HSKRNOKC
New member
The final word
***Don't be surprised if defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh serves some sort of suspension or is held out on Saturday for a in practice altercation that took place on Tuesday with senior offensive lineman Victory Haines. I'm told Suh broke Haines' nose and sent him to the hospital after the two got into it during practice. There are practice fights that happen all the time, but what separates this one from others is Suh might of went too far in his retaliation on Haines.
***The defense keeps a mental error statistic and I'm told that Steve Octavien, Corey McKeon and Tierre Green are one, two and three on the chart, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that Octavien and McKeon lost their starting jobs to Lance Brandenburgh and Phillip Dillard. The biggest question is how has Green held his spot? Personally, I would like to see more Ben Eisenhart and Rickey Thenarse. Eisenhart is much more consistent and Thenarse gives NU more of a big play threat on the field.
***When I look at this team right now, I feel a lot of the younger guys have much more passion and drive than the seniors, but it's a situation where the seniors ignore them and don't give them the respect they deserve. I would like to see the seniors take more of these young guys under their wings and develop them and show them the ropes for the future.
***I know some questioned why NU took Riley Reiff in this year's class, but let me tell you…this kid has the no nonsense "I'm going to kick your butt" attitude this team is missing. I think he will develop into a good player down the road.
***I really think Gary Pinkel's fake field goal call in the fourth quarter was him trying to send a message to recruits that they shouldn't have picked Nebraska. Callahan has taken a lot of good players from Pinkel and I know that has to bother him deep down inside.
***Nebraska's current stretch right now reminds me a lot of 2005 when the Huskers lost three games in row, including a 40-15 loss at Kansas. The scrutiny was just as bad at that point and I remember the radio show hosts of the world talking about staff changes back then, but somehow NU bounced back and won their final three. Will Nebraska bounce back and win their next two at home? That's hard to say, but the A&M and OSU games are almost must win type games for Callahan and his staff.
***What drives me nuts is when things go bad, people blame guys at Rivals.com for supposedly "over ranking" Nebraska's recruits. We can all agree the 2005 class did not work out, but in 2006 NU was ranked 20th, last year they were 13th and in 2004 they were ranked 27th, so it's not like Rivals was saying Nebraska had classes that were going to win national titles. At Rivals.com we rank and evaluate recruits based on what they do on the high school level…once they get to college it is not our job to develop them.
;
Nebraska fans are about to enter a unique period of the recruiting cycle under coach Bill Callahan. One we haven't experienced covering before with the current staff. Depending on how the rest of the season plays out, Nebraska's current list of 24 verbal commitments may be the apex of NU's recruiting fortunes for this class. We simply won't know for a couple months, but if NU continues to play in the manner of the past five games, and especially if they suffer more embarrassing losses, the best that may be able to be hoped for is to retain as much of this current class as possible.
You don't need me to tell you this, but the job of reeling in such high-profile recruits left on NU's board as Simi Kuli,Justin Thompson, Deion Walker and Tyler Edwards has become more difficult with each additional loss.
A couple top targets eliminated NU just this past week: Aldon Smith was in attendance at Saturday's game, and he has since committed to Missouri. New Rivals250 defensive tackle Jurrell Casey eliminated Nebraska and Arizona, and has USC in the lead, with Oregon and Ole Miss still in the picture.
What's most important for this class going forward is that the core of this group sticks together. No news is good news going forward with regards to this class. What also would help NU is for the Huskers to keep fighting to improve for the rest of the season and to win as many games as they can.
In a telling comment, when I spoke with Jurrell Casey this week about what he's looking for in a school he said, "Whichever team keeps on working the hardest and which ones come out with well-earned victories. Even if they lose, I want to see them keep on fighting through the game and never give up."
Quick notes on recruits:
Eric Harper ? He'll be officially visiting NU this weekend and he still sounded sold on playing for the Huskers despite the team's recent struggles. He told me that he's still hearing occasionally from home-state LSU. He camped there and he went to the Tigers' game with Tulane two weeks ago with his cousin and three of his brothers. After the game, he spent some time with the LSU coaches. He told me, "Oh yeah, it went good. I was talking to their offensive coordinator, their defensive coordinator, and their linebacker coach ? coach Peveto. Coach Peveto said they really liked my highlight tape." Harper said that he might take one more official visit to Louisiana-Monroe after Nebraska.
