Recruiting
Here is the latest Husker football recruiting news.
Because talent matters.
Recruiting Rerun?
5 comments so far
May 12, 2008 by
As things came apart for Nebraska under Frank Solich, fans generally pointed to recruiting as being a major problem driving the team's "gravitation to mediocrity". While last season's recruiting class ranked higher than most of Solich's, a lot of the...
Defensive Tackle Commits to Huskers
17 comments so far
May 7, 2008 by
Nebraska added a third member to their 2009 recruiting class this week, getting a verbal commitment from Thaddeus Randle out of Houston. This defensive tackle prospect gave his verbal pledge to NU over Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, among others....
Early Recruiting Gets Interesting
9 comments so far
April 7, 2008 by
Most of the recruiting of Nebraska’s class of 2009 is still to be done. However, the early offers that the Huskers have reportedly made (per Scout.com) give an indication of what may lay ahead. In particular there have been a...
Junior College Recruiting Revisited
6 comments so far
March 17, 2008 by
Prior to the Bill Callahan era, the prevalent opinion among Husker fans seemed to be that it was better to build most of your team with high school players as opposed to junior college transfers. But as Callahan’s staff began...
Recruiting Roundup: UCLA
5 comments so far
February 28, 2008 by
If the Washington Huskies had an imposing recruiting class, the Bruins group is only scarier. The good news is that since the Huskers don’t face the Bruins until 2012, only the redshirted players will be around to menace Nebraska. A...
Recruiting Roundup: Washington
The Huskies put together a terrific recruiting class. Maybe not a USC-caliber class but certainly one a Washington fan could be excited about. There are nine four-star prospects including a five-star tight end. The rest of that group consists of...
Recruiting Roundup: Virginia Tech
The Hokies brought in a class somewhat like Nebraska’s. It’s big, but not particularly beefy (i.e. not a ton of linemen). They’ve got some four-star players in defensive end Leon Mackey, running back Ryan Williams, guard Vinston Painter, receiver D.J....
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Baylor
Baylor’s recruiting class looks like…a Baylor recruiting class. There is a four-star prep quarterback, a few junior college players, and about half of the class is two-star athletes....
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Texas Tech
1 comment so far
February 22, 2008 by
Texas Tech isn’t getting a lot of love for its class of fifteen recruits. When you only graduate 12 seniors though, you don’t have room to grab 25 or thirty guys. You could criticize the Red Raiders for not grabbing...
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Oklahoma State
1 comment so far
February 21, 2008 by
The Cowboys are another conference team that surpassed Nebraska in the Rivals.com rankings (#27 vs. #30) but lagged the Huskers in the Scout.com rankings (#40 vs. #21). Like Nebraska, OSU signed a large class but with eight junior college players...
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Texas A&M
1 comment so far
February 20, 2008 by
The Aggies made a nice haul on signing day, one that was very competitive with the one by Texas. Eleven of their 24 recruits received a four-star rating from either Rivals.com or Scout.com. The class is balanced and addresses every...
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Texas
2 comments so far
February 19, 2008 by
The 2008 recruiting class might not be the gaudiest we’ve seen from Mack Brown. But that might be because 95% of the kids were locked up by the end of June (which can impact the attention they get from recruiting...
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Oklahoma
The Sooners were the class of the league in recruiting just as they have been on the field. Only five of their 21 recruits did not get at least a four-star rating from Rivals.com or Scout.com. They had four five-star...
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Iowa State
8 comments so far
February 15, 2008 by
If there’s one team in the Big 12 North that distanced itself from the rest on signing day, it was Iowa State. The bad news for Cyclone fans, however, is that it was in the wrong direction....
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Kansas
1 comment so far
February 14, 2008 by
Kansas won’t win any beauty contests with their 2008 recruiting class. Only three of their twenty recruits earned four-stars from either Rivals.com or Scout.com and two of those three came from junior colleges (running back Jocques Crawford and offensive lineman...
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Kansas State
1 comment so far
February 13, 2008 by
Like Colorado and Missouri, Kansas State earned a higher recruiting ranking than Nebraska from Rivals.com (#28 vs. NU’s #30) and a lower ranking from Scout.com (#45 vs. NU’s #21). The reason is a bit different than it was for Colorado...
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Missouri
6 comments so far
February 12, 2008 by
If not for some pickpocketing by the Tigers when the Huskers were vulnerable, the Huskers might have again have put some distance between themselves and Missouri on signing day. Instead, Missouri snared five-star quarterback Blaine Gabbert (wasn’t that the name...
Big 12 Recruiting Roundup: Colorado
4 comments so far
February 11, 2008 by
If the recruiting rankings are any indication of what the future holds, the Buffaloes might be getting good enough for Husker fans to start hating again (did we ever stop?). Arguably the biggest prize by any Big 12 school on...
