Re-visiting Callahan's 2005 Class

[Husker Psycho]

As I said on the Newby thread...

What Callahan's 2005 recruiting class shows clearly, is that those who have been crying forever that it's somehow more difficult to recruit to Nebraska, are just plain WRONG.

Those complaining and crying that it's soooo hard to recruit at Nebraska are just making lame excuses for their own poor performance and trying desperately to escape responsibility for their own poor recruiting.

It takes coaches-recruiting coordinators with talent at recruiting... in order to have great athletes come to Nebraska... the exact same thing it takes at every other college. It's just that simple.

No more excuses.

And one of the guys responsible for those recruits is no longer coaching because of scandals with an agent. He was also being investigated for possible recruiting violations at 2 different schools.

I do agree that we can get top talent to commit but it wont be at the rate of other schools that are in the middle of recruiting hotbeds. I think the 2017 class has the potential to be a once in a decade type of class for us. Lots and lots of potential.

I've always said that one of the greatest threats or maybe the greatest threat to our program is the mindset... that starts at the very top and has filtered down to some fans... is the mindset that ASSUMES FAILURE.

It's not a mindset about what I stated, it's just pure fact. Teams that are in the middle of or in close proximity to recruiting hotbeds will almost always have better recruiting classes year in and year out over a team that is distant from one.

No it's not a fact... it's an excuse.

You honestly don't pay attention to recruiting. The top states for recruiting are California, Florida, Texas, Ohio, and Georgia. The Northeast and East Coast produce lots of talents also. Take a look at these classes and tell me that proximity doesn't play a roll.

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2010/all/all

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2011/all/all

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2012/all/all

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2013/all/all

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2014/all/all

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2015/all/all

Alabama's current recruiting class highest rated recruits 4**** and 5***** players:

1-NY... 1-MISS... 1-MD... 1-NC... 2-TX... 1-CA... 1-VA... 2-AL

That means that 80% of Alabama's top recruits are from somewhere other than Alabama and in fact they are from all over the country. Their top recruit is from California.

Great coaching and great recruiting is the key... not where the team is located. If you have great coaches the players will come... from all over the country.

No more excuses.

 

[Husker Psycho]

If someone doesn't think we are at a disadvantage in recruiting based on location then they either aren't paying attention or are blind to the issue.

Another fan who has bought into the excuses.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Having over half a recruiting class not contributing much is pretty common.

I find this interesting.

2005 Average star 3.15 (32 recruits)

2016 Average Star 3.2 (15 recruits) obviously not finished yet.

What this basically points out is that in college football, one recruiting class doesn't push you over the edge to greatness. It takes several years of that type of class to do that.

But, you have to start somewhere. Let's keep this class rolling and carry that momentum into next year.

Prospects for the current class are looking pretty bleak. We likely need at least 8 more bodies to fill the class, and we are in (really in, not just an offer with low interest) on very few high ranked players. We are currently ranked #31 on 247.

Not sure where you are getting that.

Here are the players I think we are still in on pretty well.

Farniok 4*

Reese 3* (admittedly, I am concerned about his recent trip to Texas)

Fitzpatrick 4*

L. Jackson 4*

Watts 3*

Poljan 3*

I. Simmons 4*

M. Simmons 3*

Those 8 have an average star ranking of 3.5. If we could get these, that would put our average star ranking at 3.3. That's a better pace than our last staff was in their second season. And, we are in on a lot of really good talent right now for the 2017 class.

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas!

So you are wrong and you reply with a stupid comment. Shocking

Dude, you listed the highest rated recruits that show any interest in Nebraska whatsoever and then said "If we sign them ALL . . .".

If my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.

I didn't list any recruits, that was BRB. He listed them because we actually do have a real shot at getting them. We are either the team to beat or are top 2-3 for them.

Farniok - in the lead

Reese - We are one of 4 teams listed with equal interest. And our OV was first, with the three others coming more recently.

Fitzpatrick - We are one of 8 teams listed with equal interest. And he's taking an OV to Louisville Jan 29.

Jackson - We are one of 12 teams listed with medium interest.

Watts - One of 5 schools listed with high interest

Poljan - One of about 30 schools listed with medium interest, but only 7 have offered.

I. Simmons - One of 5 schools listed with high interest.

M. Simmons - One of 6 schools listed with high interest.

So what do you think the odds are of Riley signing all of them?

I will absolutely say we will not get all of these but, I think we have a good shot at getting many of them. I never said we would. I said if we "could" get them. Big difference. You, on the other hand, stated that we are in on very few highly rated players. I listed the ones we have a chance at getting. It's clear why you didn't like my list since it didn't follow your agenda.

Are 3*s considered highly ranked players now?