DeVonte Christopher ? He will be heading to Stanford for his official visit this weekend with Nebraska still in the lead. Stanford's defeat of Southern Cal last Saturday had to have turned his head, though. He's told me on more than one occasion that he really likes coach Harbaugh. He's also scheduled an official with Colorado for the weekend after his Palo Alto stop, so his situation has to be considered very fluid.
Juron Criner ? DeVonte's teammate is having a breakout campaign. He continues to lead the state of Nevada in receiving yards and scoring. Through six games, Criner has 31 receptions for 768 yards and 15 touchdowns. He still holds the same offers from UNLV, Utah, Nevada and Wyoming, with the Running Rebels being his tentative leader. When I spoke with Criner this week, he said that Kansas State is a new school really coming on and showing him a lot of attention. Husker assistant coach Ted Gilmore was out to evaluate Criner three weeks ago, and DeVonte brought Juron's film with him when he was on his official to NU a couple weeks ago. As of Monday, the Huskers hadn't offered him and their recruiting contact hadn't increased noticeably. When I asked Juron what he was looking for in a school he said, "Well, the first thing I'm going to look at is a school big in passing. Like, I wouldn't want to go to a school that runs the option. Then another thing, I want to go somewhere where the coaches are cool guys - little things like that. As far as to where I'll go, I'm still open-minded about that."
Etc.
As Jason Peter said on Big Red Wrap-up; and many others have mentioned on RSS, what is probably the most disappointing development in the Husker program is the utter lack of physicality of the team. NU has played very soft on both sides of the ball this season - even when their collective manhood was challenged by other teams' late hits or cheap shots.
It's especially disheartening for fans because what used to be the trademark of the Big Red program was its toughness and hard-nosed play win or lose.
When Nebraska came up short to Florida State in the '94 Orange Bowl 18-16, after the game the Seminole players said that Nebraska was the most physical team they had ever faced.
When all the nation's media were collectively laughing at the Huskers' chances to knock off Steve Spurrier and the mighty Gators in the '96 Fiesta Bowl, the Huskers quietly and confidently matched their athleticism but also muscled them all over the field.
Before this year's road contest with Wake Forest, former UCLA coach Terry Donahue was on the NFL Network discussing the game and he said, "You know - I used to hate playing Nebraska because they were so physical it would affect our team for two games after that."
This has nothing to do with style of offense or defensive schemes. It has to do with a mindset and ethos that has seemingly vanished from the institutional memory of the Nebraska program. It's hard to foresee a reversal in NU's recent fortunes unless this is somehow restored to the team.
;
Is Rippy looking around?
I had the opportunity to speak with Doug Rippy this week amidst rumors that he was seriously considering reneging on his commitment to Nebraska in favor of the Cincinnati Bearcats. After talking with him, I am convinced that he is still solid with the Huskers. A full update will be popping up on Friday and you can all decide for yourself. However, here are some of the highlights:
What are his current feelings in regards to the recruiting process and his commitment to Nebraska?
"I'm strongly with Nebraska...100 percent," Rippy said. "Nothing is going to change that. I feel that if you make a commitment to a school, you should honor it. I feel when I committed to Nebraska, that is where I wanted to be with any downfalls and everything...win or lose."
When does he plan to take his official visit to Nebraska?
"I'm scheduled to go Nov. 10 to watch them play Kansas State," Rippy said.
"I'm looking forward to getting back down there. When I went to Nebraska the first time, I didn't want to come home. I loved the fans and the community...the whole thing."
What about the rumors that say he is giving serious consideration to changing his commit to the University of Cincinnati?
"I don't want people to get the wrong thing in their head. I've gone to a couple of games there with a couple of friends, but it's only because its close and I get free tickets. To be honest with you, I'm nowhere close to considering Cincinnati."
Rippy also said he is still in frequent contact with Jonas Gray, D.J. Woods (both of whom he plans to room with in Lincoln), Will Compton and Blaine Gabbert. He said all of those players are still solid with the Huskers.
