QB Josh Freeman
- Thread starter Benard
- Start date
DaveH
Team HuskerBoard
McNeil is N. No problems there.
The more and more I read about this, the more I think Mr. Freeman had a TON to do with this.
Mr. Freeman speaks. Probably shouldn't have.
He did text Downing to tell him of the decommit. That's funny. They can call other NU commits, but they can't call the coach. B S. He didn't want the confrontation. He didn't want to tell them to their face that a year and a half of recruiting just went down the toilet. Nice.
The more and more I read about this, the more I think Mr. Freeman had a TON to do with this.
Mr. Freeman speaks. Probably shouldn't have.
He did text Downing to tell him of the decommit. That's funny. They can call other NU commits, but they can't call the coach. B S. He didn't want the confrontation. He didn't want to tell them to their face that a year and a half of recruiting just went down the toilet. Nice.
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I'm just personally bumbed by this "decommit" and the way it went down. I think Josh will look back at this decision and how it went down and have many regrets. It will be a growing experience for him for sure. I've read every post and "character" is probably a theme ... or lack thereof. I would say that Josh and this situation is probably a bigger statement of who his parents are and what they stand for ... and Josh is now a reflection of that.
I'll enjoy this board ... this is my first post and I grew up in Omaha (Cody Elementary and Millard North Junior High).
Sincerely,
SheepdogMark
I'll enjoy this board ... this is my first post and I grew up in Omaha (Cody Elementary and Millard North Junior High).
Sincerely,
SheepdogMark
Redman
All-Conference
Welcome aboard. I am bummed as well. I think he needs to do what he thinks is best, but I am upset by the way he chose to do it. I deal with people Josh's age everyday, so this decision, and the way it was handled, comes as no surprise. Making a committment to anything is easy, honoring that committment is difficult; but it is conquering this difficulty that makes one honorable.
Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Prince is blazing on recruiting trail
BY JEFFREY MARTINThe Wichita EagleConsider it the essence of Ron Prince, the new football coach at Kansas State.
The man leaves an impression.
"Man, he's cool," junior defensive tackle Quintin Echols said.
Some might apply various phrases to describe the aura the 36-year-old Prince exudes, but they all agree there is something different and also something special in place in Manhattan.
Whatever it is, it was enough to convince suburban Kansas City high schoolquarterback Josh Freeman, Rivals.com's top-rated prospect in Missouri and No. 94 nationally, to back out of a commitment to Nebraska on Monday and pledge his allegiance to Prince and the Wildcats.
Freeman, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound, pocket-style passer, finished his last day at Grandview (Mo.) High on Tuesday and will begin classes at K-State on Jan. 12. He is considered the prize of Prince's initial recruiting class -- so far.
"Coach Prince is a nice guy," Freeman said. "He has a lot of things going for him. He knows what he's talking about."
"We were very impressed," Freeman's mother, Teresa, said. "He's very intelligent."
And Prince's appeal was what prompted Blinn College running back James Johnson, a Rivals.com top-10 junior college talent, to consider and ultimately choose K-State, even though his junior college coach was Brad Franchione, the son of Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione.
It was presumed Johnson would end up in College Station -- until Prince became involved. Johnson even convinced his teammate, safety Courtney Edmond, to join him.
"Coach Prince is a cool coach," Johnson told the Kansas City Star.
Being cool, though, only goes so far.
The man Prince is replacing, Bill Snyder, was never confused for or concerned with being cool, although his white Nike Cortez kicks were retro-hip. What Snyder did, however, was rack up victories at an unprecedented rate in Manhattan, doing so largely without the nation's top talent.
Winning was the best recruiting advantage Snyder had.
The goals are the same for Prince, who e-mails his coaches and recruits via his BlackBerry, but the approach isn't.
"With Bill Snyder, it was something that was a polar opposite, and that isn't meant to be a slight," Rivals.com national editor Jeremy Crabtree said. "Some kids probably thought he was an old guy who couldn't relate to them, but that wasn't true.
