Recruiting Concerns

[HuskerNation1]

Does anyone also think we need another QB for this class? Maybe someone who could be moved to another position if we need them too. I'm still concerned about Darlington's concussion history.

We're still recruiting Flowers and Gerhart, doubt we can get either one to flip at this point.

And we are sitting VERY good some some real big names in 2015.

Clinksales was supposed to come in and provide immediate help next year. We need to improve this 2014 class soon....had two big names decommit in the past few days.

[tmfr15]

we are late in the process and we have zero defensive tackles. that's not good. and if you are thinking that doesn't matter, well, ee wouldn't be looking at a juco guy with questionable character if we didn't have an immediate neec and the desperation that comes with struggling to land difference makers at DT.

[Mavric]

Newell will play DT.

[Warrior10]

we are late in the process and we have zero defensive tackles. that's not good. and if you are thinking that doesn't matter, well, ee wouldn't be looking at a juco guy with questionable character if we didn't have an immediate neec and the desperation that comes with struggling to land difference makers at DT.

I guess our DT commit with offers from UGA, MichSt, Mizzou, OU, USC, SouthCar, UCLA, Wisky doesn't count?

[dylan]

we are late in the process and we have zero defensive tackles. that's not good. and if you are thinking that doesn't matter, well, ee wouldn't be looking at a juco guy with questionable character if we didn't have an immediate neec and the desperation that comes with struggling to land difference makers at DT.

 

I don't know if you watched any games this year, but valentine looked like a difference maker as a freshman and Collins showed flashes himself. Curry was only a sophomore and often started over both of them. Williams was slated to start over all of them and will be back next year. Newell was highly recruited.

 

Basically, I have no idea what you're talking about. It's a shame that our previous highly recruited DT's like Peat and Rome didn't pan out, but we appear to have young difference makers on the roster already and another committed.

[tmfr15]

Just two seasons ago, we were asking Cam Meredith to slide down inside and play DT because we were so weak at the position.

 

If we are so set there now, why offer a questionalbe student/charactor guy like Clinkscales?

 

The fact is that we do have some returners. And we think think they are on the come. They have to play up. There is no choice here. There is no help coming. At least none that can roll right out there and help right away. That's the whole idea of going JUCO. You go with guys who have had some issues and struggle to qualify and only play two years. But the pay off is instant help and difference making ability. We must have seen DT as an area where instant help was really needed.

[dylan]

Two years ago we had a run of injuries and flameouts. The coaches worked hard to bring in a juco DT for 2013 and it didn't pan out. The result was we had to depend a lot on freshmen on the line. We got what you would expect from that - poor play at the beginning of the year. Fortunately they improved to the point that DT was a position of strength by the end of the year, in large part due to improvement by our underclassmen.

 

Obviously we still need to recruit the position, but we don't have the need for a juco guy to step in like we did prior to 2013. This kid was a luxury talent that we took because we could. The coaches have shown that there is always room for a talented juco, but they don't seem to be beating the bushes for any juco DT they can find (like last year), because they've got good, young DT's.

[Mavric]

Just two seasons ago, we were asking Cam Meredith to slide down inside and play DT because we were so weak at the position.

 

If we are so set there now, why offer a questionalbe student/charactor guy like Clinkscales?

 

The fact is that we do have some returners. And we think think they are on the come. They have to play up. There is no choice here. There is no help coming. At least none that can roll right out there and help right away. That's the whole idea of going JUCO. You go with guys who have had some issues and struggle to qualify and only play two years. But the pay off is instant help and difference making ability. We must have seen DT as an area where instant help was really needed.

Are you really asking why we continue to try to recruit the best players we can get?

 

A lot can change in two years. Curry redshirted two years ago. He is very likely one of the guys Bo was alluding to when he said he redshirted a couple guys who he probably should have played. The other three DTs that played this year were not on the team two years ago. All four of the DTs that played this year - and played pretty well - are back next year and probably the year after that. And if Williams can get healthy that's another for the next two years. We aren't hurting a DT. But that doesn't mean you don't go after the best guys available. I could have seen either Maurice or Collins redshirt a year if Clinkscales and Williams were available next year.

[dylan]

Maurice, maybe. Gonna be hard to keep Collins off the field. The thing clinksdale really would have helped with is depth in case of injury. If we lose a couple DT's to injury, we're going to get thin again there real quick. (Obviously that's true of most teams.)

