Impact of Texas Recruiting

[carlfense]

Some fans of the Forgotten Five schools like to console themselves by claiming that Nebraska leaving for the greener pastures of the Big Ten will be the downfall of the Nebraska program. Apparently they have convinced themselves that Nebraska is entirely dependent on Texas recruiting and those recruits will no longer look at Nebraska. Is the importance of Texas recruiting overstated?

 

Offense

QB - Taylor Martinez (California)

RB - Rex Burkhead (Texas)

WR - Kenny Bell (Colorado)

FB -Tyler Legate (Nebraska)

WR - Jamal Turner (Texas)

WR - Brandon Kinnie (Missouri)

TE - Kyler Reed (Kansas)

C - Mike Caputo (Nebraska)

RG - Brent Qvale (North Dakota)

LG - Andrew Rodriguez (Nebraska)

RT - Marcel Jones (Arizona)

LT - Jeremiah Sirles (Colorado)

 

Defense

DE - Eric Martin (California)

DT - Jared Crick (Nebraska)

DT - Baker Steinkuhler (Nebraska)

DE - Cameron Meredith (California)

LB - Will Compton (Missouri)

LB - Lavonte David (Florida)

LB - Sean Fisher (Nebraska)

CB - Ciante Evans (Texas)

CB - Alfonzo Dennard (Georgia)

SS - Austin Cassidy (Nebraska)

FS - Courtney Osborne (Texas)

 

Breakdown

Nebraska - 7

Texas - 4

California - 3

Missouri - 2

Colorado - 2

Kansas - 1

Georgia - 1

Florida - 1

North Dakota - 1

Arizona - 1

 

Conclusions: 4 starters are from Texas. Notably, we seem to target skill positions in Texas more than DL and OL. Also, Nebraska has potential starters from 10 different states. That suggests that Nebraska is not nearly as dependent on Texas recruiting as some other schools. (I'm thinking Missouri in particular . . . .they seem to recruit MO and TX ONLY.) Nebraska recruits nationally and we seem to have some excellent contacts in the southwest. Additionally, I'm not at all convinced that Texas recruiting will dry up. It might slow down some but so long as NU keeps winning and Pelini keeps sending players into the NFL they will come.

 

(Also . . . I'm sick of the off season. This post is an example.)

[knapplc]

Offense

QB - Taylor Martinez (California)

RB - Rex Burkhead (Texas)

WR - Kenny Bell (Colorado)

FB -Tyler Legate (Nebraska)

WR - Jamal Turner (Texas)

WR - Brandon Kinnie (Missouri)

TE - Kyler Reed (Kansas)

C - Mike Caputo (Nebraska)

RG - Brent Qvale (North Dakota)

LG - Andrew Rodriguez (Nebraska)

RT - Marcel Jones (Arizona)

LT - Jeremiah Sirles (Colorado)

 

Defense

DE - Eric Martin (California)

DT - Jared Crick (Nebraska)

DT - Baker Steinkuhler (Nebraska)

DE - Cameron Meredith (California)

LB - Will Compton (Missouri)

LB - Lavonte David (Florida)

LB - Sean Fisher (Nebraska)

CB - Ciante Evans (Texas)

CB - Alfonzo Dennard (Georgia)

SS - Austin Cassidy (Nebraska)

FS - Courtney Osborne (Texas)

 

 

To even further illustrate the point, the folks in BOLD are from states we've never been in a conference with. Presuming the theory that "Nebraska can't recruit from Texas when they aren't in a Texas conference" is true, we shouldn't have the seven players in bold at all.

 

The "same conference for recruiting" thing is a myth. Always has been.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

Texas recruiting WILL NOT dry up. By sheer volume Texas has many players to choose from. Plus our coaching staff has established ties and those will continue to pay off in the future.

[Axl_sued_me]

Back to back Holiday Bowl Appearances. Perhaps having more Texas boys on the team will help them get over that hump and into the BCS.

[Nebula]

(Also . . . I'm sick of the off season. This post is an example.)

Solid post. +1

[huskered17]

Nebraska might have a tougher time recruiting there for maybe a couple of years. I would think once those Texas schools stock pile most of there kids for two years, that should open it up more for the next wave of recruits that don't want to sit or just play on special teams, waiting for two years to get a shot at starting. Bo has shown that he will start you if your the best at your position. I think the recruiting will be there for us also, if we keep winning. IMO

 

GBR!!!

[Creed]

It seems Iowa still gets a lot of players from Texas as well as other B10 teams having a handful on their rosters.

 

I don't see Nebraska any different than Michigan who recruits nationally. They will get kids from the SE, Cal, Texas and Midwest.

[Hercules]

I'm worried though. Remember how much our football team sucked before the Texas schools joined our conference and we were able to recruit their players?

[huKSer]

I'm worried though. Remember how much our football team sucked before the Texas schools joined our conference and we were able to recruit their players?

I assume you forgot this: ?

[The Dude]

I'm worried though. Remember how much our football team sucked before the Texas schools joined our conference and we were able to recruit their players?

Valid point. Who, outside of Nebraska, actually heard of Nebraska before 1996???

[knapplc]

I'm worried though. Remember how much our football team sucked before the Texas schools joined our conference and we were able to recruit their players?

Valid point. Who, outside of Nebraska, actually heard of Nebraska before 1996???

 

You mean aside from Lewis and Clark, right?

[carlfense]

I'm worried though. Remember how much our football team sucked before the Texas schools joined our conference and we were able to recruit their players?

+1

[husker_99]

Bo has shown that he will start you if your the best at your position.

 

GBR!!!

 

This alone is the best recruiting tool. Players don't want to wait anymore and will go somewhere else if they can start there. this philosophy worked well for Pete Carroll and how he always had a good team year after year.

[Tora! Tora! Tora!]

I recall debating this same issue when MU was a B10 hopeful. I think this was a bigger deal for us because MU is probably more dependent on Texas recruits than any other Non-Texas school. Most thought MU's relationship with HS coaching staffs in Texas trumped conference affiliation. The same is true for Nebraska. Win on the field and your relationships you've already established in Texas will continue to bear fruit.

 

I'll also mention though that while MU was flirting with the B10 it was never discussed that the B12 would change to a round-robin schedule after the realignment. I'm not saying the schedule change hurts other teams outside the B12 much, but playing a minimum of four Texas teams a year certain helps MU a little with recruiting.

[Blackshirt316]

There are multiple high school football coaches in Texas who are FROM Nebraska. Texas recruiting will be fine.

 

Besides at our best we typically only grabbed 1-2 kids from Texas in any given year and had several years without anyone from Texas in the class... we'll be able to pull 1-2 out of the state and every few years grab an elite kid.

 

Just like always.

 

Besides Texas we already recruit heavily (and quite successfully) in California, Arizona, Colorado and Missouri and are increasing our net in Florida, Georiga and Louisiana... going to the Big Ten REALLY opens up Ohio and Pennsylvania and gets us back into Jersey.

 

Don't think getting recruits is going to be a problem as long as the staff does their job.