"When Ron Prince comes into your house, he understands what text-messaging is. He knows what the latest games are for the X-Box; he knows the songs a kid just put on his iPod."
But, again, all of that only goes so far.
The work, the hard work, can't be ignored.
So it wasn't a surprise recently when Prince was is in his office on a Sunday morning at 9 a.m., something his predecessor had done endless times over the years. But it startled Andy Siegal, the first-year offensive coordinator at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Calif., when Prince called him Dec. 5, about 30 minutes before his official introduction as the new coach at K-State.
"He was asking about 'my quarterback,' but he said he had to go and he'd call me back," said Siegal, who spent the previous six years at Dodge City Community College. "He said he was sending out (wide receivers coach Pat) Washington, and he'd be out next week."
Siegal's quarterback, Brent Schaeffer, began his college career at Tennessee, the first freshman to start at quarterback in the Southeastern Conference since 1945. A left-handed scrambler, Schaeffer left Knoxville and ended up in California. This year, he led the nation's No. 1 offense, a unit that averaged 44 points and 487 yards. Schaeffer, who visited K-State while in high school, threw for just less than 3,000 yards and 40 touchdowns. He rushed for 854 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Wisconsin, Ole Miss and N.C. State are in the mix for Schaeffer's services, as is K-State.
"Prince gave me a great first impression," said Schaeffer, who said he plans to visit Manhattan on Jan. 20. "He sounded like he wanted to win, to turn the program around real fast. He wasn't talking about taking his time. He was talking about doing it now."
A half-hour before Prince was introduced to the public, he was checking on a potential recruit. And Siegal didn't consider that odd, at least compared to what came next.
"Prince hired Washington, threw him some sweats and he was here the next day," Siegal said. "There were things about K-State that he didn't even know about, things that I had to fill him in about."
Same thing with Tim McCarty, the Wildcats' new assistant head coach and offensive line coach. He signed on and was immediately dispatched to Garden City Community College. McCarty was instrumental is locking up former Garden City wide receiver Jermaine Barrett. According to Garden City coach J.J. Eckert, Barrett was dismissed from the team in February and missed all of the 2005 season. But his commitment -- in addition to a couple from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M cornerback Devin Anderson and tight end Michael Pooshke -- signals a renewed focus on junior college players, which helped Snyder forge the "Miracle in Manhattan" in the first place.
Prince had six commitments through Tuesday, just 15 days into this job. And he still hasn't named offensive or defensive coordinators.
"The new staff is high energy," Siegal said. "I think the people of Kansas are going to be excited. They're hustling. Most new coaches come in and are like, 'Let's fill my staff.' But not Prince. He said, 'To heck with that. Let's start recruiting.' "
The flurry of activity should come to a halt in the coming weeks as the recruiting season enters the dead period, when contact between coaches and recruits is prohibited. But Crabtree, who increased K-State's national recruiting ranking from No. 53 to 42 after Freeman's decision, has already seen enough.
"It's been amazing, and it hasn't been a total surprise," said Crabtree, who said this is the first time he's ever seen K-State work the state of Illinois. "Prince had a reputation for being a great recruiter, but to go out and get a top-100 kid and a top-10 junior college kid is impressive.
"It's tough to know which chord he has struck, but I know he and his staff have been energetic and enthusiastic."
The pitch has been consistent. Competition will be open. The best players will be on the field. No one is promised playing time. Everything is equal -- it's a new staff, so it's a clean slate as well.
Recruits love it, as do the returning players.
"He has everyone ready to go, ready to start working out," Echols said.
Another factor that can't be overlooked is race. Prince, as it has been well-documented, is black, now one of five black coaches in Division I-A.
Freeman is black. So is Johnson. And Schaeffer.
While Teresa Freeman said it was "exciting" having a black head coach with several black assistants in the Big 12, that wasn't the reason why Freeman broke his agreement with the Cornhuskers. It was opportunity; according to Freeman's mother, K-State coaches were never interested in Freeman until Prince came along. Crabtree confirmed that account, saying the previous regime was more interested in dual-threat types, quarterbacks who can run and throw.
