New Nebraska Recruiting Record

[Husker from Kansas]

With any program, JUCOs are going to be more of a crap shoot than your typical HS player.  They are in a JUCO for a reason.  Now, some will come out with a chip on their shoulder and prove they never should have been there.  But, some won't accomplish that for many reasons from, physical talent, grades, want to, work ethic....etc.

This is very true, however I feel like the quality of JUCO kids we got this year are better as a whole then the ones we had last year. JUCO kids are going to be a need for the next few years until the staff can completely right the ship. JUCO kids were instrumental to Bill Snyder turning KSU from bottom dweller to legit title contender. 

 

[N is for nowledge]

Their record with JUCOs & transfers so far has been... not great. Greg Bell bailed after just a few games. His former teammate Jaron Woodyard redshirted this year. Vaha Vainuku only played a couple snaps against Bethune-Cookman last year, and didn't play at all this year. Kanawai Noa and Mike Williams were barely heard from - hardly the Stanley Morgan replacement we badly needed. On the other hand, Darrion Daniels and Dedrick Mills were two of the most important players on this year's team. Honas is a decent contributor, and Deontai Williams could be too, if he gets healthy.

I think it’s also important to point out the overwhelming majority of those players came in yr 1...as in like 3 months to recruit a team and fill gaps you know you have walking in.  I’ve stated before that they missed not only on jucos that yr but incoming frosh as well.  Each yr that miss rate should be less and less.

 

[Toe]

 I’ve stated before that they missed not only on jucos that yr but incoming frosh as well.

You're one of those guys who thinks freshmen never develop into better players as upperclassmen, eh? You've seen the future, and they will never become contributors. Can I borrow your crystal ball sometime?

This is why I single out the JUCO & grad transfers: they need to contribute quickly because there just isn't time for them to develop into better players. Now a 4-for-3 transfer is a little different - they have time, including a potential redshirt year.

 

[Husker in WI]

Thing is, he was a grad transfer. When you take a guy with just one year of eligibility, you expect him to be an immediate contributor because the clock is ticking, right? If he didn't show up for the first half of the season, that's half of his eligibility wasted. I mean if your offense gets shut out in the first half of the game, it might not matter if they're playing better in the second half - by then it's probably too late.

I mean he was on the field a lot, so I still think it's hard to argue he was a complete miss. Ideally he's contributing better, but he was playing as much as you can expect a grad transfer to. And according to the coaches he was playing well the whole time, but for whatever reason the ball wasn't finding him.

 

[BigRedBuster]

This is very true, however I feel like the quality of JUCO kids we got this year are better as a whole then the ones we had last year. JUCO kids are going to be a need for the next few years until the staff can completely right the ship. JUCO kids were instrumental to Bill Snyder turning KSU from bottom dweller to legit title contender. 

Yep.  It's a little bit like buying a new car vs. a used one.  You can get really good used cars, but you have to be good at knowing what you're looking at and then realize that sometimes you're buying someone else's problems.

 

[Husker in WI]

This is very true, however I feel like the quality of JUCO kids we got this year are better as a whole then the ones we had last year. JUCO kids are going to be a need for the next few years until the staff can completely right the ship. JUCO kids were instrumental to Bill Snyder turning KSU from bottom dweller to legit title contender. 

Yep.  It's a little bit like buying a new car vs. a used one.  You can get really good used cars, but you have to be good at knowing what you're looking at and then realize that sometimes you're buying someone else's problems.

Yeah, that's a good point as well. Not to put unnecessarily high expectations on him, but Manning is up there in Randy Gregory territory as one of the top 5-10 JUCO players in the nation. It's a very different situation than Williams/Woodyard.

 

[N is for nowledge]

You're one of those guys who thinks freshmen never develop into better players as upperclassmen, eh? You've seen the future, and they will never become contributors. Can I borrow your crystal ball sometime?

This is why I single out the JUCO & grad transfers: they need to contribute quickly because there just isn't time for them to develop into better players. Now a 4-for-3 transfer is a little different - they have time, including a potential redshirt year.

Dude slow down what I meant is many of them from the freshman class that yr aren’t even here still.  I didn’t this time, or any other time, bag on freshman that need time to develop.  Sorry I triggered you.

