Chatelain: Worst Husker Recruiting Class Ever

[zoogs]

Hey Red, thanks for clarifying. No issues here. Apologies if I was overzealous.

 

[DaveH]

I generally don't have a problem with Dirk. He can sometimes pry at things that probably don't need prying but that's just how he is.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

If the headline read "2000 Husker Recruiting Class the Worst Ever?" there would be less panty-bunching, but some Dirk-hating would no doubt survive.

Meh.

 

[mnhusker]

Anyone have an idea what that 2000 recruiting class was rated?

According to 247, 17th.

Thanks for asking this question ........... at the time in 2000 Nebraska was held in higher regard than they are now, perhaps this adds to the argument of star/class inflation for players that are signed by the big brands.

 

[SouthAfricanHusker]

Obligatory Chatelain in the title.

Apparent Dirk hasn't had enough bad things to write about lately (/sarcasm) but this is an article he filed today. Not to trample on a man's grave (so to speak) but kinds of sheds lite on how Frank was recruiting and what direction we were headed.

You cant evaluate recruiting classes by results only. A recruiting class becomes great largely because of the instruction it receives. Clearly Nebraskas player development machine had dipped in the early 00s. And clearly it didnt help the class of 2000 when Bill Callahan overhauled the system before their redshirt senior seasons.

But heres the bottom line: Not one player from the class of 2000 earned first-team all-conference honors. Thats unprecedented in Husker history. Only T.J. Hollowell played in the NFL.

You ready for the list?

Willie Amos

Jake Andersen

Manaia Brown

Terrell Butler

Thunder Collins

Ira Cooper

Sandro DeAngelis

Mike Erickson

M.J. Flaum

T.J. Hollowell

Lanny Hopkins

Steve Kriewald

DeWayne Long Jr.

Alvin Marshall

Lornell McPherson

Ross Pilkington

Nick Povendo

Jason Richenberger

Chris Septak

Benard Thomas

Ben Zajicek

Richie was a friend of mine back in the day. Great physical specimen but you could tell it wasn't going to end well at NU for him. He seemed to lose his fire for football during his junior year of high school. There were also other issues. From what I hear many in the class were similar in that they peaked early and got offers based on hype. They also didn't have the benefit of great leaders beating them into shape.