Well, 3 stars were considered average under Bo, but now they are awesome!!!

Good 3 star players are the back bone of most programs even the elite have a lot of 3 star guys on their roster.

I don't disagree with you. But, Bo wasn't bringing in good enough players, when he was signing a lot of similar players that Riley is recruiting.

 

[teachercd]

I guess goal one would be this

1. Highest ranked class in the Big Ten West

Goal two would be

2. Consistently in the top 4 in the Big Ten

Icing on the cake:

- Top 20 class each year

- One 4 star QB each year

- One 4 star RB each year

- Two 4 star OL each year

- Two 4 star DL each year

 

[Husker Psycho]

As I said on the Newby thread...

What Callahan's 2005 recruiting class shows clearly, is that those who have been crying forever that it's somehow more difficult to recruit to Nebraska, are just plain WRONG.

Those complaining and crying that it's soooo hard to recruit at Nebraska are just making lame excuses for their own poor performance and trying desperately to escape responsibility for their own poor recruiting.

It takes coaches-recruiting coordinators with talent at recruiting... in order to have great athletes come to Nebraska... the exact same thing it takes at every other college. It's just that simple.

No more excuses.

And one of the guys responsible for those recruits is no longer coaching because of scandals with an agent. He was also being investigated for possible recruiting violations at 2 different schools.

I do agree that we can get top talent to commit but it wont be at the rate of other schools that are in the middle of recruiting hotbeds. I think the 2017 class has the potential to be a once in a decade type of class for us. Lots and lots of potential.

I've always said that one of the greatest threats or maybe the greatest threat to our program is the mindset... that starts at the very top and has filtered down to some fans... is the mindset that ASSUMES FAILURE.

It's not a mindset about what I stated, it's just pure fact. Teams that are in the middle of or in close proximity to recruiting hotbeds will almost always have better recruiting classes year in and year out over a team that is distant from one.

No it's not a fact... it's an excuse.

You honestly don't pay attention to recruiting. The top states for recruiting are California, Florida, Texas, Ohio, and Georgia. The Northeast and East Coast produce lots of talents also. Take a look at these classes and tell me that proximity doesn't play a roll.

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2010/all/all

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2011/all/all

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2012/all/all

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2013/all/all

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2014/all/all

https://rivals.yahoo.com/nebraska/football/recruiting/teamrank/2015/all/all

And another thing.

If you look at Callahan's 2005 5th ranked recruiting class at Nebraska (which is the subject of this thread) you will see that of the 32 players signed... 3 were from Nebraska... the other 29 were from somewhere else... as in all over the country.

You've bought into the failure excuses. You and a lot of other people need to learn to think for yourselves.

 

[Stumpy1]

If someone doesn't think we are at a disadvantage in recruiting based on location then they either aren't paying attention or are blind to the issue.

Another fan who has bought into the excuses.

Location, Location, Location Still Matters Most

For as much as Nebraska has to offer, with its tradition and unrivaled state support, there are recruiting stigmas the Cornhuskers must face. Nebraska’s biggest battle, unfortunately, is one it can do nothing about: its location.

In an age when unofficial visits are more important than ever, it’s a constant challenge for a program like Nebraska’s — smack-dab in the middle of the Midwest — to get recruits on campus on their own dime. The recruiting pool in the state is shallow at best.

“If you drew a four-hour circle around every school in the Big Ten, we would have the least population,” Nebraska director of recruiting Ross Els says. “It puts us at a disadvantage, purely on numbers.”

- See more at: http://athlonsports.com/college-football/13-things-you-need-know-about-college-football-recruiting#sthash.S9k5PxkU.dpuf

I guess this guy has excuses also...

 

[roadrat]

Bo hardly recruited Nebraska. How many guys looked pretty good playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes that should have been playing for NU

 

[Husker Psycho]

If someone doesn't think we are at a disadvantage in recruiting based on location then they either aren't paying attention or are blind to the issue.

Another fan who has bought into the excuses.

Location, Location, Location Still Matters Most

For as much as Nebraska has to offer, with its tradition and unrivaled state support, there are recruiting stigmas the Cornhuskers must face. Nebraska’s biggest battle, unfortunately, is one it can do nothing about: its location.

In an age when unofficial visits are more important than ever, it’s a constant challenge for a program like Nebraska’s — smack-dab in the middle of the Midwest — to get recruits on campus on their own dime. The recruiting pool in the state is shallow at best.

“If you drew a four-hour circle around every school in the Big Ten, we would have the least population,” Nebraska director of recruiting Ross Els says. “It puts us at a disadvantage, purely on numbers.”