Another interesting tidbit is that he said many opposing coaches have begun somewhat of a smear campaign against the University of Nebraska. Rippy said he's not listening.
I was convinced that Rippy was extremely sincere after speaking with him, but I've been wrong before. We'll see how it all plays out.
Small, fast and explosive
I spoke to Terrence Robinson, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound athlete out of Klein (Texas) Oak this past week. He claims nine scholarship offers, including one from Nebraska. The speedy running back/receiver (4.33-second 40-yard dash) has already visited Wake Forest and has a visit to Oregon planned for Oct. 26. Are there any other schools he's pretty sure that he'll visit?
"I'd like to say Nebraska," Robinson said. "I'm trying to get in touch with the Nebraska coach to set something up. Those are the only three schools I'd say that are set in stone (that will receive visits).
"I've liked Nebraska ever since I was little. They have a great environment there. They are always a top 20 team. From the looks of things, they really have a good program going."
Robinson has racked up more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground through the first five games of the season. He's also passed for 150 yards and a score and hauled in 10 passes for just fewer than 200 yards and two more touchdowns.
Will he make it to Lincoln for an official visit? There is a good chance.
Nebraska slips with Arizona tight end
The conversation I had with Dion Jordan late last week was one of the strangest I've had with a recruit over the past year or two. Dion told me that Nebraska had the "best facilities in the country" and he raved about the academics at Nebraska and the game time atmosphere. All of his comments led me to believe that Nebraska was very high atop his list of favorites.
When I asked him about Colorado, the only real positive he mentioned was that he had a bit more fun on his trip to Boulder. He said he and some of the Buffalo players spent some time in Denver and really had a good time. He mentioned nothing about the atmosphere, about the fan support, about the academics or about the coaches.
Then, I asked him about his favorites and he told me that Cal and Oregon were both high on his list and Colorado had really moved up as well. Where is Nebraska?
"They've probably moved down a little bit," Jordan said. "I still like them but, probably, not as well as the other three schools."
It just goes to show you that every kid is different. Atmosphere, fan support, academic support...etc are big deals to some kids. For others like Dion, it's more important to feel comfortable in the community and have a number of outlets/choices outside of football. Don't count on Nebraska hauling in this standout from Arizona. (Chances five percent at best). My prediction is that he ends up at Oregon.
Side note - Dion was seriously injured in an accident a day or two after my interview with him. Apparently, he suffered serious burns to over 30 percent of his body. My prayers and thoughts go out to both he and his family.
;
More on Whitmore
I’ve said this before on the board and in past Tunnel Talks, but cornerback David Whitmore sounds solid every time I’ve talked with him.
I spoke with Port Arthur Memorial defensive coordinator Curtis Viola earlier this month before reaching Whitmore late this week and he mentioned to me that other schools call, but they always just tell them he’s committed to Nebraska.
After talking with Whitmore himself, it seems that’s the way he wants it.
It seems to me that the biggest thing for Whitmore is the tradition of Nebraska and said that he just wanted to be a part of it. He’s also having a pretty good season. He may not have an interception, but his coaches have told me that they’ve played teams with receivers that were 6-foot-3 plus in three straight weeks and Whitmore is the guy that lines up against the top guy every time.
Also, some people on the board keep bringing up Texas as a school that will go in late on Whitmore. The Longhorns have two safeties already committed in Nolan Brewster and Blake Gideon along with cornerbacks Aaron Williams and D.J. Monroe. I highly doubt that they’re looking to add more and like I said above, Whitmore doesn’t appear interested in taking other visits.
Brown still on the board
Waller, Texas defensive tackle/fullback prospect ; Eddie Brown was a guy we also hadn’t talked with in a while, so I decided to check in on him late this week.
Brown seems to be pretty set on visiting Arkansas, Nebraska, and Texas Tech. Of those three schools, the Huskers are the only ones looking at him as a fullback. He says that he’ll play anywhere and it’s really about what kind of weight he needs to put on or take off to get ready for a spot on the next level.
It appears that he’s pretty interested in Nebraska also because he and his high school coach and have been learning more about the Huskers program.