Sour Grapes for 2008
19 comments so far
February 8, 2008 by
You don’t need a PhD in to psychology to realize that if Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert had remained committed to Nebraska, Husker fans (and bloggers) would be praising him to high heaven. And yet, despite the five stars bestowed on...
How Nebraska out-recruited Kansas, Iowa State and 30 other schools
17 comments so far
February 7, 2008 by
Bo Pelini and his new staff just locked in the 30th best recruiting class in the country according to rivals.com. Not bad considering the staff has only been in place for about two months. But, stars from recruiting services...
The Class of 2008 Comes Together
5 comments so far
February 7, 2008 by
The Huskers recruiting class of 2008 might be remembered as much for whom it didn’t include as for who it did. Among the decommits were five-star quarterback Blaine Gabbert, four-star running back Jonas Gray, four-star offensive linemen Trevor Robinson, Bryce...
Noteable Quotes from Pelini's Signing Day Press Conference
5 comments so far
February 6, 2008 by
Today's signing day press conference gave Husker fans their second opportunity in as many months to hear Bo Pelini in his own words. Here are some direct quotes from Pelini on topics ranging from the walk-on program to the...
On Talent
9 comments so far
February 6, 2008 by
The assessment, evaluation, and value of talent is one of the great enigmas in college football. It is very difficult to win big without it, though having it does not necessarily assure wins, either. It is a qualifying factor, a...
Signing Day
3 comments so far
February 6, 2008 by
National letter of intent signing day has arrived and with it, there’s always some drama. Much of it can be unexpected (e.g. which verbally committed players bolt at the last minute or can be poached at the last minute) but...
Marlowe Commits
Tim Marlowe, a two-star athlete from Ohio (and the same high school that Bo Pelini attended) committed to Nebraska tonight. Marlowe is the 26th commitment for the class of 2008. The small speedy player might be used at wide receiver,...
Walk-on Resurgence Passes Smell Test
4 comments so far
February 5, 2008 by
Count me among those rolling their eyes when a lot of the talk about the walk-on program’s resurgence under Bo Pelini began. It seemed that there was so much excitement about Tom Osborne becoming athletic director and Pelini’s hire that...
Safety Commits
Three-star Louisiana safety P.J. Smith committed to Nebraska today giving the Huskers their 25th commitment. At 6’3” and 205 lbs. he has almost ideal size for the position. He turned down offers from Arkansas and Alabama (among other schools) to...
Khiry Cooper Commits To NU
Nebraska added another verbal commitment to its incoming class today, collecting a pledge from Khiry Cooper, a 6'2'' wide receiver prospect from Louisiana. The news is good for NU in a couple of sports, and a testament to the recruiting...
Running Back Lester Ward Commits
2 comments so far
February 1, 2008 by
Texas running back Lester Ward committed to Nebraska and withdrawn his commitment to Baylor. While Ward is only rated a two-star prospect by Scout.com and Rivals.com, Ward had offers from Missouri, UCLA, TCU, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt according to Scout....
Two Receivers to Visit Over Final Recruiting Weekend
2 comments so far
February 1, 2008 by
The Huskers final recruiting weekend appears likely to include two visitors (though the status of these things can change hourly). Nebraska will host two three-star wide receivers in Louisiana’s Khiry Cooper and Miami’s Kendal Thompkins....
Georgia Cornerback Commits
2 comments so far
January 31, 2008 by
Rivals.com has announced that three-star cornerback prospect Alfonzo Dennard of Georgia has committed to Nebraska. Dennard had been committed to North Carolina but now will come to Nebraska....
Huskers Add Three Wideout Commits
19 comments so far
January 27, 2008 by
The Huskers netted three commits this weekend from wide receivers Antonio Bell, and Courtney and Steven Osborne....
More Recruits to Visit
10 comments so far
January 25, 2008 by
The Huskers appear set to host a dozen or more recruits in the next few days. Scout.com reports that Nebraska will host 12 recruits this weekend. This includes committed players five-star Lincoln offensive lineman Baker Steinkuhler, three-star linebacker Kyler Reed...
Eddie Brown Decommits?
2 comments so far
January 24, 2008 by
Rivals.com no longer lists Texas three-star defensive tackle Eddie Brown as committed to Nebraska’s 2008 recruiting class. It now appears likely that he’ll head to Texas A&M (his favorite team growing up)....
Will Compton Re-Commits to NU
20 comments so far
January 23, 2008 by
Several sources, including the Lincoln Journal Star, are reporting that linebacker Will Compton has renewed his verbal commitment to be a part of Nebraska's 2008 recruiting class. Compton selected NU over Missouri and Illinois. This ends several weeks worth of...
