Nebraska's Approach to "Getting Back"

[BIG ERN]

...The Transfer Portal. Couple that with NIL and this is the path the coaches see how we return to winning 9+ games again. It will be hard to do this year with all the new faces in players and coaches, but if you look at our roster it is pretty crazy how many transfers we have on this team -- especially on offense. I don't count jucos but put them in there for reference as some do. Offense could see up to 8 starters that were transfers.

 

Casey Thompson 

Chubba Purdy

Travis Vokolek

Hunter Anthony

Kevin Williams

Nouredin Nouili

Trey Palmer

Oliver Martin 

Markese Stepp

Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda 

Anthony Grant - juco

Omar Manning - juco 

-----------------------------------

Chris Kolarevic

Tyreke Johnson

Tommi Hill

Omar Brown

Eteva Mauga-Clements - juco 

DeShon Singleton - juco

Javier Morton - juco 

-----------------------------------

Brian Buschini (p)

Timmy Bleekrode (k)

Brady Weas (ls)

 

Projected 2 deep transfers o/d:

Iowa - 1

Northwestern - 3

Wisconsin - 4

Minnesota - 7

Illinois - 10

Purdue - 12

[Dogs In A Pile]

1 hour ago, BIG ERN said:

...The Transfer Portal. Couple that with NIL and this is the path the coaches see how we return to winning 9+ games again. It will be hard to do this year with all the new faces in players and coaches, but if you look at our roster it is pretty crazy how many transfers we have on this team -- especially on offense. I don't count jucos but put them in there for reference as some do. Offense could see up to 8 starters that were transfers.

 

I'll be happy if they can manage 6 wins and a bowl.

 

And it is a pretty damning commentary regarding recruiting, player development and player retention when in your 5th year as head coach you need to make such wholesale changes by bringing in that many new faces.

[runningblind]

51 minutes ago, Dogs In A Pile said:

 

I'll be happy if they can manage 6 wins and a bowl.

 

And it is a pretty damning commentary regarding recruiting, player development and player retention when in your 5th year as head coach you need to make such wholesale changes by bringing in that many new faces.

Yep. This isn't an approach to "getting back", this is a last ditch attempt to salvage this mess they've made. Scott had been in over his head and we are just watching if this is too little too late or if it improves.

 

I'm amazed at how I've finally gotten to the point where I have zero optimism and am looking for other things to take up some of the energy I used to devote to Husker football.

[BigRedBuster]

2 hours ago, BIG ERN said:

...The Transfer Portal. Couple that with NIL and this is the path the coaches see how we return to winning 9+ games again. It will be hard to do this year with all the new faces in players and coaches, but if you look at our roster it is pretty crazy how many transfers we have on this team -- especially on offense. I don't count jucos but put them in there for reference as some do. Offense could see up to 8 starters that were transfers.

 

Casey Thompson 

Chubba Purdy

Travis Vokolek

Hunter Anthony

Kevin Williams

Nouredin Nouili

Trey Palmer

Oliver Martin 

Markese Stepp

Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda 

Anthony Grant - juco

Omar Manning - juco 

-----------------------------------

Chris Kolarevic

Tyreke Johnson

Tommi Hill

Omar Brown

Eteva Mauga-Clements - juco 

DeShon Singleton - juco

Javier Morton - juco 

-----------------------------------

Brian Buschini (p)

Timmy Bleekrode (k)

Brady Weas (ls)

 

Projected 2 deep transfers o/d:

Iowa - 1

Northwestern - 3

Wisconsin - 4

Minnesota - 7

Illinois - 10

Purdue - 12

OK, this is a little misleading.

 

You list the other team's transfers on the 2 deep but then list ALL transfers that Nebraska has brought in since Frost got here.  There's a number of players on that list that aren't probably going to be anywhere on the 2 deep for Nebraska.  

 

In your narrative, you state that you see possibly 8 starters from that list which would put us about middle of the pack with the other teams listed.  Also, some of those possible starters have been in the program now for a few years and have been developed by this staff.