 

[lo country]

Just can't wait to see how recruiting goes when we are having winning records.  Winning solves a lot of things.  Bama, Clemson, OSU get the recruit funnel going their way because winning draws.  If Frost can build this kind of class with our 2 year record, imagine what he and the assistant coaches can do once they win, 8,9,10,11 games per year. 

I'd have to agree.  Winning is the best recruiting tool.  I am truly amazed and impressed that this staff was able to put together a class this good.  

 

[San Diego Husker]

This is just amazing, looks like the staff got a great class locked down on early signing day! Now that recruiting is done, we'll have all sorts of time to focus on getting ready for the bowl...... oh yea... Welp done with Husker Football until fall camp.

Glad crootin season went better than actual season. 

you get the optimistic spring ball before then... 

 

[San Diego Husker]

With any program, JUCOs are going to be more of a crap shoot than your typical HS player.  They are in a JUCO for a reason.  Now, some will come out with a chip on their shoulder and prove they never should have been there.  But, some won't accomplish that for many reasons from, physical talent, grades, want to, work ethic....etc.

most of the JUCO's are in JUCO for academic reasons, they do miss the first two/three years of S&C that a four year school would provide.  so, I can see where they slide back some from a conditioning/competition point of view but most were recruited out of high school by D1 programs.

 

[BigRedBuster]

most of the JUCO's are in JUCO for academic reasons, they do miss the first two/three years of S&C that a four year school would provide.  so, I can see where they slide back some from a conditioning/competition point of view but most were recruited out of high school by D1 programs.

There a many many reasons why someone ends up in JUCO, but sometimes when the get there for academic reasons, it’s an indication of discipline or work ethic. 

 

[San Diego Husker]

There a many many reasons why someone ends up in JUCO, but sometimes when the get there for academic reasons, it’s an indication of discipline or work ethic. 

agreed, and they have a second chance to mature and grow...  never give up on a young person,  sometimes they just need stability and direction in their life.  once they get that they may well take off if their head is in the right place.

after the 15 years of coaching I was involved with, I can tell you the number of times I watched a young person who had no structure in their lives get some and how they flourished there.  sadly, I would lose those kids to other teams or places where they didn't have that structure and they reverted back to insecurity and instability. 

I make no claims of being a professional coach, if you take the time to learn how to teach any sport, build the structure, teach the kids what you want from them and be consistent about that (then get out of their way) you would be surprised at how much even the least talented kid can grow both in life and in whatever the sport is.

sorry, think I got on a tangent there. 

 

[Danimal]

I am shocked we had another disappointing season then closed left and right on prized recruits. No way did I see this being a top20 class. Fortunately I was dead wrong. Just imagine what this staff can do if we actually start winning. 

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Looks like a great class. I’m just wondering if we got enough linemen?

Mitch Sherman and Max Olson made a great point about this years o-line recruiting on their Sellouts podcast this week. NU took 6 o-linemen last year, and they all redshirted. If NU took another 4-6 o-linemen this year, that would give red flags that the coaches think the 2019 guys aren’t developing or as good as they thought.
 

Two more signees for this year (along with the transfer from CSU) would give the team 9 players who would be 3rd year sophomores or younger at the start of the 2021 season (and that’s not even looking at the 2021 class). Yes, there could be transfers or injuries, but that’s quality and quantity on the o-line. That also doesn’t count Jurgens who would be a junior or Will Farniok who could move to guard if Jurgens keeps beating him out at center. 

 

[BackInTheDay]

Obviously they have to play well, but would all of you downers have the same "don't care" attitude if this was a poorly ranked class? Or would that be cause for concern?

I am of the opinion that coaching plus strength and conditioning trumps all the stars ever given out.  Some may get the vapors when I mention Pelini, but he took a bench warming wide receiver in Stanley Jean-Baptiste and made him into a NFL caliber cornerback.  (2nd round pick).  Also, does anybody remember how many stars Danny Woodhead had going in the recruiting season?

It's not where one starts out, it's where one ends up.  So I will, for my part, ignore all talk of "good recruiting classes" or "poor recruiting classes" and wait to see what the finished product looks like on the field...but it IS the off season, so knock yourselves out.  It passes the time.