Eddie Brown Commits
2 comments so far
January 21, 2008 by
The Huskers landed another defensive tackle. This time it's Eddie Brown of Texas. Rivals.com lists him as a three-star athlete. At 6'2" and 266 lbs. he still needs to bulk up a bit. His commitment means the class of 2008...
Another Weekend Update
10 comments so far
January 21, 2008 by
It appears only one Prater made a visit this past weekend. Shaun Prater made the visit but Shane did not. Shane is no longer listed as a “soft” commitment to Iowa and Shaun is listed as “soft” by Rivals.com but...
Alonzo Whaley Commits
6 comments so far
January 20, 2008 by
The Huskers landed another verbal commitment this weekend, this time from linebacker prospect Alonzo Whaley. Considering NU’s great need at the position, it’s a welcome commitment even if he’s not a Parade All-American....
Safety Decommits, Lineman Commits
1 comment so far
January 19, 2008 by
Safety prospect Keelan Johnson of Arizona decommitted from Nebraska in order to stay closer to home and attend Arizona State. It probably didn’t hurt that the Sun Devils are coming off a ten win season that some believed was worthy...
Another Busy Recruiting Week for Nebraska
3 comments so far
January 17, 2008 by
The Huskers continue to host recruits including some midweek arrivals. California running back/athlete DeLeon Eskridge arrived yesterday and Texas defensive end Jacquies Smith is set to arrive today. Eskridge has given a “soft" verbal commitment to Minnesota and Smith also...
“Do It Now”
7 comments so far
January 15, 2008 by
For those who haven’t heard, Bo Pelini told Omaha running back recruit Collins Okafor that if he wanted to decommit to “decommit now”. He also said, “I’ve never had a losing season and I’m not planning on having one now”....
Big Recruiting Weekend as Much About Retention as Acquisition
6 comments so far
January 11, 2008 by
As I write this, Scout.com reports that 11 recruits will make official visits to Nebraska this weekend. This stuff can change hourly so stay tuned. Five of those recruits (or nearly half of the visitors) have already committed to Nebraska...
Offensive Tackle Commits as Another Decommits
4 comments so far
January 9, 2008 by
Offensive tackle Dan Hoch decommitted from Nebraska for Missouri. Within a day of that announcement, it was announced that the Huskers landed a commitment from offensive tackle David Grant of Texas....
Spano Commits
1 comment so far
January 7, 2008 by
As many Husker fans had expected, Texas quarterback Kody Spano gave his commitment to Nebraska this weekend and will enroll almost immediately for the spring semester....
Spano to Visit
14 comments so far
January 4, 2008 by
Kody Spano, a high school quarterback prospect out of Texas is set to visit Nebraska this weekend. Rivals.com rates him as the seventh best dual-threat quarterback nationally and gives him three stars out of a possible five....
Ebke Emblematic of Walk On Program
7 comments so far
January 3, 2008 by
When Tom Osborne became NU's Athletic Director and Bo Pelini the head coach, nearly every fan knew it would lead to a departure from the way things were done under the previous leadership. That includes recruiting and player development. Nebraska's...
Nebraska Adds Defense Tackle Commit
3 comments so far
December 31, 2007 by
Husker fans have fretted over the decommitments that occurred since the coaching staff turned over. While Blaine Gabbert seemed like the major recruiting prize, past quarterback prodigies have been very hit or miss (see Harrison Beck, Josh Freeman, Ron Powlus,...
Tyson Hetzer Signs
8 comments so far
December 27, 2007 by
One thing that’s been different to reconcile over the past few weeks for people who were especially excited about the hiring of Bo Pelini, has been the rash of decommitments that have occurred since he signed on. While decommitments are...
A Class in Transition
6 comments so far
December 21, 2007 by
Let's face it, transitions suck. All transitions - from something as small as writing a transition sentence to things as momentous as changing jobs, moving, or getting divorced - are difficult. And, when it comes to recruiting football players, NU...
Wanted: Offensive Recruits
12 comments so far
December 7, 2007 by
You’d have to think that the hiring of Bo Pelini will give the Huskers an excellent chance to retain the defensive recruits that have committed to Nebraska or to replace them with other players. The Huskers also appear likely to...
Recruiting Update
8 comments so far
December 5, 2007 by
Now that the Huskers have a head coach, it will become easier to understand which recruits still want to come to Lincoln and which will look elsewhere. Sure, there’s a ton of re-recruiting to be done of the kids who...
Reiff Comes Aboard
2 comments so far
October 8, 2007 by
Perhaps lost in all the excitement/heartbreak of the Missouri contest was the commitment by prep defensive end Riley Reiff to Nebraska. His 6’6”frame means he can add a lot of weight to become a prototypical defensive end. You’d expect him...
