Some impressive Bo numbers........

[RyouN?]

Although recruiting rankings are nice to get an idea of TOs recruiting classes... Those rankings were far from reliable and hardly valid when you consider not only the technology differences and the resulting impact on exposure but also the popularity the internet has given these recruiting services which has allowed them to be more thorough in their evaluations.

 

Take home point 90's recruiting rankings=Paraplegic

2000's=Usain bolt

 

You just cant compare the two... apples and oranges

[The Dude]

Bah, I can compare anything.

[EZ-E]

According to Scout.com, under Bo Pelini, Nebraska has finished...

 

2011 - 19

2010 - 29

2009 - 33

2008 - 21

 

25.5 average.

 

Under Bill Callahan, Nebraska finished...

 

2007 - 21

2006 - 29

2005 - 10

2004 - 38

 

24.5 average.

 

Some interesting things here. First, Nebraska has had one Top 10 class in the last eight years, maybe longer (didn't look). Callahan proved it is still possible to get a Top 10 class at Nebraska, however he also proved unable to keep his job. Second, while it is clear people want to argue Callahan was the better recruiter, the star rankings suggest they were both (for the most part) relatively even. That said, the Top 10 class is impressive.

 

Recruiting is important, just as coaching is important. You can't have one without the other, and while some lean to recruiting being more important, I tend to lean the opposite. But I think one fact should be faced here. Nebraska isn't what it used to be, and I doubt high school recruits guffaw over seeing the red 'N' of a Nebraska coach at their high school like they used to decades ago. Recruiting today is far more challenging than it used to be, especially with social media, and I've heard this said on more than one occasion by people related to the program. We shouldn't lower our standards at Nebraska, however we should understand that today's game is different and ever changing.

 

This is a great post. I especially agree with the last few sentences.

 

As unpopular as this opinion may be, there will never be a program as dominate as we were in the 90s. It will never happen again with the new scholarship limits and things of that nature. The NCAA wanted parity and they got a good amount of it. It is a different ball game now than it was in the 90s.

 

What I would like to see more of is this sense of urgency around recruiting all year round that we have seen in the past month or so. We are not on an even playing field with some of the coastal schools, so we have to outwork them.

[AFhusker]

Well actually, the myth that TO didn't recruit well according to the recruiting mags is exactly that, a bit of a myth. Here is what I was able to find for past SuperPrep, now Scout, rankings. I know others have the Max ratings and others compiled, but I haven't been able to find them online and I don't have copies of those magazines on hand.

 

In general, TO had Top 20 type classes with a few Top 30 type classes and several Top 10 type classes.

 

SuperPrep

1997 - 19

1996 - 6

1995 - 8

1994 - 20

1993 - 18

1992 - 14

1991 - 28

1990 - 10

1989 - 12

1988 - 24

1987 - 7

 

Whoops, you have to hate it when facts get in the way of "The Nebraska Way" myth.

 

 

Whoops, you simply don't understand Nebraska football and recruiting. Let me help you. Using the data that you state shows clearly we got GREAT recruiting classes after we won National Championships. Well, gee......imagine that.

 

Excluding the NC years you show a rounded average of 17. Depending on what recruiting service you use, that's about the ranking we had last year. Same old, same old thing.

 

Nebraska under TO, as others everywhere have stated, averaged around 20 or something in recruiting rankings for his 25 years. Here and there a top 10 class mixed in with his top 30 or so classes. In the 70s & 80s he didn't have any National Championships to bring in top 10 classes so obviously the average class ranking would probably be lower.

 

At any rate, on average TO's average recruiting ranking were "not" top 10 or even close. Not even in the same galaxy as the last decade or so of the Texas, Oklahoma, etc annual recruiting rankings. I have no idea what "myth" you're claiming to expose as actually you're just re-confirming what we all already knew.

 

The myth is that sh**ty walk's are important. They are grossly overrated by this fanbase. That "heart" that they have is nice for fluf stories, but it doesn't win championships. The "myth" is that "The Nebraska Way" is the only way you can win at this school. The Nebraska Way is outdated due to the cut in the late 1990's to GA's, therefore It doen't work anymore becasue NU doen't have the advantages that they did under TO. Everyone is on TV and nobody wants to wait two years to play at NU when they can go somewhere else and start three or four years, even if it's an Iowa State type school.

 

I don't expect top 10 rankings, I just want the coaches to recruit during the season and take advantage of the only thing we have and that is our great facilites and awesome game day atmoshphere. I don't think waiting until after the season to get 9 (or more) quality players to fill out the class is the smart way to recruit. I hope they prove me wrong, I really do, but we've been through this type of recruiting before and it didn't work.

[AFhusker]

According to Scout.com, under Bo Pelini, Nebraska has finished...