Freeman, who covers 40 yards in 4.75 seconds, isn't slow, but that's not his strength.
"Prince uses a pro-style offense, and Josh wanted a chance, a shot at something new," Teresa Freeman said. "He didn't want to go too far from home. And we like what is going on academically."
Maybe it's all of that, or maybe it's none of that.
What can't be denied is the immediate effect of Prince's efforts on the recruiting trail, what he termed "the lifeblood of any program."
He has left quite the impression.
"I can't put my finger on what it is, but it's almost like it was at Oklahoma when Bob Stoops came in," Siegal said. "They have that type of attitude. The guys have come in and are flying around. They're all over the place."
"The previous assistants probably weren't as enthusiastic as they should have been, after what happened on the field," Crabtree said. "Then you get this guy who brings in his staff and everyone is going 100 miles per hour, are able to relate to kids, they all have amazing drive.... They must have more frequent-flyer miles than anyone."
"We've had some recruits come in and they all say the same thing," Echols said. "They're all like, 'Coach is cool, huh?' He has that impact on everybody, I think."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey Martin covers Kansas State sports. Reach him at 269-6763 or jmartin@wichitaeagle.com.
BY JEFFREY MARTINThe Wichita EagleConsider it the essence of Ron Prince, the new football coach at Kansas State.
The man leaves an impression.
"Man, he's cool," junior defensive tackle Quintin Echols said.
Some might apply various phrases to describe the aura the 36-year-old Prince exudes, but they all agree there is something different and also something special in place in Manhattan.
Whatever it is, it was enough to convince suburban Kansas City high schoolquarterback Josh Freeman, Rivals.com's top-rated prospect in Missouri and No. 94 nationally, to back out of a commitment to Nebraska on Monday and pledge his allegiance to Prince and the Wildcats.
Freeman, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound, pocket-style passer, finished his last day at Grandview (Mo.) High on Tuesday and will begin classes at K-State on Jan. 12. He is considered the prize of Prince's initial recruiting class -- so far.
"Coach Prince is a nice guy," Freeman said. "He has a lot of things going for him. He knows what he's talking about."
"We were very impressed," Freeman's mother, Teresa, said. "He's very intelligent."
And Prince's appeal was what prompted Blinn College running back James Johnson, a Rivals.com top-10 junior college talent, to consider and ultimately choose K-State, even though his junior college coach was Brad Franchione, the son of Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione.
It was presumed Johnson would end up in College Station -- until Prince became involved. Johnson even convinced his teammate, safety Courtney Edmond, to join him.
"Coach Prince is a cool coach," Johnson told the Kansas City Star.
Being cool, though, only goes so far.
The man Prince is replacing, Bill Snyder, was never confused for or concerned with being cool, although his white Nike Cortez kicks were retro-hip. What Snyder did, however, was rack up victories at an unprecedented rate in Manhattan, doing so largely without the nation's top talent.
Winning was the best recruiting advantage Snyder had.
The goals are the same for Prince, who e-mails his coaches and recruits via his BlackBerry, but the approach isn't.
"With Bill Snyder, it was something that was a polar opposite, and that isn't meant to be a slight," Rivals.com national editor Jeremy Crabtree said. "Some kids probably thought he was an old guy who couldn't relate to them, but that wasn't true.
"When Ron Prince comes into your house, he understands what text-messaging is. He knows what the latest games are for the X-Box; he knows the songs a kid just put on his iPod."
But, again, all of that only goes so far.
The work, the hard work, can't be ignored.
So it wasn't a surprise recently when Prince was is in his office on a Sunday morning at 9 a.m., something his predecessor had done endless times over the years. But it startled Andy Siegal, the first-year offensive coordinator at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Calif., when Prince called him Dec. 5, about 30 minutes before his official introduction as the new coach at K-State.
