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NU recruiting efforts zero in on Texas
It might have been a bye week for Nebraska's football team. It was hardly that for most of NU's coaching staff.
Tis the beginning of recruiting season in college football. Well, every month, in this modern era, is recruiting season. Let's just say that, starting with mid-November through signing day in February, the fever gets a little hotter.
Six NU assistants hit the road for two days earlier this week. On Friday and Saturday, NU head coach Bo Pelini, offensive coordinator Shawn Watson and linebackers coach Mike Ekeler will visit recruits. During the next two months, the Cornhuskers hope to hold on to their 16 known verbal commitments and finish out the class by addressing need areas, like wide receiver and safety.
So far, Pelini said, so good. The first-year coach is happy with the effort and Nebraska's prospects with a few more prepsters.
"We've had good reception from people," Pelini said after Thursday's practice. "We've identified a lot of guys over the last couple days. I like where recruiting is right now. We're going to have another staff meeting about it tomorrow to make sure everybody's on the same page."
College coaches can't make in-home visits to recruits for another week, recruiting coordinator Ted Gilmore said, so the on-the-road chats are currently reserved to "evaluation" conversations with high school coaches.
Nebraska's current 7-4 record has elicited positive feedback, Gilmore said, "particularly in Texas" where NU's 37-31 overtime loss to current No. 2 Texas Tech turned some heads.
"They're as hot as anybody and kids know you had a chance to beat them," Gilmore said. "That creates enthusiasm, and they'll give you a second look."
Although NU is recruiting nationwide, it's focused a good portion of its energy in the Lone Star State, long known for its "'Friday Night Lights' mystique," Gilmore and running backs coach Tim Beck said. Nebraska already has nine verbal commitments from the state and is pursuing several more players, including highly-touted running back Rex Burkhead out of Plano.
"They're playing a lot of football," Gilmore said. "They get coaching year round. There are some staffs down there that have more people than we do…although it's important here, it's on a whole different scale there. It's a different animal. You can go into a one-horse town and it's a serious thing. Those kids are brought up on it."
Beck, who from 1999-2004 was a head high school coach in Texas, was partially responsible for Kansas making inroads in the state. He spent this week in Florida, but he's helping Nebraska do the same in 2008.
One advantage Beck said NU has in Texas that it might not enjoy in talent centers like Florida and California is instant name recognition.
"It's a Big 12 state," Beck said "It doesn't matter if it's swimming, if it's volleyball, soccer, whatever the sport may be, they cover the Big 12 Conference. So, every day, you can pick up a newspaper and the word Nebraska is probably in there somewhere."
While it's hardly the deciding factor, winning games helps, too. It's a "here and now" world out there among high school football players.
"Who's winning, who's on TV, who's in bowl games," Gilmore said. "That's what they're paying attention to. That's universal no matter where you go."
Link
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Coaches receiving positive vibes on recruiting trail
On the recruiting trail during this bye week, Husker tight ends coach Ron Brown said there was just an air of good feeling.
It felt familiar.
"I just came from recruiting down south and the reception down there from high school coaches was great," Brown said. "Just their view of Nebraska again is of a team that's back and playing well, and that was exciting to hear because that's what I was used to in the past. I think it's got a different note to it because we went through some adversity and some trials. I think everybody in this country loves a comeback story."
There seems to be a disagreement on the favorite to win the Texas Tech - Oklahoma game.
A late-season surge by the Big Red has not just boosted the morale of the fan base. It'll no doubt also help the Husker recruiting sales pitch.
Recruiting has been a major focus of the Husker staff during the bye week leading up to the Nov. 28 home finale against Colorado.
"We've identified a lot of guys over the last couple of days," Husker head coach Bo Pelini said. "We should have a decent group come in for the Colorado game. I like where recruiting is right now. We're going to have another big meeting tomorrow as a staff to make sure we're all on the same page. I think we're in pretty good shape."
The Huskers currently have 16 known commits — eight of them from Texas. Coming off a 5-7 season, NU coaches knew the recruiting climate wouldn't be the easiest for them in this first year with a new staff.
But as the team has progressed to a positive 7-4 record this fall, Brown has seen people take note of Nebraska's step forward.
"As this season has unfolded, I think coaches are saying, 'Man, you guys have really turned the corner. We just see a different team than we have the last few years,'" Brown said. "So it was good to hear that, positive in recruiting efforts and just as a measuring stick for us. These high school coaches are often pretty good barometers."
