Linky:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_ylt=Al...e&type=lgns
Quarterback recruit commits to Nebraska
By Chris Rosacker, Daily Nebraskan
January 16, 2008
(UWIRE) LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Nebraska coaching staff received a late Christmas present, but in this case, the timing couldn't have been better.
Kody Spano, a 6-foot-2, 202 pound quarterback from Stephenville, Texas, committed to play for the Cornhuskers just before the new semester, allowing him to enroll in classes right away.
Because he has already begun taking classes at NU, he will be able to participate in spring practices, which begin in about two months.
Initially, Spano was set to begin classes at Oklahoma State this semester. But when the OSU staff informed him just days before he graduated that he would have to wait until June to enroll, he reopened his recruitment.
That's when Nebraska came into the picture.
Spano arrived in Lincoln, Neb., for an official visit on January 4th and stayed over the weekend.
"The visit went real good," he said. "Everyone wanted me to be here."
Kody's mother and father accompanied him on the trip to Lincoln. His father, Kyle, who coaches the offensive line at Stephenville High, understands exactly how important building relationships are with your players.
"I told Kody, '99.9 percent of the universities are going to have facilities, but you live with people, not facilities,'" he said.
And he was more than sold on the new NU Coach Bo Pelini.
"He's just so spirited," he said. "When you visit with him, you can feel the electricity. He's going to bring excitement, and the kids are going to have fun playing for him."
After a handful of recruits decommitted from Nebraska in the wake of a coaching change, Spano could calm the nerves of message board addicts across Nebraska.
As a senior, Spano threw for over 2,190 yards and 23 touchdowns, according to Rivals.com. He also accounted for 11 rushing touchdowns, and is the No. 7-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the nation.
"He gets a kick out of running the football," Kyle said. "He won't run out of bounds either. He'll take on the safety. He plays the game with some swagger and some confidence."
And while Spano's skills on the field are impressive, his father believes Nebraska is getting an even better person off.
"He's a great kid," he said. "When you talk about his character and how he treats people, he does things right."
That certainly won't hurt Nebraska's cause. After a hectic search for another quarterback, the Huskers seem to have found their answer in Spano.
And his parents couldn't be happier.
"They (recruits) are still just kids, and coaches need to be personable," Spano's mom, Kimberly, said. "Kody felt welcome at Nebraska, and that made leaving him a whole lot easier."