Rising / Risen Programs....what was the magic?

[chamrocck]

Personally, I think it has to do with one thing: location. I think the "they cheat in recruiting, but we don't!" is totally overblown. They all cheat, get over it.

The talent is in Southern California, Texas, and the South. There is a small pocket of "B Minus" talent in the Ohio/Michigan area.

Look at the AP Top 25. These are the only ranked schools that are in or right next door to one of those talent pools:

Notre Dame- Kind of a different animal, but it is really impressive what Brian Kelly is building there. In today's game, it is hard to get players to South Bend. I watched them this weekend, and everybody on the field seemed to be a freshamn or sophmore.

Michigan St.- a program we should really try to model our program after. They have been a solid program for a decade, and are starting to crawl into that "elite" category. They have the advantage of being in the Ohio/Michigan talent area, but they have to compete with the Michigans, Notre Dames, and Ohio st.s og the world for those recruits. We need to take notes.

Oregon- completly different animal. Somewhat close to so cal, and has the whole unform/nike thing. Not sure Nebraska could take much from oregon.

Ohio St., legendary program with a stranglehold on all ohio/michigan talent. Throw in Urban's ties to the south, and you have a juggernaught program.

Kansas St- a true outlier. They have no business being any good, but Bill Snyder always has a decent team.

Nebraska- we are a true outlier as well. No talent within 500 miles. Its actually kind of amazing we win 9-10 games every year.

Missouri- getting close to the South, and they can sell the recruits that they are in the SEC and will play their hometown teams. Might take a couple years to let the dust settle and really figure out where Missouri stands.

Whats the point? The point is we are one of a small group of schools that sit outside the major talent areas, yet still field a decent/pretty good team. It is not an easy thing to do. Sadly, I think this may be the ceiling in today's landscape.

As for the "geography" theory, that's just another excuse. You get a coach who top prospects want to play for, and they don't care where it's located, they'll go there. I guarantee there is nothing special about Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Bingo. The culture of winning cures all. If you win they will come. Tuscaloosa is a perfect example. Oregon is somewhat close to SoCal?

 

[The Nebraskan Assassin]

I'm going to say this one more time. At the HS where I teach, there's a kid named Lowell Narcisse who is currently a sophomore. He is currently ranked as the #3 dual-threat QB for the 2017 class. About 10 years ago his first cousin, Chad Jasmin, played for us and was the #1 RB in the nation and Nebraska recruited him hard, but he ended up choosing Clemson and eventually played for the Seahawks. Anyway, I've known this kid since 7th grade and since I taught him, he knows all about Nebraska football. My classroom is filled with Nebraska football memorabilia and ever since I've known him I've been drilling Nebraska football into his head. During his 8th grade year his career took off and I knew the kid was going to be something special. I immediately contacted their coaching staff (Aaryn Kearney, to be specific) and told them about him. They asked me to send video, highlights, etc. and I did. Then, last year, he became our varsity starter as a freshman. The prior year we didn't win a single game. With him at the helm -- as a freshman -- we went to the state quarterfinals where we lost by 1 TD to the eventual state champions. Once again, all during his freshman campaign I emailed the staff, sent his stats, highlights, etc. and told them they needed to get on him immediately because he is difference-maker. Once again I was told that they'd "keep and eye out for him" and made no efforts to contact him, none whatsoever. Then, over the summer he attended the LSU and Mississippi State camps, and apparently performed extremely well. Illinois immediately made him a full-ride offer without ever even seeing him play. Les Miles and Frank Wilson from LSU came to our school to check him out. Once again I contacted the staff and asked what was up. I was suddenly told that they were "extremely interested" and would make contact. Unfortunately, by that time every other team in the SEC and elsewhere was extremely interested, too. Finally a couple weeks back he came to me and said, "Hey coach, I finally received something from Nebraska." He sounded really disappointed, especially after everything I'd been telling him about the program. So of course this season, as expected, he's been lighting things up, averaging over 400 all-purpose yards per game. He's scored at least 4 TDs in all six games this season. I basically gave the coaches a goldmine of a present, and they dropped the ball. This is why we can never catch up to the big boys, and never get ahead, because we don't do the little things that other teams are willing to do to give them an edge. I doubt they ever even looked at the film I sent, or any of the other stuff. I'm sure they just brushed it off and waited for the recruiting services to mention his name. It's a damn shame.