 

2011 - 19

2010 - 29

2009 - 33

2008 - 21

 

25.5 average.

 

Under Bill Callahan, Nebraska finished...

 

2007 - 21

2006 - 29

2005 - 10

2004 - 38

 

24.5 average.

 

Some interesting things here. First, Nebraska has had one Top 10 class in the last eight years, maybe longer (didn't look). Callahan proved it is still possible to get a Top 10 class at Nebraska, however he also proved unable to keep his job. Second, while it is clear people want to argue Callahan was the better recruiter, the star rankings suggest they were both (for the most part) relatively even. That said, the Top 10 class is impressive.

 

Recruiting is important, just as coaching is important. You can't have one without the other, and while some lean to recruiting being more important, I tend to lean the opposite. But I think one fact should be faced here. Nebraska isn't what it used to be, and I doubt high school recruits guffaw over seeing the red 'N' of a Nebraska coach at their high school like they used to decades ago. Recruiting today is far more challenging than it used to be, especially with social media, and I've heard this said on more than one occasion by people related to the program. We shouldn't lower our standards at Nebraska, however we should understand that today's game is different and ever changing.

 

This is a great post. I especially agree with the last few sentences.

 

As unpopular as this opinion may be, there will never be a program as dominate as we were in the 90s. It will never happen again with the new scholarship limits and things of that nature. The NCAA wanted parity and they got a good amount of it. It is a different ball game now than it was in the 90s.

 

What I would like to see more of is this sense of urgency around recruiting all year round that we have seen in the past month or so. We are not on an even playing field with some of the coastal schools, so we have to outwork them.

 

Very well said. I wouldn't count that crappy 2004 class for Callahan, if I remember correctly, he only had two weeks to recruit and Frank only left him 5 recruits, so that on is more on Peterson's mishandling of the coaching situation than anything. He was by far a better recruiter than Frank, and is better than Bo, but mainly because of lack of effort during the season IMO. Bo can be a good recruiter if he makes it a priority and gets some urgency.

 

Taking out the first year for both coaches since they had decommits, Callahan average is 20 and Bo is 27. They are close, but Bo can do better with some urgency.

[skersfan]

Recruiting is the life blood of any top program, nothing less. The only problem I see with Bo is that he does not take full advantage of it. Using all the allowed visits, all the school visits.

 

Supposedly the best recruiter out there is Nick Saben. His statement is, Recruiting is job number 1, period, nothing more important, 365 days a year, coaching on his staff is second, without top talent the coaches are not going to win against other top recrutiting forces in the SEC.

 

I would like to see that attitude, not the stars to to speak. I do not feel we do things that way, because I feel Bo has too much on his plate.

 

Also we have to understand that we do not have the top facilities anymore, we have top tier, but not the best. Our game day experience is no greater than many of the top programs in their fans eyes.

 

Thinking by just getting a recruit here he is ours is not true, never really has been.

 

Also on the recuriting of Clownahan, how many of those top players ended up staying, a good number never made a year nor a real playing experience here.

 

I could care less about the stars, I just want us out there making every effort to get the top players. I do not feel we are doing that.

[Excel]

Other impressive Bo Numbers...

 

Times made it home inebriated without being pulled over : 27

Ref's inadvertently spat on while yelling: 14

Longest period of time spent holding in pee despite really having to go: 3 hours 19 minutes.

[Hunter94]

According to Scout.com, under Bo Pelini, Nebraska has finished...

 

2011 - 19

2010 - 29

2009 - 33

2008 - 21

 

25.5 average.

 

Under Bill Callahan, Nebraska finished...

 

2007 - 21

2006 - 29

2005 - 10

2004 - 38

 

24.5 average.

 

Some interesting things here. First, Nebraska has had one Top 10 class in the last eight years, maybe longer (didn't look). Callahan proved it is still possible to get a Top 10 class at Nebraska, however he also proved unable to keep his job. Second, while it is clear people want to argue Callahan was the better recruiter, the star rankings suggest they were both (for the most part) relatively even. That said, the Top 10 class is impressive.

 

Recruiting is important, just as coaching is important. You can't have one without the other, and while some lean to recruiting being more important, I tend to lean the opposite. But I think one fact should be faced here. Nebraska isn't what it used to be, and I doubt high school recruits guffaw over seeing the red 'N' of a Nebraska coach at their high school like they used to decades ago. Recruiting today is far more challenging than it used to be, especially with social media, and I've heard this said on more than one occasion by people related to the program. We shouldn't lower our standards at Nebraska, however we should understand that today's game is different and ever changing.

 

This is a great post. I especially agree with the last few sentences.

 

As unpopular as this opinion may be, there will never be a program as dominate as we were in the 90s. It will never happen again with the new scholarship limits and things of that nature. The NCAA wanted parity and they got a good amount of it. It is a different ball game now than it was in the 90s.

