Last Chance to Give Recruits “Home Game� Experience

November 24, 2006 by Steve Hanway

Few stadiums in the country can provide the kind of game-day experience that Memorial Stadium provides. Especially against a 2-9 opponent like Colorado. With some early home games this year making it hard for recruits to make the trip to Lincoln, today’s game provides perhaps the last best chance to “wow� recruits with what it’s like to play at Nebraska.

Scout.com reports that nine recruits will make official visits to Lincoln this weekend, including Niles Paul, the first commit to the class of 2007 (and one of its biggest stars). The other major standouts this weekend are four-star offensive tackle Jaivorio Burkes, and four-star middle linebackers Brandon Hicks and Larry Asante (the latter a junior college player).

Other visitors include three-star offensive tackle Jack Cornell, two-star running back/defensive back Prince Amukamara, and one-star tight end Coby Fleener. The recruitment of Fleener is curious both because the Huskers already have two to three commitments from tight ends in the current class and because it follows a recruiting class that was also rich in tight end prospects. Given the lack of fullbacks and depth issues at linebacker, it’s certainly possible that some of these tight ends will end up playing other positions.

Finally, two junior college defensive tackles will visit for the game including three-star player Kevin Dixon and one-star player Shukree Barfield. Both could help fill an immediate need for 2007. Dixon has already given a “soft� commitment to South Florida, but is still reportedly highly interested in Nebraska. Barfield, who reports would indicate is the only visitor for the game without an offer already in hand, is also listed as highly interested and not yet on the radar of other schools.

It would not be at all surprising if early next week one or more of these visitors gives their commitment to the Husker coaches. But it will hardly be enough to finish the class. For fans who enjoy following recruiting (especially in the long off-weeks and off-months), this might be good news. But for those who believe the Huskers most attractive feature is the game day experience, it means it’s the last best chance to impress recruits in a way that so many other schools can’t. So let’s hope they make this weekend count.

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