"He was asking about 'my quarterback,' but he said he had to go and he'd call me back," said Siegal, who spent the previous six years at Dodge City Community College. "He said he was sending out (wide receivers coach Pat) Washington, and he'd be out next week."
Siegal's quarterback, Brent Schaeffer, began his college career at Tennessee, the first freshman to start at quarterback in the Southeastern Conference since 1945. A left-handed scrambler, Schaeffer left Knoxville and ended up in California. This year, he led the nation's No. 1 offense, a unit that averaged 44 points and 487 yards. Schaeffer, who visited K-State while in high school, threw for just less than 3,000 yards and 40 touchdowns. He rushed for 854 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Wisconsin, Ole Miss and N.C. State are in the mix for Schaeffer's services, as is K-State.
"Prince gave me a great first impression," said Schaeffer, who said he plans to visit Manhattan on Jan. 20. "He sounded like he wanted to win, to turn the program around real fast. He wasn't talking about taking his time. He was talking about doing it now."
A half-hour before Prince was introduced to the public, he was checking on a potential recruit. And Siegal didn't consider that odd, at least compared to what came next.
"Prince hired Washington, threw him some sweats and he was here the next day," Siegal said. "There were things about K-State that he didn't even know about, things that I had to fill him in about."
Same thing with Tim McCarty, the Wildcats' new assistant head coach and offensive line coach. He signed on and was immediately dispatched to Garden City Community College. McCarty was instrumental is locking up former Garden City wide receiver Jermaine Barrett. According to Garden City coach J.J. Eckert, Barrett was dismissed from the team in February and missed all of the 2005 season. But his commitment -- in addition to a couple from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M cornerback Devin Anderson and tight end Michael Pooshke -- signals a renewed focus on junior college players, which helped Snyder forge the "Miracle in Manhattan" in the first place.
Prince had six commitments through Tuesday, just 15 days into this job. And he still hasn't named offensive or defensive coordinators.
"The new staff is high energy," Siegal said. "I think the people of Kansas are going to be excited. They're hustling. Most new coaches come in and are like, 'Let's fill my staff.' But not Prince. He said, 'To heck with that. Let's start recruiting.' "
The flurry of activity should come to a halt in the coming weeks as the recruiting season enters the dead period, when contact between coaches and recruits is prohibited. But Crabtree, who increased K-State's national recruiting ranking from No. 53 to 42 after Freeman's decision, has already seen enough.
"It's been amazing, and it hasn't been a total surprise," said Crabtree, who said this is the first time he's ever seen K-State work the state of Illinois. "Prince had a reputation for being a great recruiter, but to go out and get a top-100 kid and a top-10 junior college kid is impressive.
"It's tough to know which chord he has struck, but I know he and his staff have been energetic and enthusiastic."
The pitch has been consistent. Competition will be open. The best players will be on the field. No one is promised playing time. Everything is equal -- it's a new staff, so it's a clean slate as well.
Recruits love it, as do the returning players.
"He has everyone ready to go, ready to start working out," Echols said.
Another factor that can't be overlooked is race. Prince, as it has been well-documented, is black, now one of five black coaches in Division I-A.
Freeman is black. So is Johnson. And Schaeffer.
While Teresa Freeman said it was "exciting" having a black head coach with several black assistants in the Big 12, that wasn't the reason why Freeman broke his agreement with the Cornhuskers. It was opportunity; according to Freeman's mother, K-State coaches were never interested in Freeman until Prince came along. Crabtree confirmed that account, saying the previous regime was more interested in dual-threat types, quarterbacks who can run and throw.
Freeman, who covers 40 yards in 4.75 seconds, isn't slow, but that's not his strength.
"Prince uses a pro-style offense, and Josh wanted a chance, a shot at something new," Teresa Freeman said. "He didn't want to go too far from home. And we like what is going on academically."
Maybe it's all of that, or maybe it's none of that.
What can't be denied is the immediate effect of Prince's efforts on the recruiting trail, what he termed "the lifeblood of any program."
