We lost Gabe Hatchett

[Guest Guru]

Well we win some and lose some.

 

Gabe Hatchett from last weekend has just de-commited.

 

NU loses standout juco receiver Reply

 

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NU loses standout juco receiver

BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star

Fleet wide receiver Gabe Hatchett says he "got caught up in the hoopla" at Nebraska last weekend when he gave the Huskers an oral commitment to accept a scholarship offer.

 

After assessing his academic needs, the junior college standout changed his mind.

 

 

Hatchett said Friday night he plans to attend Toledo instead of Nebraska, where he would've had to complete a significant number of summer-school hours to become eligible in August.

 

At Toledo, a member of the Mid-American Conference, Hatchett won't have to take any summer-school courses to gain eligibility, he said.

 

"Not that Nebraska wasn't a great opportunity," said the 6-foot-3, 194-pound Hatchett, who caught 49 passes for 824 yards last season at Sacramento (Calif.) City College. "But I have to look out for myself and see what fits me best."

 

With Hatchett's decommitment, Nebraska entered this weekend with 18 known oral commitments for its class of 2004. Husker head coach Bill Callahan has said he plans to lock in a class of 25 when letter of intent signing period begins Wednesday.

 

Hatchett, who runs a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, was among eight players who orally committed to Nebraska after visiting Lincoln last weekend. The Huskers this weekend are playing host to at least seven players making official recruiting visits, including touted quarterback Rocky Hinds of Playa Del Rey, Calif., and standout defensive end Jeremy Coley of Mesabi (Minn.) Community College.

 

It's safe to say this weekend's visitors will get the same treatment that wooed Hatchett. Hatchett was particularly impressed last Friday night when recruits were introduced individually by the public-address announcer at Memorial Stadium.

 

The stadium lights were turned on. Each recruit had a Husker jersey with his name and high school number on it. Even the Big Red cheerleaders were on hand.

 

"It was overwhelming," Hatchett said. "I just got awed by the name `Nebraska,' and didn't think enough about whether the situation fit me well."

 

It comes down to the MAC's academic requirements being different than the Big 12's, Hatchett said.

 

Had he stuck with Nebraska, Hatchett said, he would arrived in Lincoln in May and enrolled in classes. He also would've had to find a job while making time to work out with teammates in the Huskers' rigorous summer conditioning program.

 

At Toledo, he said, he will arrive on campus in May and be able to concentrate on conditioning and football in hopes of playing immediately. The Rockets in 2003 finished 8-4 overall and 6-2 in the MAC.

 

Nebraska, meanwhile, is in the midst of a final recruiting push before Wednesday.

 

Landing Hinds would be considered a major coup. A6-foot-5, 225-pound quarterback, Hinds already has made recruiting visits to Southern California, UCLA, Arizona State and California. Rivals.com ranks Hinds as the nation's No. 8 dual-threat high school QB despite the fact Hinds missed his entire senior season with a knee injury.

 

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Coley orally committed to Purdue in September but apparently is giving Nebraska some thought. He also has received offers from Kansas and Missouri.

 

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.

[Redout]

There's nothing Nu can do about this one because it's a Big 12 rule. The kid need to get a certain amount of credits. He wants to take the easy road and play for a MAC team. Screw'em

 

redout

[hack]

ah, that's the way it goes.

 

now, repeat after me...

 

"rocky... rocky... rocky..."

[AR Husker Fan]

I wouldn't be too hard on the kid - he was in a JUCO for a reason. Academics will always be a problem for him, apparently, and had he chosen Nebraska there's a fair chance he never would have qualified - or his eligibility would at least always be hanging by a thread. In a way, he did Nebraska a favor in that regard.

[Blackshirt]

Good point ARHF. There couldve been quite a few other compelling reasons for him to choose Toledo as well, we really have no idea. It may just be a better all around fit for him, outside of academics even.

 

And if school comes a little harder to him it couldve gotten in the way throughout his years and impacted his football performance. So he had to do what was best for him, and I wish him luck.