[Dr. Strangelove]

1 minute ago, runningblind said:

Yep. This isn't an approach to "getting back", this is a last ditch attempt to salvage this mess they've made. Scott had been in over his head and we are just watching if this is too little too late or if it improves.

 

I'm amazed at how I've finally gotten to the point where I have zero optimism and am looking for other things to take up some of the energy I used to devote to Husker football.

I agree. For whatever reason, Frost has been really terrible at recruiting high school talent and developing it, especially on offense.

 

They've tried to recruit high school running backs and receivers, but they don't pan. Our three best receivers now (Palmer, Manning, Martin) are transfers or JUCOs. His best high school RB recruit is likely Rahmir Johnson mustered 492 yards last year, but was a good receiver out of the backfield. We all know how the offensive line - despite high ranked recruits on paper - has been a complete failure.

 

It can't be overstated how much he's failing the program.

[84HuskerLaw]

4 minutes ago, BigRedBuster said:

OK, this is a little misleading.

 

You list the other team's transfers on the 2 deep but then list ALL transfers that Nebraska has brought in since Frost got here.  There's a number of players on that list that aren't probably going to be anywhere on the 2 deep for Nebraska.  

If this is true, then that suggests the transfers are also questionable ‘recruits’.  If we are grabbing transfers that are not two deep caliber, then arguably we should take more high school guys that have more development time in the future. 
No matter how you look at the situation, it suggests a recruiting, development and retention issue.  
 

I remain hopeful that most of the roster (transfers, juncos, new recruits and existing players) as a whole, are at least somewhat better than those that have departed. We have had some capable players over the last decade but not nearly enough.  And, some positions have been quite deficient.  Imbalance across the team in critical areas.  (The lines, particularly so).  Those are tough areas to get immediate dramatic improvement via jucos / portal since everybody wants those guys.  In fairness to Frost, I believe they are trying - just striking out. 
 

As for retention, I wonder if some of it is due to the mass (shotgun) offer approach vs a very targeted, intense effort carefully aimed at the best available difference makers.  Recruiting over your youngsters with more youngsters has got to be discouraging for many guys - why stick around if you’re never going to play?  Idk - just wondering.  Got to try to keep guys four years to let them mature physically and mentally.  I’d rather have three star types that get better and less mistake prone than 4+ star play or quit guys.  

[Red Five]

59 minutes ago, Dr. Strangelove said:

They've tried to recruit high school running backs and receivers, but they don't pan. Our three best receivers now (Palmer, Manning, Martin) are transfers or JUCOs. His best high school RB recruit is likely Rahmir Johnson mustered 492 yards last year, but was a good receiver out of the backfield.

 

Looking at high school kids in the 2018-2020 classes, we signed 5 RBs, 12 RBs, and 2 TEs.  Only 1 RB, 1 WR, and 1 TE remain on the team.  Only 7 of those 19 ever played more than 5 games.

 

HS RBs 

2018 Maurice Washington - 18 games / 1136 yards / kicked off

2019 Rahmir Johnson - 22 games / 831 yards

2019 Ronald Thompkins - 2 games / 34 yards / transferred

2020 Sevion Morrison - 6 games / 129 yards / transferred

2020 Marvin Scott - 8 games / 154 yards / transferred

 

HS WRs

2018 Andre Hunt - 0 games / 0 yards / kicked off

2018 Miles Jones - 1 game / 26 yards / transferred

2018 Justin McGriff - 0 games / 0 yards / transferred

2018 Dominick Watt - 0 games / 0 yards / never made to campus

2019 Wandale Robinson - 18 games / 1494 yards / transferred

2019 Darien Chase - 1 game / 13 yards / transferred

2019 Demariyon Houston - 0 games / 0 yards / transferred

2019 Jamie Nance - 0 games / 0 yards / transferred

2020 Zavier Betts - 18 games / 526 yards / ??????

2020 Marcus Fleming - 1 game / 75 yards / transferred

2020 Alante Brown - 11 games / 89 yards

2020 Will Nixon - 1 game / 5 yards / transferred

 

HS TEs

2018 Katerion Legrone - 1 game / 8 yards / kicked off

2019 Chris Hickman - 3 games / 90 yards

[Dr. Strangelove]

33 minutes ago, Red Five said:

 

Looking at high school kids in the 2018-2020 classes, we signed 5 RBs, 12 RBs, and 2 TEs.  Only 1 RB, 1 WR, and 1 TE remain on the team.  Only 7 of those 19 ever played more than 5 games.