He has left quite the impression.
"I can't put my finger on what it is, but it's almost like it was at Oklahoma when Bob Stoops came in," Siegal said. "They have that type of attitude. The guys have come in and are flying around. They're all over the place."
"The previous assistants probably weren't as enthusiastic as they should have been, after what happened on the field," Crabtree said. "Then you get this guy who brings in his staff and everyone is going 100 miles per hour, are able to relate to kids, they all have amazing drive.... They must have more frequent-flyer miles than anyone."
"We've had some recruits come in and they all say the same thing," Echols said. "They're all like, 'Coach is cool, huh?' He has that impact on everybody, I think."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey Martin covers Kansas State sports. Reach him at 269-6763 or jmartin@wichitaeagle.com.
Blackshirtsguru
All-American
Hmm a few years ISU had a BB coach that was pretty cool to the students also. Look where that got em! Too many keg stands and serority girls and out he went!
NamelessHusker
Banned
That remains to be seen. Right now he's 0-0
NamelessHusker
Banned
Maybe this article will shed some light on Ron Prince based on your previous post about being a force to be reckoned with
Virginia Fans are glad he's gone, i can promise you that. Go to any Virginia message board and you will get the pulse that his departure won't be missed
More from that article Here
Virginia Fans are glad he's gone, i can promise you that. Go to any Virginia message board and you will get the pulse that his departure won't be missed
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Interesting article, Nameless. It appears Prince has a lot to prove as a HC. He so far has shown to be a strong recruiter and is apparently an excellent OL coach. But a position coach is different than a coordinator, let alone a head coach. Some coaches are only made to be position coaches and are not fit to be coordinators or head coaches. Is this the case with Prince? Maybe, but we won't know for three to five years.
Callahan has shown to be a great college recruiter, an excellent NFL offensive coordinator, a very good NFL OL coach, but has had mixed results as a NFL head coach. His NFL past perhaps is not a clue on how well he will do at NU -- a NCAA college head coach to a NFL HC is like comparing apples to oranges -- look at Pete Carrol(sp?). As our HC, based on his first two years, I'm still in neutral whether Callahan will succeed here. We need to give him another couple of years to see what he can accomplish -- I hope it's positive.
Happy Holidays Folks! -- Mark
Callahan has shown to be a great college recruiter, an excellent NFL offensive coordinator, a very good NFL OL coach, but has had mixed results as a NFL head coach. His NFL past perhaps is not a clue on how well he will do at NU -- a NCAA college head coach to a NFL HC is like comparing apples to oranges -- look at Pete Carrol(sp?). As our HC, based on his first two years, I'm still in neutral whether Callahan will succeed here. We need to give him another couple of years to see what he can accomplish -- I hope it's positive.
Happy Holidays Folks! -- Mark
Red November
Special Teams Player
He may end up a 3rd string defensive end. He may end up a Heisman Trophy winning QB. Reality says he will probably end up somewhere in the middle. Other than one day a year for the next four years, I don't care what happens to him. Let's move on to the next "savior" :restore2
Red November
Special Teams Player
Red November
Special Teams Player
Steven M. Sipple: Freeman case portrays dysfunctional world of recruiting
In a perfect world, people honor their word. If they say they’re going to do something, they do it.
Because I’ve failed on that count innumerable times, I say with certainty that it’s an imperfect world. Bill Callahan received a jarring reminder Monday night that people — particularly teenage people — don’t always follow through on commitments.
Gifted prep quarterback Josh Freeman, widely regarded as the jewel of Nebraska’s 2006 recruiting class, reneged on a verbal commitment given last June to accept Nebraska’s scholarship offer, choosing instead to play next season for new Kansas State coach Ron Prince.
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Freeman’s father informed Nebraska coaches of his son’s de-commitment via text message. Nice touch.
Callahan’s reply probably wasn’t, “Happy Holidays to you and your family. Enjoy Manhattan.”
