My thoughts on NU's recruiting splash

[EZ-E]

As many of you know, I am a self-proclaimed recruiting guru. I am a college student now in my junior year and I work 35 hours a week at Sears in the Hardware/Lawn and Garden department. So if you asked me how I find the time to watch all of the film that I do and gather all the information that I do, I would not have an answer for you because I don't know the answer to that myself. First and foremost, this is NOT a stars discussion at all. I really do believe that there is some validity to recruits being ranked highly.

What brings me to start this thread was the recruiting splash that I believe that Bo and company have made thus far in their time here at NU. They have found talent high and low and the staff flat out works hard. There has always been a plan when going after/not going after a certain recruit. For example, Austin Hill last year. If we wanted him, we could have landed him but the kid came here and allegedly was more worried about getting to the NFL and personal statistics than playing with the N on his helmet. So we stopped contacting him. Many of you give me crap about the whole Owa situation and I probably deserve it. That kid was everything that the staff looks for in a person and a football player.

As we are more able to obtain top talent coming out of high school now, I hope that we do not overlook some of the type of kids that we are getting now. For example a kid like Andrew Green. He was a steal!!! Despite what the shortwhorns think, he is a big part of our future plans in the defensive backfield and not just a prop to get Aaron. We would have been upset if he would have decommitted, but probably not as upset if a guy like Chris Williams would have decommitted.

It is kids like Andrew Green, Dejon Gomes, Eric Martin, and so on that have been the cornerstones to our recruiting classes. It is these types of kids that I hope we don't overlook now that we are once again a high profile program. Those three among others are the splashes that I hope we continue to make.

 

[ADS]

Good post Buddy.

Kids like Curt Evans, Aaron Green, Wayne Lyons, etc. are the type of kids that basically fit the mold of what we expect out of a Nebraska football player. Level-Headed, smart, family oriented, and hard working.

 

[bleedNUred]

I like how the staff goes after players that believe in their system and that want to play for Nebraska compared to just going after the high star rated guys. Good post.

 

[RedDenver]

I see what you're saying and we do seem to have some recruiting momentum right now. But let's wait until these players have actually played before deciding how good our recruiting was. Case in point: Chris Williams.

 

[NUance]

I see what you're saying and we do seem to have some recruiting momentum right now. But let's wait until these players have actually played before deciding how good our recruiting was. Case in point: Chris Williams.

I agree with your premise (But let's wait until these players have actually played before deciding) but not your example (Chris Williams). Chris Williams' departure had a lot to do with his blown knee. Pelini didn't whiff on recruiting Chris Williams.

Oh yeah, nice topic EZ.

 

[EZ-E]

I see what you're saying and we do seem to have some recruiting momentum right now. But let's wait until these players have actually played before deciding how good our recruiting was. Case in point: Chris Williams.

Completely agree with you. That is why I used an example like Andrew Green and Dejon Gomes. Andrew will play this year and would have played last year had we had an injury or two. Attrition is inevitable at any program. It is unfortunate it had to be a player the caliber of a Chris Williams.

 

[gratefullred]

I dont see Bo altering his recruiting approach at all because of some success. Bo will still go after the guys Bo likes. The programs success will just create a larger pool to recruit from. Everything is on the upward trend.

 

[corncraze]

Im amazed the waves we have made in Florida recently. For years we haven't even been considered by some of these top tier athletes from Florida, but now look. Lyons is givings us a deep look, we got Moore (but mostly because of family ties, theres Evans, and the list goes on. I have been very surprised by how many Florida athletes have at least used our name when speaking about their recruiting interests

 

[EZ-E]

I see what you're saying and we do seem to have some recruiting momentum right now. But let's wait until these players have actually played before deciding how good our recruiting was. Case in point: Chris Williams.

I agree with your premise (But let's wait until these players have actually played before deciding) but not your example (Chris Williams). Chris Williams' departure had a lot to do with his blown knee. Pelini didn't whiff on recruiting Chris Williams.

Oh yeah, nice topic EZ.

There were other things going on with the Chris Williams situation. Can't elaborate though.