 

Williams

Curry

Valentine

Collins

Maurice

Newell

 

Not a bad group. Just need to catch a break with injuries and hope Valentine can get/keep himself in shape. He's a first round talent if he does, so hopefully he realizes that.

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Just two seasons ago, we were asking Cam Meredith to slide down inside and play DT because we were so weak at the position.

 

If we are so set there now, why offer a questionalbe student/charactor guy like Clinkscales?

 

The fact is that we do have some returners. And we think think they are on the come. They have to play up. There is no choice here. There is no help coming. At least none that can roll right out there and help right away. That's the whole idea of going JUCO. You go with guys who have had some issues and struggle to qualify and only play two years. But the pay off is instant help and difference making ability. We must have seen DT as an area where instant help was really needed.

I think your rose colored view of how quickly jucos contribute has more to do with a staff has been pretty spot on in their evaluations of said jucos. Bo and staff has made it look pretty easy when it comes to instant production out of jucos. That's not the case with everyone. The same staff that people love to criticize about recruiting and player development is also the same staff that's batting about .800 on successful jucos. This clinkscales loss hurts but I'll be damned if the sun didn't still come up this morning. I have great faith that when we close the book on this class in a couple weeks, it will be one to be proud of and not one to be embarrassed of as some here have expressed.

 

People that look at a class of 20-25 kids who commit to give your team everything they have for the next 4-5 years, deserves better than to be called embarrassing. So some dorks at a recruiting site says your class isn't ranked where you want it to be and some peoples response is to call the class embarrassing! GTFO. I can't believe the audacity some people have.

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Just two seasons ago, we were asking Cam Meredith to slide down inside and play DT because we were so weak at the position.

 

If we are so set there now, why offer a questionalbe student/charactor guy like Clinkscales?

 

The fact is that we do have some returners. And we think think they are on the come. They have to play up. There is no choice here. There is no help coming. At least none that can roll right out there and help right away. That's the whole idea of going JUCO. You go with guys who have had some issues and struggle to qualify and only play two years. But the pay off is instant help and difference making ability. We must have seen DT as an area where instant help was really needed.

This year we loss Randle (who played a lot), Guy, and Okuyemi. Next year, we will return Maurice, Curry, Valetine, Williams, and Collins. In addition, Newell is being added this year. FS Valentine and SO Curry are the only two with extended game experience, but FS Collins came on late this season. It is a unit that is young but with talent that has been showing up on Saturday this season. I would say looking for a DT in the JUCO ranks is more about depth than need for talent.

[tmfr15]

Just to be clear, I would agree that we've got some decent talent. And, even though it sucks not to get TC, I agree with the sentiments that we would not have known what we would have really gotten with him... if anything since he would have to qualify. Re-visiting the commit list, I came to realize that we have addressed about every position and still have room in this class for a few. I try not to look at the stars too much but admit I do that sometimes. Bottom line is that we do not know how all these guys will pan. Maybe we've got some big time stars in this class. There was a year not that long ago when the class looked awesome on paper and didn't pan out at all. Time will tell. I can be an impatient sort. But I am N for the ride.

[RedDenver]

Just to be clear, I would agree that we've got some decent talent. And, even though it sucks not to get TC, I agree with the sentiments that we would not have known what we would have really gotten with him... if anything since he would have to qualify. Re-visiting the commit list, I came to realize that we have addressed about every position and still have room in this class for a few. I try not to look at the stars too much but admit I do that sometimes. Bottom line is that we do not know how all these guys will pan. Maybe we've got some big time stars in this class. There was a year not that long ago when the class looked awesome on paper and didn't pan out at all. Time will tell. I can be an impatient sort. But I am N for the ride.

Well said. Maybe each year around this time when a few guys decommit, we can just post this again.

[kchusker_chris]

Did I miss Clinkscales profile being removed for some reason?

[Mavric]

Did I miss Clinkscales profile being removed for some reason?

There have been a few posts removed from that thread. Apparently the entire thread got removed by mistake. It should be back now. Thanks for the heads up.

Edited January 21, 2014 by Mavric
Clarification: I should have noted the reason the posts were moved was because they were derogatory toward Clinkscales. Frustration is understandable but we don't need to go after people directly.