 

What I would like to see more of is this sense of urgency around recruiting all year round that we have seen in the past month or so. We are not on an even playing field with some of the coastal schools, so we have to outwork them.

 

 

Bo spent some time at LSU, he should know how to recruit.

[Enhance]

Very well said. I wouldn't count that crappy 2004 class for Callahan, if I remember correctly, he only had two weeks to recruit and Frank only left him 5 recruits, so that on is more on Peterson's mishandling of the coaching situation than anything. He was by far a better recruiter than Frank, and is better than Bo, but mainly because of lack of effort during the season IMO. Bo can be a good recruiter if he makes it a priority and gets some urgency.

 

Taking out the first year for both coaches since they had decommits, Callahan average is 20 and Bo is 27. They are close, but Bo can do better with some urgency.

I agree. But as stated before ad nauseum, Pelini is still learning to be a head coach. Every coach is still learning. I'm sure he knows what is and isn't good talent, and we can only hope (with time) he learns from his mistakes and corrects them.

[Mavric]

Very well said. I wouldn't count that crappy 2004 class for Callahan, if I remember correctly, he only had two weeks to recruit and Frank only left him 5 recruits, so that on is more on Peterson's mishandling of the coaching situation than anything. He was by far a better recruiter than Frank, and is better than Bo, but mainly because of lack of effort during the season IMO. Bo can be a good recruiter if he makes it a priority and gets some urgency.

 

Taking out the first year for both coaches since they had decommits, Callahan average is 20 and Bo is 27. They are close, but Bo can do better with some urgency.

I agree. But as stated before ad nauseum, Pelini is still learning to be a head coach. Every coach is still learning. I'm sure he knows what is and isn't good talent, and we can only hope (with time) he learns from his mistakes and corrects them.

I'm also going with this (hopefully). If you look at the first two classes that were totally Bo's (2009 & 10), they weren't really great overall. Last year's class already has several contributers as true freshmen and - I think - several more on the way. The upcoming class looks very promising as well. Seems to me like Bo (and the staff) are turning the page on the recruiting front.

[NUance]

Regardless of where you stand on Bo's developing legacy, if Randy York's numbers are correct..............this is fairly impressive

 

Among schools currently in a BCS automatic-qualifying conference, Pelini has become just the 15th head coach in college football history to win at least nine games in their first four seasons on the job at that school. The group includes four Nebraska coaches (Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne, Frank Solich and Pelini). Pelini, Solich and Texas’ Mack Brown were the only coaches in Big 12 history (1996) to win nine or more games in each of their first three seasons.

 

Pelini also was among a group of 18 FBS head coaches who were hired for their jobs beginning with the 2008 season. Pelini leads that group of 18 head coaches in victories over the past four years with 38 wins, three more than Houston’s Kevin Sumlin, who just left his job to take over at Texas A&M. Pelini, in fact, is one of only seven coaches in the group of 18 still in the job they were hired for prior to the 2008 season.

 

There’s more. When looking only at those in their first head coaching job at a BCS Conference school, Pelini is one of only six to win nine games in each of their first four years on the job. To me, it’s fairly fascinating that three of those six coaches are from Nebraska: Osborne (1973-74-75-76), Solich (1998-99-2000-01) and Pelini (2008-09-10-11). The other three are Oklahoma’s Barry Switzer (1973-74-75-76), Miami’s Larry Coker (2001-02-03-04) and Louisville’s Bobby Petrino (2003-04-05-06).

 

(referenced from Dirk's Bites at the Omaha World Herald 12.23.11)

 

*bump*

 

It's time to turn on the off-season Kool-Aid spigot.

[ladyhawke]

Just goes to show a coach needs time to build a program, especially considering Nebraska's geography.

Yep!

[Blackshirt316]

