Getting over the recruting hump

[Vince R.]

SO FAR, would you say that Nebraska has gotten over that "recruiting hump" where we can compete and snag top notch recruits every year?

 

In my opinion, yes but its not at full force. But we are definitely on the minds of everyone again which is a huge plus.

[EZ-E]

SO FAR, would you say that Nebraska has gotten over that "recruiting hump" where we can compete and snag top notch recruits every year?

 

In my opinion, yes but its not at full force. But we are definitely on the minds of everyone again which is a huge plus.

 

This recruiting cycle is a product of our staff's relentless hard work on the recruiting trail last year and this year. As long as that continues we will continue to pull in top notch kids. Since our class is almost full, watch for some more 2012 recruiting names to surface.

[ADS]

We have, and thats kudos to this staff doing its homework and being honest with these kids.

[kchusker_chris]

agree. i'm assuming you consider the "hump" as breaking through the top-25 and into that top-15ish class type though? we've debated this relentlessly, but I still think we need that top 5 class every once in a while. winning will give us that - and i don't see the staff needing to work any harder to get it...just win and the #15 class turns into a #5 class quickly. if this staff was recruiting late-90's early 2000's we'd be pulling in top 10 classes year in, year out.

 

I really like where things are positioned as far as the program and recruiting goes. the event center downtown will really help with recruiting. That type of city environment will really help sell lincoln. The stadium expansion. The academics that come with the Big10. We should have a VERY strong product to sell in 5 years.

[robsker]

SO FAR, would you say that Nebraska has gotten over that "recruiting hump" where we can compete and snag top notch recruits every year?

 

In my opinion, yes but its not at full force. But we are definitely on the minds of everyone again which is a huge plus.

 

 

This depends on what one means....

 

For example, Texas, USC, Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida and, to slightly lesser degree, Ohio State, do not recruit --- they SELECT. These programs simply choose from many who want to go there --- but not all of whom can get a slot. Formally, these programs hand pick who they want. They each have too many 4 star-type players dying to sign on than they can handle --- and thus --- among the many options they have --- they select who they want. Those programs, essentially, never have to settle for who is willing to come for far more 4 stars want in than can get in. Sure, occasionally one school in that list takes from another on that list ... but equal recruits await and are dying to get is... so they still get great players.

 

NU is nowhere near that level in recruiting. NU does not select. NU does not have an array of 4 stars wanting to get in, fighting for slots. NU is relegated to taking what they can get... basically after the 5 top programs --- and others like Oregon, Michigan, Miami, FSU, and a few others get their picks. Then NU competes.

 

Now... do we recruit pretty well? Seems so... but we are not a top 10 draw. maybe fringe top 15 or so (top 20).

 

Is it getting better. Maybe. Where we struggle is with skill position players. Green was a rare big one. Hope he works out. He turned down a few top schools --- like Texas and FSU --- and came to NU --- that is reare. That said, Texas and FSU have equal backs in their class (or in their stable of backs on their rosters) so that for them, they just select a comparable person instead (that they were turned down for a person going to NU is really rare).

 

So... glad we got Green. And recruiting is... maybe better overall. But we are light years from hanging with those that, generally speaking, select rather than recruit.

[kchusker_chris]

This depends on what one means....

 

For example, Texas, USC, Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida and, to slightly lesser degree, Ohio State, do not recruit --- they SELECT. These programs simply choose from many who want to go there --- but not all of whom can get a slot. Formally, these programs hand pick who they want. They each have too many 4 star-type players dying to sign on than they can handle --- and thus --- among the many options they have --- they select who they want. Those programs, essentially, never have to settle for who is willing to come for far more 4 stars want in than can get in. Sure, occasionally one school in that list takes from another on that list ... but equal recruits await and are dying to get is... so they still get great players.

 

NU is nowhere near that level in recruiting. NU does not select. NU does not have an array of 4 stars wanting to get in, fighting for slots. NU is relegated to taking what they can get... basically after the 5 top programs --- and others like Oregon, Michigan, Miami, FSU, and a few others get their picks. Then NU competes.

 

Now... do we recruit pretty well? Seems so... but we are not a top 10 draw. maybe fringe top 15 or so (top 20).