 

HS RBs 

2018 Maurice Washington - 18 games / 1136 yards / kicked off

2019 Rahmir Johnson - 22 games / 831 yards

2019 Ronald Thompkins - 2 games / 34 yards / transferred

2020 Sevion Morrison - 6 games / 129 yards / transferred

2020 Marvin Scott - 8 games / 154 yards / transferred

 

HS WRs

2018 Andre Hunt - 0 games / 0 yards / kicked off

2018 Miles Jones - 1 game / 26 yards / transferred

2018 Justin McGriff - 0 games / 0 yards / transferred

2018 Dominick Watt - 0 games / 0 yards / never made to campus

2019 Wandale Robinson - 18 games / 1494 yards / transferred

2019 Darien Chase - 1 game / 13 yards / transferred

2019 Demariyon Houston - 0 games / 0 yards / transferred

2019 Jamie Nance - 0 games / 0 yards / transferred

2020 Zavier Betts - 18 games / 526 yards / ??????

2020 Marcus Fleming - 1 game / 75 yards / transferred

2020 Alante Brown - 11 games / 89 yards

2020 Will Nixon - 1 game / 5 yards / transferred

 

HS TEs

2018 Katerion Legrone - 1 game / 8 yards / kicked off

2019 Chris Hickman - 3 games / 90 yards

Wow, thank you for putting this together. This is much worse than I thought. I forgot about many of these names.

 

There are a few JUCO transfers that they whiffed on as well, like Greg Bell at RB and a few WRs from his first recruiting class. Frost really struggles to evaluate and develop talent, unless it's already proven at the collegiate level (Toure). Let's hope guys like Palmer and Thompson play well next year. 

[Savage Husker]

21 minutes ago, Dr. Strangelove said:

Wow, thank you for putting this together. This is much worse than I thought. I forgot about many of these names.

 

There are a few JUCO transfers that they whiffed on as well, like Greg Bell at RB and a few WRs from his first recruiting class. Frost really struggles to evaluate and develop talent, unless it's already proven at the collegiate level (Toure). Let's hope guys like Palmer and Thompson play well next year. 

Was Greg Bell a whiff because he left the team over personal issues or because of talent?

[84HuskerLaw]

I wonder if some of the biggest problems with the revolving door of RBs and WRs is due to the offense Frost is trying to install and operate.  He’s only played ONE QB basically his entire time here and while most agree he had lots of athletic ability and seemed to have confidence in executing the plays, he rarely managed to excell at an all conference level.  Between injuries and revolving backs and receivers, there just never developed the chemistry and synchrony needed to run a complex, hurry up, run & gun or whatever name you want to assign to the schemes.  Timing, rhythm, cohesion, function, etc produce ‘execution’.  It has been 4 years of same scheme, different players, = same results - inconsistent, disjointed, missed blocks, bad reads, miscues, penalties, etc etc.  one could say, the team always looked like it just needed another 50 practices to get game ready.   Essentially, Frost has fielded a very young, inexperienced, untested, immature team, for four years running.  And year 5 looks similar, only now we add in a whole offensive staff that needs time to gel and organize as a coaching unit.  
 

There are certainly reasons to hope for better times but also plenty of ‘more of the same’ types of things too!   That spring game makes me more worried than ever.  I was more optimistic this spring than ever in the Frost era, until that ‘scrimmage’.  Not close to a smooth functioning machine.  Poorest in years, imo, after reviewing it a bit more.   