I went ahead and pulled the recruiting numbers from Rivals so we can put this "Bo can't recruit" myth to bed. Bo 2012 - 9 verbal commits, average star rating of 3.56 (5ea 4 Stars, 4ea 3 Stars) 2011 - 19 signees, average star rating of 3.53 (11ea 4 Stars, 7ea 3 Stars) 2010 - 21 signees, average star rating of 3.24 (8ea 4 Stars, 10ea 3 Stars) 2009 - 20 signees, average star rating of 3.25 (5ea 4 Stars, 15ea 3 Stars) 2008 - 28 signees, average star rating of 2.96 (1ea 5 Star, 2ea 4 Stars, 20ea 3 Stars) 97 signees/verbals, average star rating of 3.25 [1ea 5 Star (1%), 31ea 4 Stars (32%), 56ea 3 Stars (58%)] Callahan 2007 - 27 signees, average star rating of 3.33 (10 ea 4 Stars, 16ea 3 Stars) 2006 - 22 signees, average star rating of 3.27 (1ea 5 Stars, 5 ea 4 Stars, 15ea 3 Stars) 2005 - 30 signees, average star rating of 3.33 (2ea 5 Stars, 11ea 4 Stars, 12ea 3 Stars) 2004 - 18 signees, average star rating of 2.83 (2ea 4 Stars, 11ea 3 Stars) 97 signees, average star rating of 3.22 [3ea 5 Stars (3%), 28ea 4 Stars (29%), 54ea 3 Stars (56%)] A few things to note IMO: 1. Bo has slightly outdone Callahan in average star rating and the # of 4 and 3 Star recruits brought in. 2. Callahan brought in 2 more 5 stars in his time and has the advantage of bringing in a higher number per year. a. Callahan's average signee count over 4 years was 24.25 b. Bo's average signee count over his first 4 years was 22, and his 2012 class won't help that average. If Bo signs 16 this year, his average will fall to 20.8. c. The average attrition rate is around 50% from what I have been able to find. This means Callahan would find 12 players each year to Bo's 10, that adds up to 8 players over 4 years. You can't bang on Bo for not bringing in the talent, you can bang on him for not bringing in enough of it IMO. That is an issue with roster management, not his or his staff's ability to recruit.

 

Adding to that

 

 

NFL Draft Picks taken from that Coach's first 4 years that that coach DID NOT recruit

Callahan - 11 players, 2 1sts, 3 2nds, 2 3rds, 1 4th, 2 6ths, 1 7th

Richie Incognito (3rd)

Fabian Washington (1st)

Barrett Ruud (2nd)

Josh Bullocks (2nd)

Daniel Bullocks (2nd)

Titus Adams (7th)

Sam Koch (6th)

Le Kevin Smith (6th)

Jay Moore (4th)

Stewart Bradley (3rd)

Adam Carriker (1st)

 

 

Pelini- 13 players, 2 1sts, 4 4ths, 3 5ths, 2 6ths, 2 7ths

Cody Glenn (5th) - as a linebacker

Matt Slauson (6th)

Lydon Murtha (7th)

Phillip Dillard (4th)

Ndamakong Suh (1st)

Larry Asante (5th)

Roy Helu (4th)

Alex Henery (4th)

Prince Amukamara (1st)

Niles Paul (5th)

Keith Williams (6th)

Jared Crick (4th)

Marcel Jones(7th)

 

NFL Draft Picks taken from that Coach's first 4 years that that coach DID recruit.

Callahan -

Brandon Jackson (2nd)

Cody Glenn (5th) - as a linebacker

Matt Slauson (6th)

Lydon Murtha (7th)

 

Pelini -

Dejon Gomes (5th)

Lavonte David (2nd)

Alfonzo Dennard (7th)

 

So while Pelini had 2 more NFL draft picks on his inital roster that were recruited by his predicessor than Callahan, Callahan based on draft position had far more quality depth.

 

ALSO while every recruit from Callahan's first 4 classes has exhausted eligibility (though you can still credit him for 4 guys on the roster from his 5th), A full 50% of pelini's first two classes and 85% of his 2nd two classes are still on the roster.

and yet Pelini still has a comparable number of draft picks he personally was responsible in the first 4 years that Callahan did.

So, at this point Pelini stacks up pretty well compared to Callahan both in the talent they had to work with and the talent they brought in... the ONLY way Pelini isn't considered a better recruiter than Callahan is if Pelini doesn't have 17 or more guys he recruited end up draftedd overall, 5 years from now.

[Polarhusker]

No kidding! Okie State gets beaten by Iowa State, Michigan gets beaten by Iowa, come on! So Nebraska had a few bad games. Since people are so fond of holding up Urban Meyer look at Florida State now? You can't tell me he didn't know that after Tebow left that team was going to start losing games big time. What were they-6-6 after Tebow left. Meyer was only 8-5 his last season at Florida. Hmmm...even 'great' coaches have their off seasons.

 

I think you meant Florida.

 

Never mind didn’t realize this started back in 2011.

[huKSer]

Recruiting Coach . . . .Recruiting stars . . . . . . Drafted by NFL

Solich . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??? . . . . . . . . . . 11

 

Callahan . . . . . . . . . . . 3.22 . . . . . . . . . . .17

 

Pelini . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.25 . . . . . . . . . . . .3 (and counting)

 

Caveman99 - could you find the average stars of Solich's last 4 seasons?

My guess is both Mr. Pelini and BillyC have better recruiting classes than Mr. Solich, but Mr. Solich would need a ranking of 2.14 to be proportional in the number of NFL draftees. If it is significantly over then he had issues coaching. If it is significantly under, then Billy Boy can't coach.