 

Is it getting better. Maybe. Where we struggle is with skill position players. Green was a rare big one. Hope he works out. He turned down a few top schools --- like Texas and FSU --- and came to NU --- that is reare. That said, Texas and FSU have equal backs in their class (or in their stable of backs on their rosters) so that for them, they just select a comparable person instead (that they were turned down for a person going to NU is really rare).

 

So... glad we got Green. And recruiting is... maybe better overall. But we are light years from hanging with those that, generally speaking, select rather than recruit.

Pretty much. We'll never cross that hump though - unless NU requires all co-eds to be topless after 12:00 (which i'd gladly vote for). Frankly, it's not easy to convince kids to come to Lincoln. I know all Nebraska homers think it's just the greatest place in the world...but for the most part it's a dump with a great football school plopped down next to the railyard. Those schools you mentioned open their back door to money, bikinis, sunshine and 160 top ranked players. Not all 160 want to go to the school, but more than enough of them do that it's easy to make up a class of 25. I would say Oklahoma does a fair amount of recruiting - they aren't in the group - and their classes are a product of recent successful seasons. That may or may not trail off with their recent decline. But Texas, Ohio St, Florida, USC, Alabama...90% of their recruiting success can be attributed to the address on their admissions office...and that's not something NU can change.

[robsker]

This depends on what one means....

 

For example, Texas, USC, Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida and, to slightly lesser degree, Ohio State, do not recruit --- they SELECT. These programs simply choose from many who want to go there --- but not all of whom can get a slot. Formally, these programs hand pick who they want. They each have too many 4 star-type players dying to sign on than they can handle --- and thus --- among the many options they have --- they select who they want. Those programs, essentially, never have to settle for who is willing to come for far more 4 stars want in than can get in. Sure, occasionally one school in that list takes from another on that list ... but equal recruits await and are dying to get is... so they still get great players.

 

NU is nowhere near that level in recruiting. NU does not select. NU does not have an array of 4 stars wanting to get in, fighting for slots. NU is relegated to taking what they can get... basically after the 5 top programs --- and others like Oregon, Michigan, Miami, FSU, and a few others get their picks. Then NU competes.

 

Now... do we recruit pretty well? Seems so... but we are not a top 10 draw. maybe fringe top 15 or so (top 20).

 

Is it getting better. Maybe. Where we struggle is with skill position players. Green was a rare big one. Hope he works out. He turned down a few top schools --- like Texas and FSU --- and came to NU --- that is reare. That said, Texas and FSU have equal backs in their class (or in their stable of backs on their rosters) so that for them, they just select a comparable person instead (that they were turned down for a person going to NU is really rare).

 

So... glad we got Green. And recruiting is... maybe better overall. But we are light years from hanging with those that, generally speaking, select rather than recruit.

Pretty much. We'll never cross that hump though - unless NU requires all co-eds to be topless after 12:00 (which i'd gladly vote for). Frankly, it's not easy to convince kids to come to Lincoln. I know all Nebraska homers think it's just the greatest place in the world...but for the most part it's a dump with a great football school plopped down next to the railyard. Those schools you mentioned open their back door to money, bikinis, sunshine and 160 top ranked players. Not all 160 want to go to the school, but more than enough of them do that it's easy to make up a class of 25. I would say Oklahoma does a fair amount of recruiting - they aren't in the group - and their classes are a product of recent successful seasons. That may or may not trail off with their recent decline. But Texas, Ohio St, Florida, USC, Alabama...90% of their recruiting success can be attributed to the address on their admissions office...and that's not something NU can change.

 

 

Agreed with all but one thing --- Lincoln is no dump! I have lived now in 8 states (Illinois, Wisconsin, Oregon, Missouri, Idaho, Connecticut, Tennessee and Kentucky) and have, generally, enjoyed each place. My time in Lincoln was only for graduate school for 5 years. That said, Lincoln is the cleanest city of any city I have been in near its size (or, at least it was... I was there in the mid-80's). The school was real nice too. The cost of living was great. The people were really nice. Lincoln is a nice... a really nice place. Now... I get your point... it does not have the weather of some of these other places and the bikinis and all. Sure. But Lincoln is no dump.