[Dr. Strangelove]

14 minutes ago, Savage Husker said:

Was Greg Bell a whiff because he left the team over personal issues or because of talent?

Greg Bell transferred to San Diego State and had a pretty decent career with them. 

[Hilltop]

3 hours ago, 84HuskerLaw said:

If this is true, then that suggests the transfers are also questionable ‘recruits’.  If we are grabbing transfers that are not two deep caliber, then arguably we should take more high school guys that have more development time in the future. 

Many teams take transfers to add depth.  Many of those transfers end up leaving to go to lower level schools once they realize they just aren't power 5 caliber guys.  A select few make lateral transfers that work out but that isn't the norm.  Frost has taken many chances that didn't pan out but I think most other coaches would have done the same if placed in his shoes.

 

We are by no means the only school with a revolving door right now.  I don't care for it at all but the only thing that slows the merry go round down is winning.  Hopefully they can accomplish that this year.    

[BIG ERN]

4 hours ago, BigRedBuster said:

OK, this is a little misleading.

 

You list the other team's transfers on the 2 deep but then list ALL transfers that Nebraska has brought in since Frost got here.  There's a number of players on that list that aren't probably going to be anywhere on the 2 deep for Nebraska.  

 

In your narrative, you state that you see possibly 8 starters from that list which would put us about middle of the pack with the other teams listed.  Also, some of those possible starters have been in the program now for a few years and have been developed by this staff.

You usually don't bring kids in from the portal unless they are on the 2 deep...only Stepp and Morton are the only two I could see not being at least backups. Again, I think the portal/NIL is good for Nebraska. I just think we lost out on so many kids on offense we are now scrambling to gel things together. 

[LumberJackSker]

3 hours ago, Red Five said:

 

Looking at high school kids in the 2018-2020 classes, we signed 5 RBs, 12 RBs, and 2 TEs.  Only 1 RB, 1 WR, and 1 TE remain on the team.  Only 7 of those 19 ever played more than 5 games.

 

HS RBs 

2018 Maurice Washington - 18 games / 1136 yards / kicked off

2019 Rahmir Johnson - 22 games / 831 yards

2019 Ronald Thompkins - 2 games / 34 yards / transferred

2020 Sevion Morrison - 6 games / 129 yards / transferred

2020 Marvin Scott - 8 games / 154 yards / transferred

 

HS WRs

2018 Andre Hunt - 0 games / 0 yards / kicked off

2018 Miles Jones - 1 game / 26 yards / transferred

2018 Justin McGriff - 0 games / 0 yards / transferred

2018 Dominick Watt - 0 games / 0 yards / never made to campus

2019 Wandale Robinson - 18 games / 1494 yards / transferred

2019 Darien Chase - 1 game / 13 yards / transferred

2019 Demariyon Houston - 0 games / 0 yards / transferred

2019 Jamie Nance - 0 games / 0 yards / transferred

2020 Zavier Betts - 18 games / 526 yards / ??????

2020 Marcus Fleming - 1 game / 75 yards / transferred

2020 Alante Brown - 11 games / 89 yards

2020 Will Nixon - 1 game / 5 yards / transferred

 

HS TEs

2018 Katerion Legrone - 1 game / 8 yards / kicked off

2019 Chris Hickman - 3 games / 90 yards

offensive guru

[Hilltop]

1 hour ago, BIG ERN said:

You usually don't bring kids in from the portal unless they are on the 2 deep...only Stepp and Morton are the only two I could see not being at least backups. Again, I think the portal/NIL is good for Nebraska. I just think we lost out on so many kids on offense we are now scrambling to gel things together. 

That isn't true at all.  Many teams bring kids in to add depth to essentially replace the guys who were 3, 4, and 5 on the depth chart who decided to transfer.  Every coach tries to make an upgrade with the transfers but they are not always 2 deep guys.  However, I think fan bases get all googly eyed over someone who might be better than who they have so they set unrealistic expectations of the new kids and then get disappointed when they aren't stars right away.