Recruiting Class of 2007

[epocSoN]

I was looking back through the recruiting years, and stumbled upon the 2007 recruiting class. I couldn't help but notice just how many players never played a down a football, and/or left the team for one reason or another. I think having this many busts in one class did have a decent effect on our success over the past 4 years. Anyway, I thought it was interesting. Here is the run down...

Those Who Quit/Never Played/Had Health Issues

Javario Burkes - :star :star :star :star

Blake Lawrence - :star :star :star :star

Quentin Castille - :star :star :star :star

Kevin Dixon - :star :star :star :star

Joseph Townsend - :star :star :star :star

William Yancy - :star :star :star :star

Austin Stafford - :star :star :star

Dometrious Davis - :star :star :star

Shawn Sullivan - :star :star :star

Latravis Washington - :star :star :star

Patrick Witt - :star :star :star

Those Who Got Some Playing Time, But Didn't Contribute Significantly

Zac Lee - :star :star :star :star (wouldn't have if we had a qb worth a damn)

Shukree Barfield - :star :star :star

Anthony Blue - :star :star :star

Curenski Gilleylen - :star :star :star

Ryan Hill - :star :star :star

Marcus Mendoza - :star :star :star

Saw Good Playing Time

Terrance Moore - :star :star :star

Marcel Jones - :star :star :star

Major Contributors

Larry Asante - :star :star :star :star

Armando Murillo - :star :star :star :star

Niles Paul - :star :star :star :star

Prince Amukamara - :star :star :star :star

Jared Crick - :star :star :star

Eric Hagg - :star :star :star

Roy Helu - :star :star :star

Adi Kunalic - :star :star

 

[dylan]

i think you're grading too harshly on some of these. i actually think it might have been callahan's finest recruiting class, and there's still time left on the clock for some of them (and it's a tragedy that there isn't still another year on the clock for some of these kids that should never have had their redshirt pulled).

for instance, there needs to be some differentiation between guys that never played and guys that contributed but had their careers cut short. take jaivorio burkes, who was a significant contributor his first two years on campus, including starting some games both years. that's hardly equivalent to guys that never made it or never played.

others i'd reclassify:

some playing time, not significant:

lawrence (though he did start a couple of games)

good playing tme:

castille (850 yds and 10 tds)

dixon (top backup with 4 starts in '07)

gilleylen (was a significant contributor in 2009)

major contributors:

zac lee (you can say he stunk all you want, but to say he didn't contribute is dishonest)

marcel jones (has played in 28 games and started 12)

jaivorio burkes (part-time starter first two seasons)

if you makes those changes, you end up with 16 kids from the class at least getting good playing time. considering you can typically count on about half the kids in a class not panning out, this was not a bad class. as i said, i think it was callahan's best, and it provided some of the best players that turned our program around under bo. heck, you've got what i would consider 6 all-league level players in the class (counting adi, not counting niles, who honestly wasn't far from that level at times).

 

[epocSoN]

The main point was just the shocking amount of people that left due, whether it was due to injury or otherwise. The contributing thing wasn't really meant to be the focus. When it comes down to it, 11 highly recruited players from this class left or never played, which compared with the other classes is pretty high.

 

[dylan]

The main point was just the shocking amount of people that left due, whether it was due to injury or otherwise. The contributing thing wasn't really meant to be the focus. When it comes down to it, 11 highly recruited players from this class left or never played, which compared with the other classes is pretty high.

11/27 = 40%

a quick look at the class of 2006 shows me 9/24 fit the same criteria = 37.5%

for 2005, 14/32 = 44%

2004, 6/18 = 33%

2003, 8/19 = 42%

2002, 7/18 = 39%

2001, 8/19 = 42%

pretty consistent, no?

that means out of all of the kids we took in those seven recruiting classes, 40% either never made it to campus or left early due to injuries, academics, transfers, whatever. like i said, it's to be expected.

overall, this was a fine class and it's one thing i give cally credit for. he left a LOT of holes in the roster when he was run off, but the talent in this class helped get us over the hump.

 

[dylan]

i thought it was also interesting to note that pelini's first class, 2008, so far has 8/28 kids that fit this criteria, or 29%. obviously there's still time for that number to go up, but it would be the lowest percent of the decade.

 

[NUance]

The main point was just the shocking amount of people that left due, whether it was due to injury or otherwise. The contributing thing wasn't really meant to be the focus. When it comes down to it, 11 highly recruited players from this class left or never played, which compared with the other classes is pretty high.

11/27 = 40%

a quick look at the class of 2006 shows me 9/24 fit the same criteria = 37.5%

for 2005, 14/32 = 44%

2004, 6/18 = 33%

2003, 8/19 = 42%

2002, 7/18 = 39%

2001, 8/19 = 42%

pretty consistent, no?

that means out of all of the kids we took in those seven recruiting classes, 40% either never made it to campus or left early due to injuries, academics, transfers, whatever. like i said, it's to be expected.

overall, this was a fine class and it's one thing i give cally credit for. he left a LOT of holes in the roster when he was run off, but the talent in this class helped get us over the hump.

You make a good point. And this attrition is not limited to NU. All programs lose good players for one reason or another. Some leave due to injury, grades or problems with team rules. But others just don’t seem to pan out. Part of the problem is that these guys have just come from high school where they were rock stars. It’s hard to go from a rock star to being 5th on the depth chart.