Ball State Visits
1 comment so far
September 21, 2007 by
As of Thursday, the Huskers had three players set to visit Lincoln for Saturday’s game against Ball State (per Scout.com). Four-star Texas linebacker Anthony Lewis, three-star running back Jamal Womble, and three-star safety/athlete Jake Muasau are all expected. The latter...
Kyler Reed Not Splashy, Just Solid
4 comments so far
September 20, 2007 by
High school standout Kyler Reed committed to the Huskers this week. The Huskers might use him as an H-back/tight end, linebacker or perhaps even receiver (all positions of need for the future). His three-star rating will keep him off the...
Cameron Meredith Commits
1 comment so far
August 28, 2007 by
These days, Husker fans don’t get excited by three-star prospects that often. But defensive end recruit Cameron Meredith is a commit that’s worth celebrating....
Fifth Star for Gabbert Has a Short Shelf Life
5 comments so far
August 10, 2007 by
Husker fans had to be encouraged to see quarterback recruit (and 2008 NU commit) Blaine Gabbert earn a fifth star from recruiting web-site Rivals.com. The “promotion” suggests that those who are paying close attention like Gabbert even more now than...
Huskers Nab Two More
2 comments so far
July 29, 2007 by
The Huskers received their second and third commitments in less than a week for the class of 2008 when defensive end Josh Williams and wide receiver D.J. Woods chose Nebraska....
Nebraska Looks to Keep AZ Mojo Going with Womble
1 comment so far
July 6, 2007 by
Jamal Womble is a standout running back recruit from Sierra Vista, Arizona. He’s listed as listed as 5’10”, 215 lbs., and as running a 4.47-second 40-yard dash. Womble holds offers from South Carolina, Arizona State, Illinois, and Oregon State...
Tavares Pressley Juco Running Back Recruit to Watch
7 comments so far
July 5, 2007 by
Despite how things look currently for Kenny Wilson, he’s more than demonstrated that he was worthy of a scholarship. Tavares Pressley, another junior college running back recruit out of El Camino College in Torrance, California looks like a similar caliber...
Oh Henry!
2 comments so far
June 28, 2007 by
The Huskers now appear in line to land the services of 2006 recruit Ricky Henry. His academic situation is no slam dunk which is why he can be considered a commit or not a commit depending on how things progress...
Mohler Makes Twelve
Shaun Mohler, a highly sought after junior college linebacker from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California became Nebraska’s 12th commitment to the class of 2008. Mohler is listed as 6’3”, 225 lbs. and running a 4.6 40-yard dash. Scout.com...
Doug Rippy is N’
The Huskers landed another commitment at linebacker today in Doug Rippy of Columbus Ohio. Rippy holds offers from Akron, Cincinnati, Illinois, and Michigan State. He’s listed at 6’2”, 217 lbs. and running a 4.5 40....
Cox Holds Early Offer
2 comments so far
June 22, 2007 by
Getting excited about a player before they’ve even committed is a dicey proposition at best. Nevertheless, this being “secondary week” at the Big Red Network, we think it’s worth mentioning a safety prospect who’s reportedly highly interested in Nebraska and...
Levorson Becomes 10th Commit
2 comments so far
June 16, 2007 by
Crete quarterback/free safey John Levorson came to Nebraska's camp holding offers from Ohio and Wyoming. But after a strong performance at camp, Nebraska offered him a scholarship that he accepted within hours. Rivals.com lists him as an "athlete" while Scout.com...
Sean Fisher Joins Husker 2008 Class
2 comments so far
June 14, 2007 by
Millard North senior-to-be Sean Fisher has given his verbal commitment to join Nebraska's 2008 recruiting class. The 6-5 inch, 210 lb safety and linebacker prospect was on hand for NU football camp this week, and came to his decision. Fisher...
Huskers Add Junior College Receiver for 2008
2 comments so far
June 11, 2007 by
Nebraska added another (unofficial) member to its 2008 recruiting class, securing a verbal commitment from wide receiver Adrian Hilburn. Hilburn is now the eighth player to verbally commit to NU. He is also the first member of the class to...
Linebacker a Big Recruiting Need
1 comment so far
June 6, 2007 by
In college football, one year to the next your biggest strength can become your greatest weakness. In 2007, linebacker is the unit with arguably the most depth, talent, and experience anywhere on the team. In 2008, it may well be...
Upon Further Review, Part 2
1 comment so far
May 17, 2007 by
Part two of my impressions after (finally) watching recruiting video of the class of 2007:...
Gabbert Commits
8 comments so far
May 16, 2007 by
While I dubbed this part of the year the “Bad News Season” in college football, the Huskers got some decidedly good news when four-star quarterback prospect Blaine Gabbert of Ballwin, Missouri became the seventh player to commit to Nebraska’s 2008...
