In the Lincoln Journal Star today:
Early start limits recruiting visitors
Because of the 11 a.m. start time to Saturday’s game, Nebraska likely will play host to only one recruit this weekend — quarterback Patrick Witt of Wylie, Texas.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Witt orally committed to Nebraska this past June and plans to enroll in school in January.
At one point, Nebraska had as many as a dozen potential visitors lined up for Saturday’s showdown against Big 12 rival Missouri, according to one Internet recruiting site. That all changed last weekend when ABC announced the game would begin at 11 a.m. instead of 7 p.m. Both times were being considered.
The Texas-Nebraska game two weeks ago in Lincoln also began at 11 a.m.
Asked Thursday how much the early kickoffs have affected the number of recruiting visits, Husker coach Bill Callahan said, “It’s stung it pretty good.”
In fact, the coach said, the early starts mean Nebraska will have to reschedule trips for as many as 16 visitors.
“(The early start time) hurts because kids have to travel from a distance,” he said. “Sometimes it’s hard to get a connecting flight and also make the kickoff and enjoy the game itself — especially with kids playing on Friday nights until late.”
Missing Husker games “doesn’t allow a player to see Nebraska at its best,” the coach added. “That’s what’s disappointing — that a guy can’t come in and see the game-day festivities and the coaches and be in the locker room and see what’s going on.”
With so many postponed visits, the Nov. 26 Colorado game and the month of December stack up as key recruiting opportunities.
“We’re going to have to have a huge December,” Callahan said.
However, “It’s hard to manufacture a game-like atmosphere in December.”