 

[hskerholic]

I was looking back through the recruiting years, and stumbled upon the 2007 recruiting class. I couldn't help but notice just how many players never played a down a football, and/or left the team for one reason or another. I think having this many busts in one class did have a decent effect on our success over the past 4 years. Anyway, I thought it was interesting. Here is the run down...

Those Who Quit/Never Played/Had Health Issues

Javario Burkes - :star :star :star :star

Blake Lawrence - :star :star :star :star

Quentin Castille - :star :star :star :star

Kevin Dixon - :star :star :star :star

Joseph Townsend - :star :star :star :star

William Yancy - :star :star :star :star

Austin Stafford - :star :star :star

Dometrious Davis - :star :star :star

Shawn Sullivan - :star :star :star

Latravis Washington - :star :star :star

Patrick Witt - :star :star :star

Those Who Got Some Playing Time, But Didn't Contribute Significantly

Zac Lee - :star :star :star :star (wouldn't have if we had a qb worth a damn)

Shukree Barfield - :star :star :star

Anthony Blue - :star :star :star

Curenski Gilleylen - :star :star :star

Ryan Hill - :star :star :star

Marcus Mendoza - :star :star :star

Saw Good Playing Time

Terrance Moore - :star :star :star

Marcel Jones - :star :star :star

Major Contributors

Larry Asante - :star :star :star :star

Armando Murillo - :star :star :star :star

Niles Paul - :star :star :star :star

Prince Amukamara - :star :star :star :star

Jared Crick - :star :star :star

Eric Hagg - :star :star :star

Roy Helu - :star :star :star

Adi Kunalic - :star :star

I Kind agree with what your ranking system except with the LaTravis Washington part. He never left early he saw playing time early in his career at LB couldnt grasp the pelini system and volunteered to move to QB. he should be in the Those Who Got Some Playing Time, But Didn't Contribute Significantly.

 

[epocSoN]

I don't think he ever played a down did he? It wasn't that he was a let down or anything, he just never played.

 

[dylan]

I don't think he ever played a down did he? It wasn't that he was a let down or anything, he just never played.

he played sparingly as a lb, qb and on special teams in 20 games over three years.

oh, and if we remove him from the list of those that never made it or left early, that leaves 10/27 for 37%, which is less than the average number for recent classes.

 

[epocSoN]

I don't think he ever played a down did he? It wasn't that he was a let down or anything, he just never played.

he played sparingly as a lb, qb and on special teams in 20 games over three years.

oh, and if we remove him from the list of those that never made it or left early, that leaves 10/27 for 37%, which is less than the average number for recent classes.

LOL, yeah. I guess this class just seems like more of a let down because of all the top flight recruits that never played or had to quit.

 

[NoLongerN]

I'm assuming Niles Paul is on the list as a "major contributor" for all the dropped balls, fumbles or key mistakes at crucial times? Or maybe it was for being one of the best blocking WR's?

Just some "hatin'" for Niles ... so glad he's gone ... and he was a "major contributor/disappointment".

 

[dylan]

I'm assuming Niles Paul is on the list as a "major contributor" for all the dropped balls, fumbles or key mistakes at crucial times? Or maybe it was for being one of the best blocking WR's?

Just some "hatin'" for Niles ... so glad he's gone ... and he was a "major contributor/disappointment".

yes, i wish we could run off more 2nd team all big 12 players and NFL draft picks. i get the point that he caused some heartbreaking moments and never quite was everything we wanted him to be (though given our QB play recently, it's hard to blame him for that), but the simple fact is that the kid made a lot of big plays for NU and deserves a little respect for it.

 

[PaulCrewe]

I'm assuming Niles Paul is on the list as a "major contributor" for all the dropped balls, fumbles or key mistakes at crucial times? Or maybe it was for being one of the best blocking WR's?

Just some "hatin'" for Niles ... so glad he's gone ... and he was a "major contributor/disappointment".

yes, i wish we could run off more 2nd team all big 12 players and NFL draft picks. i get the point that he caused some heartbreaking moments and never quite was everything we wanted him to be (though given our QB play recently, it's hard to blame him for that), but the simple fact is that the kid made a lot of big plays for NU and deserves a little respect for it.

Bingo. Okie State comes to mind. Kid owned that game.

 

[kchusker_chris]

I'm assuming Niles Paul is on the list as a "major contributor" for all the dropped balls, fumbles or key mistakes at crucial times? Or maybe it was for being one of the best blocking WR's?

Just some "hatin'" for Niles ... so glad he's gone ... and he was a "major contributor/disappointment".

yes, i wish we could run off more 2nd team all big 12 players and NFL draft picks. i get the point that he caused some heartbreaking moments and never quite was everything we wanted him to be (though given our QB play recently, it's hard to blame him for that), but the simple fact is that the kid made a lot of big plays for NU and deserves a little respect for it.

Bingo. Okie State comes to mind. Kid owned that game.

Unfortunately for every Okie State there is a Texas and an Iowa State. Great 1 game, pathetic in 2 others. If he had just been consistently slightly better than mediocre Pelini might have a couple more wins under his belt.