Upon Further Review, Part 1
2 comments so far
May 16, 2007 by
Big Red Network owner Jason Siffring surprised me with a DVD of recruiting videos of the class of 2007. In many ways we’ve hashed through the class already, but I couldn’t help forming new impressions when I saw the...
Hot Leads for 2008
1 comment so far
May 14, 2007 by
The Huskers (as is true for most programs) have made a number of early offers to prospects for 2008. Some have resulted in early commitments while many of the players have yet to give much indication (at least to...
Early Offers May Reveal Recruiting Priorities
2 comments so far
May 11, 2007 by
The Huskers have gotten off to a good start in recruiting with commits from 6 players (though one being a “soft” commitment). Still, most of the work lay ahead for the Nebraska coaches to round out the class of...
Texas CB Gives Soft Commit
2 comments so far
April 16, 2007 by
David Whitmore, a cornerback prospect out of Port Arthur Texas, gave an early and by some reports “soft” commitment to join Nebraska’s 2008 recruiting class. At 6’2” he has the kind of size you look for in a Big...
It's Raining (Line)men, Alleluia
1 comment so far
April 11, 2007 by
Husker fans have to be giddy about the top shelf offensive linemen joining the program. Bryce Givens of Colorado just gave his oral commitment (in part not to miss out on a spot). He already had offers from CU and...
Lineman in 2008 Recruiting Class Could Be Championship Group
5 comments so far
April 9, 2007 by
You could say great execution by quarterbacks is a common element among championship teams, but another one is outstanding lineman. Take any Husker national championship team, and you’ll find All-American offensive linemen....
Recruiting Tidbits
3 comments so far
March 8, 2007 by
I've milked the 2007 recruiting season for about every angle that could be of interest to a Husker fan. It is the offseason after all. Still there are few items of interest to Husker fans....
Nonconference Classes of 2007: Washington
Most of Washington's senior class that Nebraska will see in 2010 and perhaps 2011 when they face the Huskies has been recruited (though junior college transfers could be added to the mix in the future). While certainly not an overwhelmingly...
Nonconference Classes of 2007: Virginia Tech
11 comments so far
March 2, 2007 by
The Hokies overall class doesn't jump out at you as being the best in the nation or even the ACC. But there is definite star power, enough to cause some concern. Virginia Tech landed a commitment from the top dual-threat...
Nonconference Classes of 2007: Wake Forest
63 comments so far
March 1, 2007 by
I was critical (some would say overly critical) of Kansas State's 2007 recruiting class because the Wildcats failed to capitalize on their best season in years. Compared to Wake Forest though, KSU was as opportunistic as it gets. The ACC...
Nonconference Classes of 2007: USC
1 comment so far
February 28, 2007 by
The Trojans pulled in a recruiting class that even the Longhorns might like to have. Five of them were the top recruit according to Rivals.com or Scout.com. Ten of the eighteen recruits received a five-star rating from Scout. Six of...
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Baylor
3 comments so far
February 26, 2007 by
It's not news when Baylor pulls in the weakest class in the Big 12 South. It's probably not even news that they did manage to beat Iowa State for next-to-last place honors in the Big 12. So what is news?...
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Texas Tech
3 comments so far
February 23, 2007 by
The Red Raiders hauled in a class that would probably fall into the bottom half of the Big 12 North. That's not where you want to be on signing day....
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Texas A&M
1 comment so far
February 22, 2007 by
If size matters, then the Aggies class of 2007 was the worst in the conference with only eighteen players. But in terms of value, it rates ahead of most of the schools in the Big 12 North and not far...
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Oklahoma State
7 comments so far
February 21, 2007 by
It was only a matter of time before the dollars lavished on Oklahoma State showed up in recruiting. The Cowboys put together an impressive class that would be the envy of most of the Big 12 North. Oklahoma State took...
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Oklahoma
2 comments so far
February 20, 2007 by
Recruiting doesn't come as easy to the Sooners as it does to the Longhorns, but Oklahoma still recruits very well. The Sooners didn't have necessarily the second best class in terms of the sheer volume of talent (there were only...
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Texas
2 comments so far
February 19, 2007 by
If Mack Brown ever decided to write a book on recruiting, it would become an immediate best-seller in the coaching community. Sure, Texas will always recruit well, but he's so far ahead of the curve that he can lock in...
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Iowa State
Any time a new head coach is hired late in the recruiting season, you have to give them a pass on expectations of their first recruiting class. There's just too little time to assemble your own staff, assess the teams...