Link
It might have been a bye week for Nebraska's football team. It was hardly that for most of NU's coaching staff.
Tis the beginning of recruiting season in college football. Well, every month, in this modern era, is recruiting season. Let's just say that, starting with mid-November through signing day in February, the fever gets a little hotter.
Six NU assistants hit the road for two days earlier this week. On Friday and Saturday, NU head coach Bo Pelini, offensive coordinator Shawn Watson and linebackers coach Mike Ekeler will visit recruits. During the next two months, the Cornhuskers hope to hold on to their 16 known verbal commitments and finish out the class by addressing need areas, like wide receiver and safety.
So far, Pelini said, so good. The first-year coach is happy with the effort and Nebraska's prospects with a few more prepsters.
"We've had good reception from people," Pelini said after Thursday's practice. "We've identified a lot of guys over the last couple days. I like where recruiting is right now. We're going to have another staff meeting about it tomorrow to make sure everybody's on the same page."
College coaches can't make in-home visits to recruits for another week, recruiting coordinator Ted Gilmore said, so the on-the-road chats are currently reserved to "evaluation" conversations with high school coaches.
Nebraska's current 7-4 record has elicited positive feedback, Gilmore said, "particularly in Texas" where NU's 37-31 overtime loss to current No. 2 Texas Tech turned some heads.
"They're as hot as anybody and kids know you had a chance to beat them," Gilmore said. "That creates enthusiasm, and they'll give you a second look."
Although NU is recruiting nationwide, it's focused a good portion of its energy in the Lone Star State, long known for its "'Friday Night Lights' mystique," Gilmore and running backs coach Tim Beck said. Nebraska already has nine verbal commitments from the state and is pursuing several more players, including highly-touted running back Rex Burkhead out of Plano.
"They're playing a lot of football," Gilmore said. "They get coaching year round. There are some staffs down there that have more people than we do…although it's important here, it's on a whole different scale there. It's a different animal. You can go into a one-horse town and it's a serious thing. Those kids are brought up on it."
Beck, who from 1999-2004 was a head high school coach in Texas, was partially responsible for Kansas making inroads in the state. He spent this week in Florida, but he's helping Nebraska do the same in 2008.
One advantage Beck said NU has in Texas that it might not enjoy in talent centers like Florida and California is instant name recognition.
"It's a Big 12 state," Beck said "It doesn't matter if it's swimming, if it's volleyball, soccer, whatever the sport may be, they cover the Big 12 Conference. So, every day, you can pick up a newspaper and the word Nebraska is probably in there somewhere."
While it's hardly the deciding factor, winning games helps, too. It's a "here and now" world out there among high school football players.
"Who's winning, who's on TV, who's in bowl games," Gilmore said. "That's what they're paying attention to. That's universal no matter where you go."
Link
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coaches receiving positive vibes on recruiting trail
On the recruiting trail during this bye week, Husker tight ends coach Ron Brown said there was just an air of good feeling.
It felt familiar.
"I just came from recruiting down south and the reception down there from high school coaches was great," Brown said. "Just their view of Nebraska again is of a team that's back and playing well, and that was exciting to hear because that's what I was used to in the past. I think it's got a different note to it because we went through some adversity and some trials. I think everybody in this country loves a comeback story."
There seems to be a disagreement on the favorite to win the Texas Tech - Oklahoma game.
A late-season surge by the Big Red has not just boosted the morale of the fan base. It'll no doubt also help the Husker recruiting sales pitch.
Recruiting has been a major focus of the Husker staff during the bye week leading up to the Nov. 28 home finale against Colorado.
"We've identified a lot of guys over the last couple of days," Husker head coach Bo Pelini said. "We should have a decent group come in for the Colorado game. I like where recruiting is right now. We're going to have another big meeting tomorrow as a staff to make sure we're all on the same page. I think we're in pretty good shape."
The Huskers currently have 16 known commits — eight of them from Texas. Coming off a 5-7 season, NU coaches knew the recruiting climate wouldn't be the easiest for them in this first year with a new staff.
But as the team has progressed to a positive 7-4 record this fall, Brown has seen people take note of Nebraska's step forward.
"As this season has unfolded, I think coaches are saying, 'Man, you guys have really turned the corner. We just see a different team than we have the last few years,'" Brown said. "So it was good to hear that, positive in recruiting efforts and just as a measuring stick for us. These high school coaches are often pretty good barometers."
Link
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