I had two sons play in South Carolina and observation is that the star ratings are pretty subjective and not entrirely reliable. The players with the best star ratings were getting the biggest boost from their involvement with workout gyms and trainers. The sports writers could not see every game each weekend and there fore relied many times on the trainers input. This doesn't mean the star ratings may not be true but they may not be accurate either. I read a post by a former player from a championship team say that about 10 of the starters were from Nebraska. We used to get a lot of offensive linemen from in-state and a lot of running backs from Omaha. Maybe we should look for some great athletes with a head on their shoulders work on under some coaches who believe in developing players and teaching fundamentals. My oldest son attended two football camps in Lincoln. The last one was Callahan's first. My son never again talked about going to Nebraska after that camp. He said Callahan ignored everybody but those he invited for a look see. He referred to the players as "product" several times. Seems like he thought the player is a finished product at the college level - maybe some truth to it at the pro level but I think its a bad attitude for any coach to have. I hope Riley and his coaches develop players and motivate them.
OWH: High school coaches hoping in-state offers will increase with Mike Riley
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I think it is a little unfair to Bo on this. He never really understood recruiting, but was learning in the end I think. But kids that have the ability to play, should never leave the state. Too far between to miss them. Hopefully Coach Riley will find those kids and make it a desired location over others.
It does sound as if the bond between the high schools and the program were not as strong as they could have been, and it sounds like the coaches are looking to the new regime with open arms.
A lot of things were not done as good as they could have been I am sure, but giving Bo credit, he had a lot to learn, and the pressure was on instantly. Fair is fair. I can see the logic, much easier to find kids in California and Texas than looking under rocks in Nebraska. But those kids build the program, the heart determination and knew that the fans loved them. We need those kids on the team, as they will work harder than anyone to prove a mistake was not made.
It does sound as if the bond between the high schools and the program were not as strong as they could have been, and it sounds like the coaches are looking to the new regime with open arms.
A lot of things were not done as good as they could have been I am sure, but giving Bo credit, he had a lot to learn, and the pressure was on instantly. Fair is fair. I can see the logic, much easier to find kids in California and Texas than looking under rocks in Nebraska. But those kids build the program, the heart determination and knew that the fans loved them. We need those kids on the team, as they will work harder than anyone to prove a mistake was not made.
LumberJackSker
All-American
I could understand this point of view if there were a bunch of Nebraska kids tearing it up at other schools. Besides Orr who did Pelini miss on? Maybe Philips but you can't say yet that he'll end up being any better than the other defensive linemen in the class. Every coaching staff is going to miss on in state kids and Reily probably will as well but let's not act like there's a bunch of all Americans playing at Iowa and K State that are Nebraska kids.
Stumpy1
All-American
True2tRA
Banned
No.
You don't have to find these kids. There is no searching under rocks.
The pool is smaller than most states, sure. It's easier to recruit the best players. Their coaches send tapes to Nebraska first. These kids want to come here. They should be on our radar because they're in our own backyard.
Nobody is talking about All-Americans. The best players in this state should get a look. Period.
BigRedBuster
International Man of Mystery
It's more than just offering scholarships. It's a matter of the staff realizing they have an asset here that is not being used. Work with the local coaches do they are developing players the right way for what the coaches want in Lincoln.
I would love for Riley to actually work with HS coaches here teaching them how to develop the QB talent.
I would love for Riley to actually work with HS coaches here teaching them how to develop the QB talent.
Number of Nebraska players signed by the Huskers (Rivals' web site goes back to 2002):
2014 - 3
2013 - 1
2012 - 1
2011 - 4
2010 - 4
2009 - 2
2008 - 5
2007 - 2
2006 - 4
2005 - 3
2004 - 5
2003 - 5
2002 - 7
So in-state guys definitely declined under Pelini. But there were a lot of busts in those previous years guys: Cory Timm, Dane Todd, Andy Birkel, Brandon Teamer, Andy Christensen, Clayton Sievers, Robert Rands, Jeff Souder, DJ Jones, Ben Martin and Corey Young under Solich and Callahan plus Micah Kreikmeier, John Levorson and Collins Okafor in the broken class of 2008. That's a lot of misses.
I'd say 2-3 is pretty realistic for most years from in-state. There just isn't enough talent to justify more than that. Pelini averaged 2.5 per year in the classes he got to recruit the full class. And only the years where he took four did he really have misses indicating he took too many.
Bo took some some marginal guys as walk-ons who ended up working out very well - Burtch, Reilly, Gangwish, Janovich - so the opportunity is there if they guys will take it. But, as was mentioned, the only guys we really should have offered but didn't are Ott and probably Phillips. We offered Phillips but after Stanford did and Ott was in a small class where we took McMullen and Moss so it's not like we didn't do well recruiting DEs that year. Two guys we should have had but didn't is pretty small compared to the number of guys who we took but should have passed on in previous years.