 

[AndyDufresne]

Andrew Green and Eric Martin were both fairly highly regarded with several solid offers each. Eric would have had more offers if not for qualification concerns and Andrew had a last minute offer from Oklahoma (although there was plenty of speculation that this was more about Aaron than Andrew). Gomes was really the only overlooked player of the bunch, holding only one other BCS offer from recruiting powerhouse Kansas State :sarcasm

It is interesting that you group Martin, Green, and Gomes together. Martin is a special teams demon but hasn't proven that he can grasp the mental side of things from the LB position. While Green appears to be the peso back of the future, he hasn't even seen the field yet. Meanwhile, Gomes had 4 int's and was a runner up for the Big XII defensive newcomer of the year last year.

It is my opinion that any team with good coaching and player development can have success as long as they are bringing in players with a certain level of talent. It is also my opinion that most players of a 3-star level are at or above this level. I think it is too hard to separate the cream from the rest of the crop when it comes to 2-stars, as the pool is huge and contains a wider variety of players than any other star grouping.

To consistently be in the conference title hunt (and therefore at least be mentioned in national title discussions), we will need to recruit difference makers on both sides of the ball. Whether these difference makers are highly sought after top rated recruits or under-the-radar guys matters not to me. We barely have an inkling of how good Bo and staff have done at identifying talent at this point in time. Besides Henry, Burkhead, Gomes, and Dennard; all of our impact players have been from Callahan's classes. We will have a better idea after this year, and the picture will become much clearer after our inaugural Big 10 season when all but a handful of starters will be Pelini guys.

 

[ADS]

Im amazed the waves we have made in Florida recently. For years we haven't even been considered by some of these top tier athletes from Florida, but now look. Lyons is givings us a deep look, we got Moore (but mostly because of family ties, theres Evans, and the list goes on. I have been very surprised by how many Florida athletes have at least used our name when speaking about their recruiting interests

And the Florida waves will keep on coming considering Coach Beck has some ties to Florida (went to school at Central Florida). As long as our coaches keep their relatioships with the highscool coaches in the south the door will always be open to Nebraska. Look at Manatee with Coach Kinnian. Kinnian has a lot of respect for Nebraska and the way the program is ran.

 

[Danny Bateman]

Im amazed the waves we have made in Florida recently. For years we haven't even been considered by some of these top tier athletes from Florida, but now look. Lyons is givings us a deep look, we got Moore (but mostly because of family ties, theres Evans, and the list goes on. I have been very surprised by how many Florida athletes have at least used our name when speaking about their recruiting interests

And the Florida waves will keep on coming considering Coach Beck has some ties to Florida (went to school at Central Florida). As long as our coaches keep their relatioships with the highscool coaches in the south the door will always be open to Nebraska. Look at Manatee with Coach Kinnian. Kinnian has a lot of respect for Nebraska and the way the program is ran.

Good call. I totally forgot about getting Carnes from them last year. That is a great school to have a foot in the door with.

 

[RedDenver]

I see what you're saying and we do seem to have some recruiting momentum right now. But let's wait until these players have actually played before deciding how good our recruiting was. Case in point: Chris Williams.

I agree with your premise (But let's wait until these players have actually played before deciding) but not your example (Chris Williams). Chris Williams' departure had a lot to do with his blown knee. Pelini didn't whiff on recruiting Chris Williams.

Oh yeah, nice topic EZ.

I'd judge a player as a "whiff" if they don't contribute to the program. I'm not saying anything bad about Pelini or Williams, but CW will not contribute and therefore is a recruiting "whiff".

 

[74Hunter]

I see what you're saying and we do seem to have some recruiting momentum right now. But let's wait until these players have actually played before deciding how good our recruiting was. Case in point: Chris Williams.

Completely agree with you. That is why I used an example like Andrew Green and Dejon Gomes. Andrew will play this year and would have played last year had we had an injury or two. Attrition is inevitable at any program. It is unfortunate it had to be a player the caliber of a Chris Williams.

I'm hoping that this staff is as good at finding talent to fit their needs as Dr. Tom was. He was an absolute MASTER at finding the right player for his system, regardless of what the recruiting experts thought.