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Recruiting methods pay off for Huskers
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Monday, Jan 29, 2007 - 08:34:47 am CST
Nebraska recruiting coordinator Shawn Watson has been around the block enough to know that the Huskers’ recruiting approach in football is in some ways unconventional.
For instance, Watson said each Nebraska coach watches videotape of each prospect being recruited by the Huskers. In many programs, he said, such study is assigned to coaches based on which positions they teach.
“I think the way we do it is very unique,” said Watson, who has had full-time college coaching jobs in five Division I programs. “We all make time to do it, and everybody embraces it. It’s a grind, but it’s a great grind.”
It’s producing admirable results.
With its class of 2007 essentially complete — there might be room for one more player before the national signing period commences Feb. 7 — Nebraska’s current 29-player haul is ranked No. 9 nationally by Rivals.com and No. 10 by Scout.com.
Jeremy Crabtree, national recruiting editor for Rivals.com, said Sunday that he sees ample talent and depth on Nebraska’s list of recruits, so much so that he thinks the class is better top to bottom than the Huskers’ heralded class of 2005.
“From a depth standpoint, this class is absolutely loaded,” Crabtree said. “Nebraska coaches went out and didn’t just fill positions — they hit home runs with some positions.”
Nebraska’s 2007 group features 12 players who received four-star ratings in a five-star system. That compares to 11 four-star players and two five-star athletes in the Huskers’ 2005 class.
Nebraska coaches said early last fall that they hoped to land six defensive backs and five defensive tackles in the 2007 class, and the Huskers hit both objectives on the nose. NU’s lack of depth in the secondary was a glaring weakness this past season, and the Huskers lost all four 2006 defensive line starters to graduation.
“We looked at our needs and developed a plan to hit our target areas,” Watson said. “It’s been a great team effort by our coaches. Everybody executed to a T.”
Another recruiting method that might make Nebraska somewhat unique: A prospect typically receives phone calls and text messages from at least three Husker coaches during the recruiting process, as opposed to only one or two coaches being involved.
“There’s not one guy in our class who was recruited singlehandedly,” Watson said. “There were always a minimum of three coaches involved and sometimes five.”
Although Nebraska’s 2007 class is basically finished, Watson said Husker coaches continue to be in close contact with recruits lest any of them waver on their verbal commitment in the days leading to Feb. 7, when letters of intent can be signed.
Sometime after Feb. 7, Watson will relinquish his duties as recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach and turn his attention to his new positions as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Those positions previously were held by Jay Norvell, who announced Friday he was leaving NU to become play-caller at UCLA.
“Obviously, we have to keep everyone in the class in the fold until Feb. 7,” Watson said. “We dug deep with this class to find character, and we’ve recruited some very strong men character-wise. That lessens the chance of players (decommitting).”
However, “We’re not going to let up.”
Recruiting methods pay off for Huskers
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Monday, Jan 29, 2007 - 08:34:47 am CST
Nebraska recruiting coordinator Shawn Watson has been around the block enough to know that the Huskers’ recruiting approach in football is in some ways unconventional.
For instance, Watson said each Nebraska coach watches videotape of each prospect being recruited by the Huskers. In many programs, he said, such study is assigned to coaches based on which positions they teach.
“I think the way we do it is very unique,” said Watson, who has had full-time college coaching jobs in five Division I programs. “We all make time to do it, and everybody embraces it. It’s a grind, but it’s a great grind.”
It’s producing admirable results.
With its class of 2007 essentially complete — there might be room for one more player before the national signing period commences Feb. 7 — Nebraska’s current 29-player haul is ranked No. 9 nationally by Rivals.com and No. 10 by Scout.com.
Jeremy Crabtree, national recruiting editor for Rivals.com, said Sunday that he sees ample talent and depth on Nebraska’s list of recruits, so much so that he thinks the class is better top to bottom than the Huskers’ heralded class of 2005.
“From a depth standpoint, this class is absolutely loaded,” Crabtree said. “Nebraska coaches went out and didn’t just fill positions — they hit home runs with some positions.”
Nebraska’s 2007 group features 12 players who received four-star ratings in a five-star system. That compares to 11 four-star players and two five-star athletes in the Huskers’ 2005 class.
Nebraska coaches said early last fall that they hoped to land six defensive backs and five defensive tackles in the 2007 class, and the Huskers hit both objectives on the nose. NU’s lack of depth in the secondary was a glaring weakness this past season, and the Huskers lost all four 2006 defensive line starters to graduation.
“We looked at our needs and developed a plan to hit our target areas,” Watson said. “It’s been a great team effort by our coaches. Everybody executed to a T.”
Another recruiting method that might make Nebraska somewhat unique: A prospect typically receives phone calls and text messages from at least three Husker coaches during the recruiting process, as opposed to only one or two coaches being involved.
“There’s not one guy in our class who was recruited singlehandedly,” Watson said. “There were always a minimum of three coaches involved and sometimes five.”
Although Nebraska’s 2007 class is basically finished, Watson said Husker coaches continue to be in close contact with recruits lest any of them waver on their verbal commitment in the days leading to Feb. 7, when letters of intent can be signed.
Sometime after Feb. 7, Watson will relinquish his duties as recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach and turn his attention to his new positions as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Those positions previously were held by Jay Norvell, who announced Friday he was leaving NU to become play-caller at UCLA.
“Obviously, we have to keep everyone in the class in the fold until Feb. 7,” Watson said. “We dug deep with this class to find character, and we’ve recruited some very strong men character-wise. That lessens the chance of players (decommitting).”
However, “We’re not going to let up.”
