‘Toughness’ would be good for Nebraska football, but talent would be better

[Michiganball]

MSU does fine with 3 stars, beat that high recruiting OSU last year. Coaching trumps the stars in sports. How many times do you see teams with talent that dont play like a team and under perform. I would go with toughness and that comes from coaching. Dantonio, Meyer, Harbaugh, Riley? The last doesn't quite fit that for me, now add Osborne to those three and there you go. So for me the question is where is that Osborne the team needs. I could be wrong about Riley of course, hope I am as I want to see improvement, it just bugs me how some of those games were lost last year. Liked the way the team played UCLA though so I'm still on the fence. Will the games take a more hard nosed approach and eliminate the coaching mistakes? We will find out soon enough. Fresno state is supposed to be decent, but seriously at their best they should not be able to keep up with the tools and resources the Huskers have.

[BRV920]

Thanks Mav for pointing this out. For all of the potential this class could have at this point it's no better than 22 in the rankings. So we are actually on pace for our regular recruiting class. Even that great recruiting wiz Clownahan only managed 1 top five recruiting class his four years and had to over sign to do it So in response to you Count ability the odds of us putting together 5 top 5 classes in a row are VERY slim. It's not a defeatist attitude. It's a fact of life here. Deal with it.

[lo country]

It has been shown time and time again, that teams with the most "blue chip recruits" (4* and 5*) kids win the MNC. Off course, take the recruits out of the equation and you have the coaches......... Great talent, with a great coach and a defined system that is recruited for is a winning equation.

 

IMO, we will never "compete" with the recruiting class rankings. It is what it is. Being a physically and mentally tough team will assist greatly in leveling the playing field.

[NUance]

Thanks Mav for pointing this out. For all of the potential this class could have at this point it's no better than 22 in the rankings. So we are actually on pace for our regular recruiting class. Even that great recruiting wiz Clownahan only managed 1 top five recruiting class his four years and had to over sign to do it So in response to you Count ability the odds of us putting together 5 top 5 classes in a row are VERY slim. It's not a defeatist attitude. It's a fact of life here. Deal with it.

 

Yeah, I don't think it's likely we'll crack the top 5. This year, anyway. But Count is right—these guys can croot! Wouldn't surprise me to see us make a December/January push and end up in the low teens or even crack the top ten. If we can pull in a couple classes around #10 or so, that'll be what it takes to get things rollin. GBR!!

[ScottyIce]

We are never going to land the number of 4 and 5 star recruits that OSU and Michigan do. We have to make up that gap with coaching and work ethic.

 

You think bros are out there dogging it?

[ScottyIce]

Let the class finish out boys. Let it finish out.

[BRV920]

No doubt that these guys are pretty good recruiters but do you realistically think we are going to out recruit OSU over a 5 year span? If anybody does I'd like to bet some money.

[ScottyIce]

No doubt that these guys are pretty good recruiters but do you realistically think we are going to out recruit OSU over a 5 year span? If anybody does I'd like to bet some money.

 

No, we won't and we don't have to! We just need to be within the same area code.

[BRV920]

I agree with you Matty and that's where coaching, work ethic and toughness have to take over.

[BIG ERN]

We will never be able to stay consistent with OSU for the simple fact of in state talent, and no competition since all other schools are in the MAC basically.

 

2017 Ohio has twelve 4* and one 5* that are in state. Nebraska has 0. That's not even counting the numerous 3* compared to our two.

[Landlord]

BTW it's not an either/or thing. It's a both/and. This conversation is which one, at it's baseline, holds more value.

 

 

Here's the way I see it. Would you rather have a team with the same amount of talent and half the toughness as an Ohio State, or would you rather have a team with the same amount of toughness and half the talent? That second team would get trounced.

[BRV920]

I think MSU would disagree with you. Their recruiting classes are not on the same level as Ohio St but have managed to hold their own against them.

[Enhance]

Nebraska has the third longest conference title drought in the Big 10, leading only Minnesota and Indiana. Just let that sink in.

 

Continue to let sink in the fact that Nebraska will never compete with the likes of tOSU and Michigan for recruits. Many of you seem to be accepting of this, yet continue to reference those schools' recruiting numbers in comparison to Nebraska's as a reason for why Nebraska struggles.

 

Now, further consider that Wisconsin and Michigan St. have all won a conference title in the last five years with less "talent" than Nebraska. Nebraska has never pulled in consistent top 10 classes, even in their prime.

 

Talent certainly matters, but places like Nebraska need to be a driving force in coaching, culture and identity. They have to win with recruiting classes ranging from 15-30 because there's really no other alternative.

[Stumpy1]

I think MSU would disagree with you. Their recruiting classes are not on the same level as Ohio St but have managed to hold their own against them.

Yep...MSU just plays mean defense. They play like we did in the 90's.

 

Attitude is a major factor when it comes to winning.

[Saunders]

Nebraska has the third longest conference title drought in the Big 10, leading only Minnesota and Indiana. Just let that sink in.

I know I posted that article, but that stat is so cherry picked, it could be a political point.