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Kansas
1 comment so far
February 15, 2007 by
Considering where Kansas sat in terms of commitments when the season ended, the Jayhawks have to be pleased with how their recruiting class turned out. Sure it's rated 12th in the conference by Scout.com, but after a bad loss to...
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Kansas State
9 comments so far
February 14, 2007 by
Perhaps the most compelling recruiting class in the Big 12 North (in the same way that you can't help staring at a train wreck), belongs to Kansas State. No, it's not the worst class in the Big 12, but it...
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Colorado
Colorado fans have to be excited by what appears to be the Buffs best class in four years. Rivals.com and Scout.com both puts CU's 2007 class as second only to Nebraska in the Big XII North. Whether it's relative to...
Big 12 Classes of 2007: Missouri
4 comments so far
February 12, 2007 by
It’s easy to look at the recruiting rankings and think Nebraska is running away from the rest of the Big 12 North in terms of talent. But if you respect the value of the three-star athlete you realize that the...
Sour Grapes Make Recruiting Losses Easier to Swallow
13 comments so far
February 9, 2007 by
We've all seen it. A kid commits to NU and everyone gushes. He changes his mind and everyone questions his character. Putting that aside, I still found some solace in the last minute departures of recruits David Ross and...
Big Needs Addressed With Class of 2007
7 comments so far
February 8, 2007 by
Now that all precincts have reported on the class of 2007, we can finally talk about what Nebraska has "in house". Sure, there are bound to be dropouts between now and the start of fall practices due to academics, injuries,...
Junior College Strategy Shift
2 comments so far
February 7, 2007 by
In both the percentage of the class and in the players’ profile and position, there is a subtle but tangible shift in the way NU is using the recruitment of junior college players to bolster their roster. In his first...
It was Inevitable
3 comments so far
February 7, 2007 by
Yesterday's breaking news that 4-star linebacker recruit Travis Lewis was going back on his verbal commitment to NU and instead sign with OU hit many Husker fans - myself included - squarely in the heart. To lose a player...
Recruiting in the Age of Attrition
3 comments so far
January 25, 2007 by
Three recent reductions in NU's incoming recruiting class - two for academic purposes, one in a change of mind - offer pretty darn good evidence why NU fills their classes to capacity. Pure and simple - not everyone is going...
Ranking the Recruits
3 comments so far
January 14, 2007 by
With the recruiting cycle nearly finished, it's helpful to go into the final days with a clear sense of who matters most. That way if a player departs at the last minute I’m already “on the record” with whether or...
Recruited Watch “Recruits” at Army All-American Game
1 comment so far
January 11, 2007 by
It was a surreal sight last Saturday as a stadium packed with soldiers watched high school standouts at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The word “recruit” was used to describe the process of “recrewing” or rebuilding the ranks of military...
Early Arrivals Shore Up Positions of Need
7 comments so far
January 11, 2007 by
How nice it must have been for the Nebraska football coaches not to have to sweat out some key spots on the roster until national signing day in early February. A four-star safety in Larry Asante, a four-star cornerback in...
Huskers Add Two More Defensive Tackles
2 comments so far
January 10, 2007 by
Heading in to next season, most analysts and fans agree that the biggest hole NU must fill is along the defensive line. NU loses all four starters along the defensive line. And, while there are candidates to fill those spots...
Huskers Add Greyshirt to Class of 2008
For those (like me) who had some concern about the lack of offensive lineman in the class of 2007, more good news arrived this past week as Norfolk Catholic offensive lineman Aaron Schulte accepted a greyshirt offer at Nebraska. Schulte...
Texas, California, Florida...Arizona?
4 comments so far
December 29, 2006 by
Nebraska received another verbal commitment for their 2007 recruiting class. Arizona's high school player of the year and future all-name-team member Prince Amukamara became the 29th member of NU's class. There is a lot to like about Amukamara. He was...
NU Lands a Huge Offensive Line Prospect
7 comments so far
December 26, 2006 by
Nebraska made a sizeable addition - both literally and figuratively - to a 2007 recruiting class that is quickly rounding in to one of the nation's best. Highly touted offensive line prospect Jaivorio Burkes made a verbal commitment to...
The Hits Just Keep On Coming
Today is another big day for NU recruiting, particularly when it comes to junior college players. Today's the first day JC players can sign letters of intent. So, that has spurred decisions from two more top-notch players to choose NU...
NU's Hot Recruiting Run Continues
1 comment so far
December 19, 2006 by
Nebraska remained red hot in the recruiting game this week, picking up another verbal commitment. This one came from 6'6'' defensive end prospect William Yancy. Yancy's pledge to NU adds even more late momentum to NU's quickly-filling class. Yancy...
Big Recruiting Weekend For Nebraska
3 comments so far
December 17, 2006 by
The Huskers may have added as many as five commitments to the class of 2007 over the weekend according to the Lincoln Journal-Star. The group addresses some critical needs for Nebraska as it includes two defensive tackles, a linebacker, a...