- See more at: http://athlonsports.com/college-football/13-things-you-need-know-about-college-football-recruiting#sthash.S9k5PxkU.dpuf

I guess this guy has excuses also...

Thanks for making my point.

Ross Els was BO P's recruiting coordinator and they were by far the biggest crybabies ever about everything including about recruiting to Nebraska. All of it was nothing more than excuses from them for their poor recruiting performance and a transparent attempt to escape responsibility for their poor recruiting performance.

And you bought into their bunk.

Jeez

 

[teachercd]

This is/was interesting: Looks like they must have upgraded the BowFlex and got the extra power-rods?

http://www.oregonlive.com/recruiting/index.ssf/2015/12/oregon_state_beavers_on_pace_f.html

 

[BigRedBuster]

If someone doesn't think we are at a disadvantage in recruiting based on location then they either aren't paying attention or are blind to the issue.

Another fan who has bought into the excuses.

What a load of BS.

People here are picking ONE class (2005) over the last 20 years and claim that's proof we should be able to consistently recruit in the top 5.

Now, me saying that is more difficult than other places is not "buying into excuses". That's just simply fact. What I DIDN'T say is that we couldn't recruit well. We just have to be creative and be better judge of talent that might not fit into the nice little box that recruiting services want to use to put star power behind a name.

Go ask TO about recruiting here. Did he recruit well? He always recruited decently. But, he went through periods where he didn't bring in the star power we all want. That was one of the main reasons why he switched away from an offense predominantly based on passing like we used in the 70s. He found it was extremely difficult to recruit the same type of players that the other power programs were recruiting that were sitting in the middle of recruit hot beds. So, he realized by switching offenses, he could recruit O linemen, QBs and WRs for that offense that other power schools might not be looking for.

But...hey....we can still sit here and pick one year out of 20 and claim what ever we want.

 

[NUinID]

Having over half a recruiting class not contributing much is pretty common.

I find this interesting.

2005 Average star 3.15 (32 recruits)

2016 Average Star 3.2 (15 recruits) obviously not finished yet.

What this basically points out is that in college football, one recruiting class doesn't push you over the edge to greatness. It takes several years of that type of class to do that.

But, you have to start somewhere. Let's keep this class rolling and carry that momentum into next year.

Prospects for the current class are looking pretty bleak. We likely need at least 8 more bodies to fill the class, and we are in (really in, not just an offer with low interest) on very few high ranked players. We are currently ranked #31 on 247.

Not sure where you are getting that.

Here are the players I think we are still in on pretty well.

Farniok 4*

Reese 3* (admittedly, I am concerned about his recent trip to Texas)

Fitzpatrick 4*

L. Jackson 4*

Watts 3*

Poljan 3*

I. Simmons 4*

M. Simmons 3*

Those 8 have an average star ranking of 3.5. If we could get these, that would put our average star ranking at 3.3. That's a better pace than our last staff was in their second season. And, we are in on a lot of really good talent right now for the 2017 class.

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas!

So you are wrong and you reply with a stupid comment. Shocking

Dude, you listed the highest rated recruits that show any interest in Nebraska whatsoever and then said "If we sign them ALL . . .".

If my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.

I didn't list any recruits, that was BRB. He listed them because we actually do have a real shot at getting them. We are either the team to beat or are top 2-3 for them.

Farniok - in the lead

Reese - We are one of 4 teams listed with equal interest. And our OV was first, with the three others coming more recently.

Fitzpatrick - We are one of 8 teams listed with equal interest. And he's taking an OV to Louisville Jan 29.

Jackson - We are one of 12 teams listed with medium interest.

Watts - One of 5 schools listed with high interest

Poljan - One of about 30 schools listed with medium interest, but only 7 have offered.

I. Simmons - One of 5 schools listed with high interest.

M. Simmons - One of 6 schools listed with high interest.

So what do you think the odds are of Riley signing all of them?

I will absolutely say we will not get all of these but, I think we have a good shot at getting many of them. I never said we would. I said if we "could" get them. Big difference. You, on the other hand, stated that we are in on very few highly rated players. I listed the ones we have a chance at getting. It's clear why you didn't like my list since it didn't follow your agenda.

Are 3*s considered highly ranked players now?

Well, 3 stars were considered average under Bo, but now they are awesome!!!

Good 3 star players are the back bone of most programs even the elite have a lot of 3 star guys on their roster.

I don't disagree with you. But, Bo wasn't bringing in good enough players, when he was signing a lot of similar players that Riley is recruiting.

It is a little early to decide what MR recruiting will be like. Recruiting to some extent is a crap shoot. IMO the big thing NU has lacked is a game changer at QB. We all know that can make a huge difference. A great QB can make lots of things look a whole lot better.