The reply might have been more along the lines of, “See you next Oct. 14. Adam Carriker and Corey McKeon look forward to meeting you.”
In the odd, wicked and sordid world of college football recruiting, de-commitments are common. Yet Freeman’s sudden change of heart seemingly caught many fans off-guard.
In a perfect world, after a high school player verbally committed to a school, other schools would back off or significantly curtail recruitment of the kid. Of course, the opposite holds true. If a player commits to a school, other schools often come after him harder.
Prince earlier this year tried to lure Freeman to Virginia when Prince was an assistant there. After landing the K-State job, Prince zapped Freeman with a full-court press.
Too often these days, verbal commitments mean virtually nothing. That’s life. That’s recruiting. Nothing’s final until the kid signs on the dotted line. Freeman is only the latest example.
During last year’s recruiting wars, Texas fell victim to touted quarterback Ryan Perriloux’s nationally chronicled ego fest. Perriloux strung along the Longhorns for nearly seven months before signing with Louisiana State.
“All of us are looking at who will be the best team player, but in recruiting it’s becoming more and more about the individual,” Texas coach Mack Brown told SI.com. “We’re going to have to do a better job of watching how certain kids respond to the Internet and publicity that’s become such a big part of the process.”
Freeman seems to like attention from recruiting Web sites. Although he verbally committed to Nebraska last summer, he accepted visits in recent weeks from coaches from Missouri and K-State. He had planned an official visit to Oklahoma before canceling the trip after media had gotten wind of it.
When word leaks of such dalliances by high-profile players, recruiting-based Web sites go berserk. It’s instant attention for the player (and his family).
Considering Freeman’s recent maneuvers, perhaps we should’ve seen this de-commitment coming after all.
Even so, the news seemed to hit Big Red fans hard. Yes, it’s a blow to Nebraska’s 2006 recruiting class (assuming Freeman turns out to be as good as advertised). But with junior starter Zac Taylor and true freshman backup Harrison Beck, the Huskers have stability at the position for next season, assuming Beck makes needed improvement.
It’s possible Nebraska coaches now will roll up their sleeves, jump into the recruiting muck and try to lure away a quarterback who has verbally committed to a school. The good news is, NU has all of January to try to replace Freeman, who was the only quarterback in the Huskers’ 2006 class.
Early speculation pointed to several possibilities, including Greg McElroy, a 6-2, 212-pound player from Southlake, Texas, who has committed to Texas Tech.
Freeman, rated as the nation’s No. 4 pro-style quarterback by Rivals.com, had planned to attend Nebraska starting in January and compete in spring drills. He likely wasn’t going to overtake Taylor, and perhaps not Beck. A redshirt season for Freeman clearly was a possibility — one he didn’t like.
“I would hate to go to Nebraska and get redshirted,” Freeman told Rivals.com. “That was the vibe I was getting from the coaches.”
Prince apparently sold Freeman on the notion that he could become a four-year starter at K-State. You have to wonder about that. By most accounts, Freeman is physically gifted, but raw in terms of quarterback skills. He apparently needs seasoning. And remember, K-State returns three experienced quarterbacks in seniors-to-be Allen Webb and Dylan Meier and sophomore-to-be Allan Evridge.
Evridge started six games this past season and set K-State freshman records for passing yards (1,365) and touchdowns (six).
Whatever. In a couple of years, we might look back and wonder what all of the fuss over Freeman was about.
In the dysfunctional world of recruiting, every player is a potential star, with emphasis on “potential.” It’s mostly a fantasy world.
This much is certain: In a perfect world, a teenager’s whims wouldn’t cause such a stir.
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
In a perfect world, people honor their word. If they say they’re going to do something, they do it.
Because I’ve failed on that count innumerable times, I say with certainty that it’s an imperfect world. Bill Callahan received a jarring reminder Monday night that people — particularly teenage people — don’t always follow through on commitments.
