. Shop around all you want . . . just don't say you are buying from me unless you are actually buying from me. Hopefully the recruits have better reading comprehension than yourself. (Or maybe you never bothered to read the article.)

 

Mizzou is tearing it up in recruting? Who knew ...

[NoKoolAidForME]

Mizzou is tearing it up in recruting? Who knew ...

We will see all in all those recruit need to produce on the field not just on signing say so we will see.

[carlfense]

Sounds like Bo has an ego problem.

 

Sorry, but the "you're either with us or against us" approach may be good for the Husker faithful to hear, but I'm not sure it's a winner with recruits.

 

Someone earlier used the salesman analogy. If I'm buying a new car, and I strike a good deal with Dealership X and feel like I'm ready to sign on the dotted line, but mention I'd first like to take one more visit to the dealership across town -- that first dealer better not say, "F U, we don't want you anyway. Take your business somewhere else."

 

Bottom line: If you have a winning product, you shouldnt be afraid to let customers shop around. They'll come back to you in the end.

 

Jeepdad . . . you haven't been seen around here since the Missouri-Nebraska game. It's curious that you show up now that Missouri is "tearing it up" in recruiting. Perhaps you didn't want to eat the crow being served? I think you were fairly confident of a MU victory back in October. Better luck next year.

 

Maybe you should read the whole article. Bo is saying don't commit until you are ready. Once you commit, you are COMMITTED. In your analogy, he's saying don't buy the car from me until you know you know it's the one you want. Shop around all you want . . . just don't say you are buying from me unless you are actually buying from me. Hopefully the recruits have better reading comprehension than yourself. (Or maybe you never bothered to read the article.)

 

Mizzou is tearing it up in recruting? Who knew ...

Personally, I don't think they are. The recruiting services and MU fans sure think so though. Keep in mind an entire class of 4 star receivers would be highly ranked . . . but it sure wouldn't mean good things for your program's future.