Hildebrand’s Impact
2 comments so far
December 15, 2006 by
Quarterback Brian Hildebrand never took a snap as a Husker, but his impact on Husker football may be felt for years to come. The addition of Hildebrand this fall has been mentioned as “the straw that broke the camel’s back”...
Huskers Add Quality Walk-on
1 comment so far
December 13, 2006 by
Elkhorn's Kevin Thomsen has agreed to walk-on at Nebraska. The 2-star prospect was listed as a defensive end by the recruiting services but might play fullback at Nebraska. Rivals lists his measurables as 6 feet 2 inches, 250 lbs. with...
Huskers Garner Two More Recruits, Kind Of
8 comments so far
December 11, 2006 by
Anyone who has followed college football recruiting for more than a day can tell you it is very fluid. NU's recruiting developments from this weekend illustrate this point perfectly. One prospect shored up his verbal commitment to NU, while another...
Castille No Longer Fully Committed to Nebraska
7 comments so far
December 6, 2006 by
Rivals #2 ranked fullback Quentin Castille who gave an oral commitment to Nebraska back in early September is now listed as a “soft verbal” by Rivals and only as “high” on Nebraska after a recent visit to Louisville....
Armando Murillo Commits
3 comments so far
December 5, 2006 by
The Huskers helped shore up a position of need with the commitment of junior college cornerback Armando Murillo. Murillo is a four-star player (out of five) as rated by Rivals.com and Scout.com. To place this in perspective, both Zack...
Ian Harris Changes Mind
2 comments so far
November 28, 2006 by
Ian Harris, a tight end prospect out of San Antonio, Texas that had committed to Nebraska, switched his commitment to Missouri. It is rumored that this switch is not altogether unexpected (Harris had been a "soft verbal" for some time)...
Marcus Mendoza Commits to Nebraska
3 comments so far
November 27, 2006 by
Four-star running back prospect Marcus Mendoza from Houston, Texas committed to the Huskers Monday night. At 5'10" and 175 lbs, he doesn't have the size of a goal-line back but he appears to be an "all-purpose" back meaning he...
Wide Receiver Commits
Three-star Arizona high school wide receiver prospect Eric Hagg (not to be confused with Florida State wide receiver De'Cody Fagg) gave his commitment to the Huskers this weekend. The six foot three inch wideout is the eighteenth known commitment to...
Lewis Verbally Commits to Huskers
2 comments so far
November 21, 2006 by
Travis Lewis, an outside linebacker or safety prospect from San Antonio, Texas, has verbally committed to play for the Huskers. He unofficially becomes the 17th member of the Huskers 2007 recruiting class. This verbal agreement means more to me...
Four-star JC QB coming to Lincoln
2 comments so far
November 15, 2006 by
Where have we seen this before? A 4-star JC QB flying under the radar of most college football programs is headed to Lincoln. First Name? Zach....
LaTravis Washington Commits
1 comment so far
November 14, 2006 by
Scout.com reports that LaTravis Washington gave his oral commitment to the Huskers. People might want to compare him to Fabian Washington (since they're family) or a guy like Tony Veland (who was a high school quarterback turned safety). But...
A Kicker Added to the Mix
4 comments so far
November 13, 2006 by
The Huskers received their fifteenth oral commitment from a high school recruit when Fort Worth's Adi Kunalic joined the mix. Rivals rates him as the ninth best kicking prospect in the country. In an earlier piece, I criticized KSU's Ron...
NU’s Recent Recruiting Haul
Nebraska added verbal commitments from two more high school players for the 2007 recruiting class – running back Roy Helu from California and outside linebacker Jared Glover out of Oklahoma. That brings the total to 12 so far. There are...
KU Game Big Recruiting Weekend for Huskers
The Huskers will be hosting several recruits this weekend, according to Scout.com and the Lincoln Journal-Star. It’s a particularly important group because it addresses some of the Huskers biggest needs for the class of 2007....
NU Recruits - One for Now, One for Later
2 comments so far
September 5, 2006 by
Nebraska's season-opening win brought some nice recruiting results along with it. The Huskers got verbal commitments from two players last weekend. One is a player for the 2007 class and the other is a major commitment for the class of...
Could Huskers Add Another QB?
3 comments so far
August 22, 2006 by
A quarterback controversy at Arizona State could create a positive effect for NU. Sam Keller was ASU's starter for the first half of last season before injuring his hand. After the injury, Rudy Carpenter stepped in and played very...
The Folly Of Following Recruiting
4 comments so far
August 16, 2006 by
I do it. I love it. And I will continue to do it. Some people never learn, I guess. Watching the recruiting process has become something of a year-round activity that can produce emotional highs and lows almost daily. Yet...
