Recruiting is not an issue of who you choose --- it is an issue of who you can get. It is like like the guy in HS who asks out the 10 most desirable girls --- and each turns him down. In the end, he settles for what he can get --- and goes to the prom with someone who is, at least superficially, less desirable, but willing. In the process does he turn down the less attractive so as to wait, hopefully, for the attractive one to change her mind and say yes? Or does he take what he can get and go with it? It likely depends on whether he thinks he really has a shot at a top date --- if he thinks likely not, then he settles --- or, better stated, he works with what he can get and makes good of it (and often that can be very good).
Transitioning to NU recruiting, it appears that we are early in the process and already "settling." At first glance this is alarming and maybe bad. But, at closer inspection it is GOOD. This approach is much better than was Callahans. Remember with Callahan, 90% of the recruiting excitement was with who we offered and who we courted and who we came close on. Yet 9/10 of the star recruits went elsewhere. What we really got was not that "competitive" at all. The process made it seem as though we were "recruiting with the big dogs" --- but we really were not (with a few exceptions).
The current approach --- Does the NU staff think that they really have a chance recruiting against OU, Texas, Michigan, ND, Tennessee, Florida State, Florida, Miami, LSU, USC, Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, and the other big dogs for the top recruits? Based on who they have taken so far it would seem that the KNOW THAT THEY CANNOT RECRUIT AT THAT LEVEL --- at least not now. Sure they are offering to many of the same guys but are clearly not holding out for them and are already willing to "settle" for those who are willing to come. Taking Robinson rather than waiting on a top 30 back is an indication of this. Taking Bodtman rather than waiting on the 4 star LB's is another indicator. Considering so many Nebraskans is yet another. Thus, it appears that they will try to really make due with recruits that these others would not seriously consider. And, actually, it makes sense. NU really can't recruit against the elite --- and will even struggle or come out about even with recruiting in the next tier against Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Taxas Tech, A&M, etc. The NU staff seems to have a level-headed view here --- take kids that the big guys don't want --- get them early and choose those with heart and desire and intangibles --- rather than wait on the super stars --- 90-95% of whom will go elsewhere and then, in that process of time, lose out on the players you can realistically get. Callahan lost out, I'd guess, on many solid players he could have gotten to sign on in hopes of landing the superstars who rarely did sign on.
The Pelini approach, if I am at all accurate here, seems to be to find the guys that have what he wants (in intangibles if not athletically) --- grit, tenacity and a desire to play here --- who may not be "top tier" recruits that others would not bother with and then get them to play with total commitment. No prima donnas. No (or few) national-level, everybody wants them-type recruits. It is realistic. It is grass roots. And, it is not unlike most of the Osborne years.
I like it. So my notion is that we should not be overly concerned that most of our recruits that actually end up signing on were considered by mid-level schools only and did not garner much interest from the OU's and USC's of the world. That is realistic and selective in what NU can accomplish now. We do have out there feelers for some major recruits --- but do not seem to be holding out overly for them (might snare one or two, might not --- but this is not the main thrust of the recruiting hopes). This is wise.
Transitioning to NU recruiting, it appears that we are early in the process and already "settling." At first glance this is alarming and maybe bad. But, at closer inspection it is GOOD. This approach is much better than was Callahans. Remember with Callahan, 90% of the recruiting excitement was with who we offered and who we courted and who we came close on. Yet 9/10 of the star recruits went elsewhere. What we really got was not that "competitive" at all. The process made it seem as though we were "recruiting with the big dogs" --- but we really were not (with a few exceptions).
The current approach --- Does the NU staff think that they really have a chance recruiting against OU, Texas, Michigan, ND, Tennessee, Florida State, Florida, Miami, LSU, USC, Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, and the other big dogs for the top recruits? Based on who they have taken so far it would seem that the KNOW THAT THEY CANNOT RECRUIT AT THAT LEVEL --- at least not now. Sure they are offering to many of the same guys but are clearly not holding out for them and are already willing to "settle" for those who are willing to come. Taking Robinson rather than waiting on a top 30 back is an indication of this. Taking Bodtman rather than waiting on the 4 star LB's is another indicator. Considering so many Nebraskans is yet another. Thus, it appears that they will try to really make due with recruits that these others would not seriously consider. And, actually, it makes sense. NU really can't recruit against the elite --- and will even struggle or come out about even with recruiting in the next tier against Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Taxas Tech, A&M, etc. The NU staff seems to have a level-headed view here --- take kids that the big guys don't want --- get them early and choose those with heart and desire and intangibles --- rather than wait on the super stars --- 90-95% of whom will go elsewhere and then, in that process of time, lose out on the players you can realistically get. Callahan lost out, I'd guess, on many solid players he could have gotten to sign on in hopes of landing the superstars who rarely did sign on.
The Pelini approach, if I am at all accurate here, seems to be to find the guys that have what he wants (in intangibles if not athletically) --- grit, tenacity and a desire to play here --- who may not be "top tier" recruits that others would not bother with and then get them to play with total commitment. No prima donnas. No (or few) national-level, everybody wants them-type recruits. It is realistic. It is grass roots. And, it is not unlike most of the Osborne years.
I like it. So my notion is that we should not be overly concerned that most of our recruits that actually end up signing on were considered by mid-level schools only and did not garner much interest from the OU's and USC's of the world. That is realistic and selective in what NU can accomplish now. We do have out there feelers for some major recruits --- but do not seem to be holding out overly for them (might snare one or two, might not --- but this is not the main thrust of the recruiting hopes). This is wise.