 

[Husker Psycho]

If someone doesn't think we are at a disadvantage in recruiting based on location then they either aren't paying attention or are blind to the issue.

Another fan who has bought into the excuses.

What a load of BS.

People here are picking ONE class (2005) over the last 20 years and claim that's proof we should be able to consistently recruit in the top 5.

Now, me saying that is more difficult than other places is not "buying into excuses". That's just simply fact. What I DIDN'T say is that we couldn't recruit well. We just have to be creative and be better judge of talent that might not fit into the nice little box that recruiting services want to use to put star power behind a name.

Go ask TO about recruiting here. Did he recruit well? He always recruited decently. But, he went through periods where he didn't bring in the star power we all want. That was one of the main reasons why he switched away from an offense predominantly based on passing like we used in the 70s. He found it was extremely difficult to recruit the same type of players that the other power programs were recruiting that were sitting in the middle of recruit hot beds. So, he realized by switching offenses, he could recruit O linemen, QBs and WRs for that offense that other power schools might not be looking for.

But...hey....we can still sit here and pick one year out of 20 and claim what ever we want.

Nope

Great coaches and great recruiters is what brings players to a team... not location.

 

[NUance]

Stumpy 1 or mods or anybody...

How do I put a permanent "quote" at the bottom of my comments section like you have in light gray at the bottom of your comment box ?

You can do this by editing your profile in the following manner:

• Click on the "Edit my Profile" button towards the upper right when in your profile. (You can get to your profile by clicking on your little Avi icon in any number of places, or your username towards the top right of the page you're on now.) Clicking on the "Edit my Profile" takes you to the My Setting page.

• On the My Setting page click on the "Signature" button towards the left. This will take you to the Edit Signature window which looks similar to the screen you see when making a post.

• In the Edit Signature window you can add a quote or content to your signature. And then hit "Save Changes." Any quote or text you add will show up grayed out in every one of your posts[SIZE=12pt]—[/SIZE]which is what you asked for.

Hope this helps!

 

[BigRedBuster]

If someone doesn't think we are at a disadvantage in recruiting based on location then they either aren't paying attention or are blind to the issue.

Another fan who has bought into the excuses.

What a load of BS.

People here are picking ONE class (2005) over the last 20 years and claim that's proof we should be able to consistently recruit in the top 5.

Now, me saying that is more difficult than other places is not "buying into excuses". That's just simply fact. What I DIDN'T say is that we couldn't recruit well. We just have to be creative and be better judge of talent that might not fit into the nice little box that recruiting services want to use to put star power behind a name.

Go ask TO about recruiting here. Did he recruit well? He always recruited decently. But, he went through periods where he didn't bring in the star power we all want. That was one of the main reasons why he switched away from an offense predominantly based on passing like we used in the 70s. He found it was extremely difficult to recruit the same type of players that the other power programs were recruiting that were sitting in the middle of recruit hot beds. So, he realized by switching offenses, he could recruit O linemen, QBs and WRs for that offense that other power schools might not be looking for.

But...hey....we can still sit here and pick one year out of 20 and claim what ever we want.

Nope

Great coaches and great recruiters is what brings players to a team... not location.

OK...I have to ask.

If Callihan was such a great coach and great recruiter, than why were the other 3 classes of his not much different than most of what we have seen the other 19 years since then?

His 4 classes on 247 are ranked 25, 8, 21, 20.

The 2005 class was ranked that high in large part due to the pure numbers of players. There were 31. Interestingly though, the average rating of the players 85.23. So far this year, our average rating per player is 86.88. If we were to have that rating in 2005, our class rank would have been even higher. Now, if Riley were able to pull in 31 players like Cally did in that one year, I'm sure he would be ranked up pretty high too just based on numbers.

 

[Husker Psycho]

Stumpy 1 or mods or anybody...

How do I put a permanent "quote" at the bottom of my comments section like you have in light gray at the bottom of your comment box ?

You can do this by editing your profile in the following manner:

• Click on the "Edit my Profile" button towards the upper right when in your profile. (You can get to your profile by clicking on your little Avi icon in any number of places, or your username towards the top right of the page you're on now.) Clicking on the "Edit my Profile" takes you to the My Setting page.

• On the My Setting page click on the "Signature" button towards the left. This will take you to the Edit Signature window which looks similar to the screen you see when making a post.

• In the Edit Signature window you can add a quote or content to your signature. And then hit "Save Changes." Any quote or text you add will show up grayed out in every one of your posts[SIZE=12pt]—[/SIZE]which is what you asked for.

Hope this helps!

Thank you so much Mr. Mod, sir.

See ya just have to know how to talk to mods... LOL.

Seriously, thanks again NUance.

Great board by the way... well run.