Seeing Stars
2 comments so far
July 11, 2006 by
As the recruiting season moves along, Rivals.com has begun to expand the number of players they have graded. So we now can see more of the players “star” ratings. Of course, players routinely outperform or underperform their rankings, but...
Recruiting Class Ahead of Recent Pace
Compare Nebraska’s list of oral commitments to Texas or Kansas State (who as of this writing have received 22 and 17 commitments, respectively), and you might think Nebraska is falling behind. But when compared to Callahan’s last two recruiting...
Major Decision
6 comments so far
July 7, 2006 by
Nebraska Head Coach Bill Callahan is faced with a big decision. Does he repeat his scholarship offer to Major Culbert, who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of trespassing and harassment for his role in the alleged sexual assault of a...
Huskers Get a New Pledge. You're My Boy, Blue!
The Nebraska Cornhusker's picked up their newest pledge yesterday. And it wasn't an old Navy veteran with a replacement hip. It was Anthony Blue, a cornerback out of Texas who gave his verbal commitment to the Huskers. Blue's verbal...
Huskers Land a QB
For those Henny Penny Husker fans with their pants in a wad because NU had not yet gotten a commitment from a quarterback for the upcoming class - you can relax. NU got a verbal from Patrick Witt, a...
Happy Campers
Nebraska's summer football camp - The Big Red Football School - became a great event under Coach Osborne. Players got the chance to learn, and build relationships with the coaches and the program. Today, the NU camp programs are...
Huskers Land a Haymaker
Cozad - the town that brought Husker fans Brendan Holbein and Chris Dishman - has produced another Husker recruit. NU's latest verbal commitment comes from Jared Crick, a 6'6'', 245 lb TE/DE prospect. This commitment sends quite a few positive...
QB or Not QB? That is the Question
2 comments so far
June 5, 2006 by
So, I'm in the mall the other day, and I overhear a couple of 13-year-olds talking about NU football, recruiting in particular. One says to the other that NU really needs a quarterback in this class, and that he hopes...
Huskers Get Third Commitment for '07 Class
Sources indicate that NU has received a verbal commitment from Demetrious Davis to play football at NU. The defensive tackle prospect will become the third member of the '07 recruiting class for the Huskers. At first blush, there are...
A Major Disappointment
4 comments so far
June 1, 2006 by
As details have begun trickling out about the charges facing Nebraska defensive back recruit Major Culbert, it seems likely he won’t get to keep the scholarship he was offered in February. There seems little reason to believe the victims’ are...
NU Continues To Look To "West"
3 comments so far
May 17, 2006 by
Nebraska has done very well recruiting the West, both geographically and in name. Under Callahan, NU has had an influx of California players. Last year's class had 10 from CA, including one named West. That trend continues. After a...
Wanted: Zac Taylor Clone
As is true for most college football teams, Nebraska has already begun offering scholarships to recruits in hopes of assembling a strong class for 2007. Already, a top-rated wide receiver prospect from Omaha has committed but the rest of...
Ricky Henry Ineligible
Disappointing? Yes. Surprising? No. Anyone’s business but Ricky’s? Questionable. The Lincoln Journal Star reported Wednesday that Ricky Henry signed a national letter of intent to play for North Dakota State College of Science, a junior college, after being declared academically...
Leon Sticking Around After All
Surprise, Leon Jackson isn't leaving after all. What does that mean? In an earlier story, I dissected the repercussions of a talented player like Leon Jackson leaving the team. Everything said there remains true. You always want as many...
Loss of Bates Debatable
One thing we know about the kids that get early offers from Nebraska these days: Nebraska likes these guys. A lot. Phillip Bates was a guy Nebraska wanted and Iowa State snuck in and snabbed a commit from him...
Leon Jackson's Departure - A Good Sign for Everyone?
Here's just another example of why I love my wife. I was telling her about the Spring practice and the depth NU is accumulating, particularly at I-back. And she said "Wait a minute. How will they get all of...
Jumping the Gunn
Harland Gunn is an offensive lineman from Omaha Central that has committed to Miami's 2007 class (their first commit). No doubt there are a lot of Husker fans with their panties in a bunch about this kid committing to...
Solich Recruiting 2.0
The sky is falling crowd would have you quake about KSU stealing two guys out of Nebraska the last two years (2-star McCook defensive back Tony Purvis and now McCook placekicker Josh Cherry). Of course, neither kid has been...
New Recruiting Trend: Neutral Sites
Somebody let Steve Pederson know that Notre Dame has an open date in 2009 (and 2010, 2011 & 2012). The only catch is that we'd have to play in Jacksonville....
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