I understand what you are saying but Teach is right. They get thousands of tips about kids all the time and 99% of them don't pan out. Your kid sounds legitimately good I hope they can still get in on him

Sadly, probably too late now. Here are his stats, as a sophomore, through 6 games.

110/180 1620 yds. 16 TD/3INT

79 carries/663 yards/7 TD

And say what you want, but other teams apparently took the time to check into it... All they would have had to do is watch the tape and they'd have seen.

You're mad because we waited until a kids SOPHOMORE year to offer him? Wow. That's pretty damn early to get in on someone if you ask me. If he feels disrespected because we weren't the first to make contact, then that's BS and you know it.
The entire nation was laughing at USC/Kiffin for offering someone in 8th grade. Kids develop diff. and might not turn out to be anything by the time they are seniors. Btw, what ever happened to that kid? Did he end up going to USC? Serious question.

No, I'm not mad at all that they didn't offer him. I'm mad because they made no communication at all. They could have invited him

to their QB camp, sent him a letter, anything. They had a 2-year head start that I gave to them, all it would take is 5 minutes to watch the film that THEY requested I send, and they obviously didn't do it.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Guys. The talent is here. And frankly it always has been. Its the same song and verse in critical moments though. Last night it was coin toss and snapping the ball. Simple basics of football that we time and time again fail to execute in the big moment. I saw this comin against mcneese. But i dared to believe this team was different after the Miami game. But its clearly obvious again that the same problems are still there in year 7. I just watched the game again like i always do on sunday nights and i dint get it. Its really sad. Its year 7 and we have now come out and completely sh#t the bed for the second time already in only 6 games. Im sorry. I have no problem saying that ive lost faith in a Pelini run program to get over this hump. We're topped out. We really are. The injuries are piling up. Wisconsin and Iowa/minnesota/rutgers are gonna beat us and well lose to Georgia in the cap one bowl. Its not my call to decide on changes. Its up to folks that make the decisions whether this current state is where we wanna be.

You keep coming back to this coin toss thing. You are of the opinion that we want the wind in the first quarter. I am of the opinion that you want the wind in the 2nd and 4th quarter. Just like baseball, you want the last at bat. Id rather have momentum going into half than gaining an early lead and letting the opponent get back into the game right before half. So while you think it was a terrible decision, I think it was the right thing to do. And Im sure Im not the only one who feels that way.

Becuase it's utterly ridiculous. We let our opponent have the ball AND the wind. And I know it's revisionist and hindsight, but it affected the possibility of having 6 points after 1. The fade pass to Kenny that was picked. With wind at his back, it can be easily suggested that Tommy's pass goes over Kenny's outside shoulder for a possible catch. Does that make a difference in the game? Who knows. But my point is that it's just another common sense basic of football THAT WE f#*k UP. WHO IN THE HELL DOESNT TAKE THE WIND WHEN THE OPPONENT TAKES THE BALL? IT'S STUPID LITTLE sh#t LIKE THIS THAT I NOTICE WE CONTINUE TO DO AT IMPORTANT TIMES THAT PISSES ME OFF.

I also made the status comment last night how my 6-7 year old flag football team can run 30 plays a game out of shotgun and pistol and not have one bad snap in two straight games, yet these guys show up saturday night and fail to execute the most basic fundamental part of a football offensive play. And it happened over and over again. WE COULDNT EVEN SNAP THE DAMN BALL RIGHT. What does that say?