 

Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Gainesville, Florida and any place in Ohio are not any nicer... and really not as nice as Lincoln. Lincoln gets a bad rap. The weather does stink... but other than that Lincoln is a great place.

[kchusker_chris]

This depends on what one means....

 

For example, Texas, USC, Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida and, to slightly lesser degree, Ohio State, do not recruit --- they SELECT. These programs simply choose from many who want to go there --- but not all of whom can get a slot. Formally, these programs hand pick who they want. They each have too many 4 star-type players dying to sign on than they can handle --- and thus --- among the many options they have --- they select who they want. Those programs, essentially, never have to settle for who is willing to come for far more 4 stars want in than can get in. Sure, occasionally one school in that list takes from another on that list ... but equal recruits await and are dying to get is... so they still get great players.

 

NU is nowhere near that level in recruiting. NU does not select. NU does not have an array of 4 stars wanting to get in, fighting for slots. NU is relegated to taking what they can get... basically after the 5 top programs --- and others like Oregon, Michigan, Miami, FSU, and a few others get their picks. Then NU competes.

 

Now... do we recruit pretty well? Seems so... but we are not a top 10 draw. maybe fringe top 15 or so (top 20).

 

Is it getting better. Maybe. Where we struggle is with skill position players. Green was a rare big one. Hope he works out. He turned down a few top schools --- like Texas and FSU --- and came to NU --- that is reare. That said, Texas and FSU have equal backs in their class (or in their stable of backs on their rosters) so that for them, they just select a comparable person instead (that they were turned down for a person going to NU is really rare).

 

So... glad we got Green. And recruiting is... maybe better overall. But we are light years from hanging with those that, generally speaking, select rather than recruit.

Pretty much. We'll never cross that hump though - unless NU requires all co-eds to be topless after 12:00 (which i'd gladly vote for). Frankly, it's not easy to convince kids to come to Lincoln. I know all Nebraska homers think it's just the greatest place in the world...but for the most part it's a dump with a great football school plopped down next to the railyard. Those schools you mentioned open their back door to money, bikinis, sunshine and 160 top ranked players. Not all 160 want to go to the school, but more than enough of them do that it's easy to make up a class of 25. I would say Oklahoma does a fair amount of recruiting - they aren't in the group - and their classes are a product of recent successful seasons. That may or may not trail off with their recent decline. But Texas, Ohio St, Florida, USC, Alabama...90% of their recruiting success can be attributed to the address on their admissions office...and that's not something NU can change.

 

 

Agreed with all but one thing --- Lincoln is no dump! I have lived now in 8 states (Illinois, Wisconsin, Oregon, Missouri, Idaho, Connecticut, Tennessee and Kentucky) and have, generally, enjoyed each place. My time in Lincoln was only for graduate school for 5 years. That said, Lincoln is the cleanest city of any city I have been in near its size (or, at least it was... I was there in the mid-80's). The school was real nice too. The cost of living was great. The people were really nice. Lincoln is a nice... a really nice place. Now... I get your point... it does not have the weather of some of these other places and the bikinis and all. Sure. But Lincoln is no dump.

 

Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Gainesville, Florida and any place in Ohio are not any nicer... and really not as nice as Lincoln. Lincoln gets a bad rap. The weather does stink... but other than that Lincoln is a great place.

I'll admit Lincoln is pretty nice - south of Pioneers or so. I am mainly just talking about around the campus/downtown area, most of what the recruits see during their trips. I'm not sure you can even compare downtown lincoln in the 80's (i was just a few years old, but saw it mid 90's) - to downtown Lincoln today. O-Street is almost sad to look at anymore. I really think Lincoln made a spectacular decision with the event center. Living in KC I can see what the Sprint Center did for an otherwise bleak downtown area. Same goes for Denver when they put in Coors field. Revitalizing the downtown area would go along ways towards bringing Lincoln out of the 80's (delapitated brick buildings) and into the 10's (night life, entertainment, transportation, etc). But as of right now, South Street to Holdredge - Downtown to 70th St is pretty much a dump.