Recruiting to Nebraska has its pros and cons surely. To list some:
Pros:
1. Nice fall weather when compared to a majority of the other Big Ten schools. Our fall weather is actually BETTER than most SEC schools who have to suffer interminable HEAT and HUMIDITY from August to late October at least. While Nebraska has its share of wintery weather, it is rarely before the last couple weeks of November certainly. Average high temp on Thanksgiving Day is around 45 degrees I would say. By December, it gets pretty cold but even the coldest Nebraska winters are only about 3 months (December, January and February) and which are normally broken up by warming spells where temps above freezing and sunshine can be expected. We don't have winters that approach those of the northern tier of states or the northeast certainly. Summers feature plenty of sunshine and indeed some 'hot' days above 93 degrees but rarely do the heat waves impact Nebraska like the southern half of the country. Texas and Oklahoma and even into southern Kansas are scorching hot for many days from mid June to mid September or later. The west coast has a lot of good weather and of course everyone associates great weather with Florida, etc but for football, temps over 90 are NOT fun and can be a bugger for players in all that gear, etc. Having been a player, I would say the temps in the upper 40s to lower 60s is GREAT. We can say we have lots of good football weather honestly and accurately. Fans may complain about the wind but for players who want to win, wind can be an advantage for the home team
2. Great fans and plenty of fan attention. Husker players are admired and appreciated greatly by the average fans around campus, Lincoln and the whole state. While critics abound, this is pretty much the norm across all but the least successful programs in my experience.
3. Great facilites and University support. Whether it is the stadium, locker rooms, practice facilities, superb weight and nutrition programs, ACADEMIC support that is second to none, etc., Husker sports and football particularly is a national leader without a doubt.
4. Tradition of winning with one of winningest program in history with few peers from anywhere. After about nearly 60 years and high graduation and academic rates, no players have graduated who didn't have a lot more wins than losses. Huskers WIN!!!! That alone should help recruits decide where to go to school.
5. Excellent coaches, administrators and dedication to excellence. I have never really heard a single complaint about the commitment of the University to its student athletes to be successful in life (inside and outside of sports). We are NO. 1 in producing academic all americans, etc, etc. I dare say there are no more than half a dozen schools in the nation that even compete with Nebraska in this area.
CONS:
1. Nebraska recruits nationwide and attracts a diverse group of athletes to represent the school. While the diversity and experience and friendships built are life lasting, travel to and from the school by the athlete and his or her family, friends and others is challenging due to distance and so on. Travel by air or ground can be more complicated than it may be in some of the nation's largest metor areas. Lincoln is not a BIG CITY and for some this is viewed as a shortcoming. Not for me, personally, but for some who seek the attributes of big cities.
2. There are some educational major areas where other schools may have advantages even though Univ of Nebraska Lincoln provides a very broad array of disciplines, etc.
3. Nebraska has a good reputation academically but certainly is not considered "Ivy League" in reputation and status.
4. Some recruits are seeking to participate in other conferences such as SEC, Pac 12, etc. Obviously this can be a disadvantage when recruiting students from the regions of the country closer in proximity to those leagues.
5. Historically, Nebraska was recognized as "running team" and for players who want to be wide receivers and passing QBs looking to play in the NFL, Nebraska was not viewed favorably. Rightfully so. Today, this image is changing and with the current effort to introduce more passing and 'pro style' schemes into the offensive systems, these players are now considering playing for Big Red. Running backs and linemen inclined to prefer the run game will reconsider but running the football will always be an important part of football in Lincoln. Our reputation remains helpful in this respect but may be suffering in recruiting certain player types.