2014 - 3
2013 - 1
2012 - 1
2011 - 4
2010 - 4
2009 - 2
2008 - 5
2007 - 2
2006 - 4
2005 - 3
2004 - 5
2003 - 5
2002 - 7
So in-state guys definitely declined under Pelini. But there were a lot of busts in those previous years guys: Cory Timm, Dane Todd, Andy Birkel, Brandon Teamer, Andy Christensen, Clayton Sievers, Robert Rands, Jeff Souder, DJ Jones, Ben Martin and Corey Young under Solich and Callahan plus Micah Kreikmeier, John Levorson and Collins Okafor in the broken class of 2008. That's a lot of misses.
I'd say 2-3 is pretty realistic for most years from in-state. There just isn't enough talent to justify more than that. Pelini averaged 2.5 per year in the classes he got to recruit the full class. And only the years where he took four did he really have misses indicating he took too many.
Bo took some some marginal guys as walk-ons who ended up working out very well - Burtch, Reilly, Gangwish, Janovich - so the opportunity is there if they guys will take it. But, as was mentioned, the only guys we really should have offered but didn't are Ott and probably Phillips. We offered Phillips but after Stanford did and Ott was in a small class where we took McMullen and Moss so it's not like we didn't do well recruiting DEs that year. Two guys we should have had but didn't is pretty small compared to the number of guys who we took but should have passed on in previous years.
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In the Deed the Glory
All-Conference
I used uninformed because I do not believe you are unintelligent. I just don't think you understand how much those home grown kids meant to the backbone of this program (back when we had a coaching staff that knew how to develop kids). This whole thread has turned into comparing local kids to the studs of the class. That is not how this works. You take the local kid instead of the bust from Texas. Nobody wants to look at the busts from other states, only our local ones. These "backyard" players could easily be a special teams guy and be a back-up competing as a senior for PT like so many of these kids from out of state have done.
When this place was rolling, it was on the backs of Nebraska boys that actually were developed by our coaching staff. They weren't usually the studs, they were that line with a nasty streak. They were the FB and TE. They were the DT and Special teams guys.
Don't give me this football has changed bull crap either. That is irrelevant. I am excited to have a guy that will want to develop HS football coaches, bring in high-character Nebraska boys that live and breathe Husker football, and ACTUALLY DEVELOP some talent. We haven't had that since the late 90s, and I don't think it is a coincidence we were also pretty damn good at the same time.
Stumpy1
All-American
The players in the 90's were developed because we had the BEST strength and conditioning program in the nation along with one of the best coaches ever, not because they were great athletes. Fast forward 20 yrs and now about EVERY big time school has as good or better program as we do. We can't take those 250lb farm kids anymore and put 50lbs of muscle on them and steamroll people like we think. We need to get these kids that are already developed in order for us to compete.
I'm not against Nebraska kids getting offered at all, just think that there aren't enough good players every year in the state to justify taking 3-4+ in a class.
In the Deed the Glory
All-Conference
Explain to me how we can't add 50 lbs to a 250 lb player and make them a stellar lineman? You pick the most athletic 250 lb player you can, give them a scholarship, redshirt them, train them the right way, who knows? By the way, we didn't have the best strength and conditioning program in the nation by the mid-90s. Others had caught up. We just identified talent better and developed that. Sounds like Riley can do that.
I am not asking for 25 Nebraska kids every year, that is crazy. Four or five? Sounds about right.
BigRedBuster
International Man of Mystery
During our fans with Wisconsin it was said that Wisconsin has made a living taking More local Midwestern kids and making them into great Olines.
No reason Nebraska shouldn't be doing some of this.
I did not say the talent was not there. I said a person learning on the job sees what others are doing and does the same. Recruiting the fertile beds is much easier for him. He did not understand our program, did not understand recruiting, it took him 5 years to even begin to figure it out. Coach Riley has been there, he knows that local talent is important I am sure.
I said we can not allow Nebraska talent to leave.
And no, kids to day are going to go where they get a scholarship if at all possible. Meaning small directional schools, smaller state universities. Walkons are harder to get, because the smaller universities can offer scholarships, unlike in the past. Financially attending Nebraska when they have already passed on you, does not make sense for most people. The kid/family will do what is feasible for them.
Yes there are die hard kids that will come to Nebraska if not offered, but the number is not the same as it was. The high school coaches are asking that the program pay more attention to in state talent, and I think Coach Riley will
I said we can not allow Nebraska talent to leave.
And no, kids to day are going to go where they get a scholarship if at all possible. Meaning small directional schools, smaller state universities. Walkons are harder to get, because the smaller universities can offer scholarships, unlike in the past. Financially attending Nebraska when they have already passed on you, does not make sense for most people. The kid/family will do what is feasible for them.
Yes there are die hard kids that will come to Nebraska if not offered, but the number is not the same as it was. The high school coaches are asking that the program pay more attention to in state talent, and I think Coach Riley will
Touchdown Tommie
All-Conference
They are coming up to MN to recruit a couple of the best in state kids. Oregon got a QB from next year's class. When the kids are good enough to play at those schools, they will come.