Gifted prep quarterback Josh Freeman, widely regarded as the jewel of Nebraska’s 2006 recruiting class, reneged on a verbal commitment given last June to accept Nebraska’s scholarship offer, choosing instead to play next season for new Kansas State coach Ron Prince.
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Freeman’s father informed Nebraska coaches of his son’s de-commitment via text message. Nice touch.
Callahan’s reply probably wasn’t, “Happy Holidays to you and your family. Enjoy Manhattan.”
The reply might have been more along the lines of, “See you next Oct. 14. Adam Carriker and Corey McKeon look forward to meeting you.”
In the odd, wicked and sordid world of college football recruiting, de-commitments are common. Yet Freeman’s sudden change of heart seemingly caught many fans off-guard.
In a perfect world, after a high school player verbally committed to a school, other schools would back off or significantly curtail recruitment of the kid. Of course, the opposite holds true. If a player commits to a school, other schools often come after him harder.
Prince earlier this year tried to lure Freeman to Virginia when Prince was an assistant there. After landing the K-State job, Prince zapped Freeman with a full-court press.
Too often these days, verbal commitments mean virtually nothing. That’s life. That’s recruiting. Nothing’s final until the kid signs on the dotted line. Freeman is only the latest example.
During last year’s recruiting wars, Texas fell victim to touted quarterback Ryan Perriloux’s nationally chronicled ego fest. Perriloux strung along the Longhorns for nearly seven months before signing with Louisiana State.
“All of us are looking at who will be the best team player, but in recruiting it’s becoming more and more about the individual,” Texas coach Mack Brown told SI.com. “We’re going to have to do a better job of watching how certain kids respond to the Internet and publicity that’s become such a big part of the process.”
Freeman seems to like attention from recruiting Web sites. Although he verbally committed to Nebraska last summer, he accepted visits in recent weeks from coaches from Missouri and K-State. He had planned an official visit to Oklahoma before canceling the trip after media had gotten wind of it.
When word leaks of such dalliances by high-profile players, recruiting-based Web sites go berserk. It’s instant attention for the player (and his family).
Considering Freeman’s recent maneuvers, perhaps we should’ve seen this de-commitment coming after all.
Even so, the news seemed to hit Big Red fans hard. Yes, it’s a blow to Nebraska’s 2006 recruiting class (assuming Freeman turns out to be as good as advertised). But with junior starter Zac Taylor and true freshman backup Harrison Beck, the Huskers have stability at the position for next season, assuming Beck makes needed improvement.
It’s possible Nebraska coaches now will roll up their sleeves, jump into the recruiting muck and try to lure away a quarterback who has verbally committed to a school. The good news is, NU has all of January to try to replace Freeman, who was the only quarterback in the Huskers’ 2006 class.
Early speculation pointed to several possibilities, including Greg McElroy, a 6-2, 212-pound player from Southlake, Texas, who has committed to Texas Tech.
Freeman, rated as the nation’s No. 4 pro-style quarterback by Rivals.com, had planned to attend Nebraska starting in January and compete in spring drills. He likely wasn’t going to overtake Taylor, and perhaps not Beck. A redshirt season for Freeman clearly was a possibility — one he didn’t like.
“I would hate to go to Nebraska and get redshirted,” Freeman told Rivals.com. “That was the vibe I was getting from the coaches.”
Prince apparently sold Freeman on the notion that he could become a four-year starter at K-State. You have to wonder about that. By most accounts, Freeman is physically gifted, but raw in terms of quarterback skills. He apparently needs seasoning. And remember, K-State returns three experienced quarterbacks in seniors-to-be Allen Webb and Dylan Meier and sophomore-to-be Allan Evridge.
Evridge started six games this past season and set K-State freshman records for passing yards (1,365) and touchdowns (six).
Whatever. In a couple of years, we might look back and wonder what all of the fuss over Freeman was about.
In the dysfunctional world of recruiting, every player is a potential star, with emphasis on “potential.” It’s mostly a fantasy world.
This much is certain: In a perfect world, a teenager’s whims wouldn’t cause such a stir.
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.