huskerfan500
Starter
Barney Cotton said he wants 2/3 of the roster from NE, I know have it would be great to have that but with the football talent in the state I don't think it is the best thing, am I right or
how much is too much
- Thread starter huskerfan500
- Start date
MUTigerFan
Special Teams Player
Only if you want to be the new Baylor. You might have better than average players, but per capita, you can't compete with more populous states.
On Scout.com, the Midlands region (MO, IA, NE, KS, CO, OK, the Dakotas), Nebraska has 10 players in the top 100. 6 are ranked with 2 stars or less. To have 2/3 of your team from NE, you'd be playing kids who couldn't play anywhere else - not even ISU or Baylor.
BIGREDIOWAN
Mods
I think you are right. Just because they play football in Nebraska and are just okay doesn't mean we have to have almost our whole roster from Nebraska. I understand the tradition part of that, but we need to get the best recruits that will fit the coaching staff's needs.
Overland Park Husker
Starter
Yep. Look at the rosters from the 80's and 90's and you'll see a lot of Nebraska kids, most of whom walked on. I've talked to guys that played back then and they said the walk-ons really pushed the scholarship players.
kstatehater
Special Teams Player
I agree with both of you, say we average 30 walk-ons a year, and say we lose 5-10 walk-ons a year due to various reasons, we could end up around 100 walk-ons again. Even without giving ANY schollys to Nebraska kids(which they will, because there is talent here) at 185 players on the roster that would be 54% of the roster from Nebraska which is purty darn close to 2/3(for those of you who flunked 4th grade math). And I think that is what Barney was talking about, that he wants to get the walk-on program built back to that level again, I don't know how easy that will be because it may be that some of the surge this year was part the excitement surrounding the program, but it could also be that mosts kids growing up in this state really do still have that dream. Sucks for Chadron St, UNK, UNO, Wayne St, Hastings, Concordia and Peru St. But honestly, I could care less about them, I mean I do enjoy having them succeed but not at the expense of my Huskers.
Last edited by a moderator:
With all the extra bodies out there means you can run more stations during practice like we used to. During T.O.'s tenure, they usually ran 4 stations with nobody standing around. More Reps = Deeper Roster Positions. We used to have guys listed 8 deep in some positions. A very good move by Bo and Co. by bringing this back. We all know injuries are inevitable, so you can just reload instead of retooling or moving people around to cover up a weak link, like we've had to do in the last few years.
Last edited by a moderator:
Bleeding Husker Red
Starter
It would actually take more like 120 to 125 Nebraska kids to make 2/3 of a 185 man roster. On a roster that size 2/3 would probably work but if they were to run a smaller roster it may not. No matter. Lots of players means lots of potential regardless of where they are from. You could have 185 Nebraska kids on the team and still probably field a decent two-deep I would think. We're only trying to make one team here.
kstatehater
Special Teams Player
Hahahaha, nice catch. I must have failed 4th grade math because when i came up with my number I was had it in my head that 2/3 was %60.
Overland Park Husker
Starter
I like the idea of more bodies in practice cause now everyone can go full speed. No more half pads crap and no hitting crap. I know it might suck to lose a scholly player to injury in practice, but at least this way we have more bodies to step up who have been going full steam.
melscott62
All-Conference
I wouldnt put to much into that. let me put it to you this way. when baker got his 5th star this year it was our first 5 star in nebraska. seriously. ahman green? nope. scott frost? eric crouch? zach weigert? chris dishman?
that being said I do think 2/3 is to high. I think it needs to be closer to 1/3.
BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA
All-American
I would say that two thirds is a figure that he just threw out there. It is too high. Looking at the 1995 roster of the BEST TEAM EVER there were 101 from Nebraska out of 179 total. That high total is still at just 56.4%. That would be the ratio and formula to strive for.
BigWillie
All-Conference
As I have said over and over, Barney is an idiot. 67% of our roster from Nebraska? We might as well bring back Solich if that is the case. This isn't the mid-90's, 80's or even 70's when our boys simply outworked every other team in America. With the advances in weight training, any team can matchup with what we do now.
It's fine to bring in the local kids as walk-ons if they are willing to work. But the fact of it is that 95% of Nebraska HS kids do not matchup up athletically with what it takes to play in the B12. If our numbers ever got that high in just Nebraska kids, we're screwed.
It's fine to bring in the local kids as walk-ons if they are willing to work. But the fact of it is that 95% of Nebraska HS kids do not matchup up athletically with what it takes to play in the B12. If our numbers ever got that high in just Nebraska kids, we're screwed.
BeachBuffs
Starter
If those kids can be competitive at the Div 1 level then there is nothing wrong with it. I would almost rather have a bunch of 2-3 stars that grew up rooting for my school then have a 5 star from half way across the country, it just gives you more heart and passion for your team overall.
Refresher from what we've read of the recent past:
Bo has stated that that number is going to be fluid. The actual numbers from year to year. He said he wasn't going to burdon himself by locking anything in to a certain number.
After the firing, Dr. Osborne stated that the optimum Nebraska walk-on ratio had to do with 'critical mass'. Presumably, that 'critical mass' would be whatever quantity(without carrying dead meat)maximized the immersing of the Cornhusker psyche into the adopted sons. Remember, Bo has an elite sports psychologist at his disposal should he inquire.
Bo has stated that that number is going to be fluid. The actual numbers from year to year. He said he wasn't going to burdon himself by locking anything in to a certain number.
After the firing, Dr. Osborne stated that the optimum Nebraska walk-on ratio had to do with 'critical mass'. Presumably, that 'critical mass' would be whatever quantity(without carrying dead meat)maximized the immersing of the Cornhusker psyche into the adopted sons. Remember, Bo has an elite sports psychologist at his disposal should he inquire.