 

[Ratt Mhule]

I'm going to say this one more time. At the HS where I teach, there's a kid named Lowell Narcisse who is currently a sophomore. He is currently ranked as the #3 dual-threat QB for the 2017 class. About 10 years ago his first cousin, Chad Jasmin, played for us and was the #1 RB in the nation and Nebraska recruited him hard, but he ended up choosing Clemson and eventually played for the Seahawks. Anyway, I've known this kid since 7th grade and since I taught him, he knows all about Nebraska football. My classroom is filled with Nebraska football memorabilia and ever since I've known him I've been drilling Nebraska football into his head. During his 8th grade year his career took off and I knew the kid was going to be something special. I immediately contacted their coaching staff (Aaryn Kearney, to be specific) and told them about him. They asked me to send video, highlights, etc. and I did. Then, last year, he became our varsity starter as a freshman. The prior year we didn't win a single game. With him at the helm -- as a freshman -- we went to the state quarterfinals where we lost by 1 TD to the eventual state champions. Once again, all during his freshman campaign I emailed the staff, sent his stats, highlights, etc. and told them they needed to get on him immediately because he is difference-maker. Once again I was told that they'd "keep and eye out for him" and made no efforts to contact him, none whatsoever. Then, over the summer he attended the LSU and Mississippi State camps, and apparently performed extremely well. Illinois immediately made him a full-ride offer without ever even seeing him play. Les Miles and Frank Wilson from LSU came to our school to check him out. Once again I contacted the staff and asked what was up. I was suddenly told that they were "extremely interested" and would make contact. Unfortunately, by that time every other team in the SEC and elsewhere was extremely interested, too. Finally a couple weeks back he came to me and said, "Hey coach, I finally received something from Nebraska." He sounded really disappointed, especially after everything I'd been telling him about the program. So of course this season, as expected, he's been lighting things up, averaging over 400 all-purpose yards per game. He's scored at least 4 TDs in all six games this season. I basically gave the coaches a goldmine of a present, and they dropped the ball. This is why we can never catch up to the big boys, and never get ahead, because we don't do the little things that other teams are willing to do to give them an edge. I doubt they ever even looked at the film I sent, or any of the other stuff. I'm sure they just brushed it off and waited for the recruiting services to mention his name. It's a damn shame.

I understand what you are saying but Teach is right. They get thousands of tips about kids all the time and 99% of them don't pan out. Your kid sounds legitimately good I hope they can still get in on him

Sadly, probably too late now. Here are his stats, as a sophomore, through 6 games.

110/180 1620 yds. 16 TD/3INT

79 carries/663 yards/7 TD

And say what you want, but other teams apparently took the time to check into it... All they would have had to do is watch the tape and they'd have seen.

You're mad because we waited until a kids SOPHOMORE year to offer him? Wow. That's pretty damn early to get in on someone if you ask me. If he feels disrespected because we weren't the first to make contact, then that's BS and you know it.
The entire nation was laughing at USC/Kiffin for offering someone in 8th grade. Kids develop diff. and might not turn out to be anything by the time they are seniors. Btw, what ever happened to that kid? Did he end up going to USC? Serious question.

No, I'm not mad at all that they didn't offer him. I'm mad because they made no communication at all. They could have invited him

to their QB camp, sent him a letter, anything. They had a 2-year head start that I gave to them, all it would take is 5 minutes to watch the film that THEY requested I send, and they obviously didn't do it.

Maybe because he was in 8th frickin grade...

 

[junior4949]

I tell you where to start. Recruiting a difference maker at QB.

1000% agree. Look at Texas. 5-star players at every position except QB since Colt McCoy left. Nothing. USC. No QB in about 6 years. No good season in 6 years. NU in years before Frazier: regularly getting our butts kicked. A&M before Manziel: 20 years of sheer mediocrity. FSU with Crab-boy: totally stunk for 10 years before he arrived. Florida since Tebow left: totally suck. There are 22 starters on every team, but one position is so utterly more important than others that you can't win big without a phenomenal player in that position.

1994 says hello. We went down to Manhattan, KS to play a top 20 team with our third string walk-on QB. We played the better part of the season with our backup QB. The problem with making the QB position so utterly important to success brings about exactly

what you mention. Without an elite QB, the team fails. I would much rather have the staff place more effort on recruiting OL and

DL than any other position. If we win in the trenches, everything else will fall into place.