I remember seeing him at the Houston junior day and I just remember the guy measuring in bigger than he looked. He’s a quick player that makes a lot of plays on defense and I think though he may not have a definite position right now, I could see him as a defensive lineman or a fullback on the next level. He’ll just need some time to develop.
We’ll keep you posted on when he may visit.
Etc.
*** I’m going to head out to the Millard North vs. Omaha Westside game tomorrow night to see Nebraska commits Sean Fisher and Collins Okafor face off. I’ll have a photo gallery and a story from that game this weekend for you guys.
*** I’ve said it a lot, but I see the same questions on the board about Brandon Thompson’s commitment and what kind of effect that will have on Nebraska still taking Trevor Robinson. Guys, I have no doubt that Nebraska will wait on Robinson.
*** The only official visitor this weekend is going to be Eric Harper from what we know. Now, they’re may be some unofficial visitors, but the early start has kept the visit list low in numbers.
;
It was not much of a surprise to get a commitment from Brandon Thompson. He knew that only a few spots are left, so he talked it over with his folks and coaches and then pulled the trigger. One thing that did surprise me was the number of offers he was considering - 20 offers. He was considering all of the Texas schools except UT and some other solid programs as far away as Virginia. When I talked to his coach the thing I remember the most was when he said, "he is a dominant, dominant football player." He said it strongly and very convincingly. Hard to believe that 52 others are rated higher than him.
The Rivals.com Cincinnati publisher called me about two weeks ago and told me that Doug Rippy was going to switch to Cinn. I asked him if he was going to break the story and he got back to me by email to tell me that Rippy would be committing when a teammate committed. You can read the last update and see that Rippy says he is 100% committed. One has to accept that view and move on. By the way, I have no idea how the Cinn. publisher got the idea Rippy was going to change. Maybe he thought so since he was taking in all of their games or maybe from another kid. Another one to watch until Feb.
Another question I kept seeing after last Saturday's game was what would happen to those that committed or those that are considering NU. A recruit should want to go to the school for the academics, of course and where he feels the most comfortable. Losses should not matter that much. But most like winners and losing consistently is not good. Will there be more wins than losses over the rest of the games? I have to believe there will be.
Dodge City C.C. JUCO cornerback Kennard Banks could come into the picture more as times goes on. Another corner is needed and he is just one of many in the JC ranks. He told me that he would love to visit NU if they gave him the chance. Right now, the interest is only lukewarm for him. Playing on a 1-5 team sure doesn't help. His coach has been quoted as saying that Banks is his best player, so he must be fairly good.
Simi Kuli and Justin Thompson called coach Buddy Wyatt last night and I understand that the coach has both of them excited about their upcoming visit (Oct. 20) to Nebraska. The expections are high and they were told the red carpet will be laid out for them. They want to see the campus and the time has almost arrived for the Huskers' turn at the bat.
One JUCO corner that wants to visit Nebraska and you can almost count on it is/will be Maurice Gray. I have talked to him and he is excited about seeing NU. The update showing KU as the favorite means nothing...it is the only school he has seen. By the way, his team, Butler, is the opposite of Banks' team. Butler is undefeated and ranked #5 in the nation.
JUCOs or not. NCAA requirements in regards to taking more core classes will put more into the JC ranks than now. I have no idea if Nebraska will always be taking JUCOs. I am only telling you a fact.
Duane 'Roz' Rossiter
HuskersIllustrated.com
Recruiting Publisher
***Don't be surprised if defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh serves some sort of suspension or is held out on Saturday for a in practice altercation that took place on Tuesday with senior offensive lineman Victory Haines. I'm told Suh broke Haines' nose and sent him to the hospital after the two got into it during practice. There are practice fights that happen all the time, but what separates this one from others is Suh might of went too far in his retaliation on Haines.
***The defense keeps a mental error statistic and I'm told that Steve Octavien, Corey McKeon and Tierre Green are one, two and three on the chart, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that Octavien and McKeon lost their starting jobs to Lance Brandenburgh and Phillip Dillard. The biggest question is how has Green held his spot? Personally, I would like to see more Ben Eisenhart and Rickey Thenarse. Eisenhart is much more consistent and Thenarse gives NU more of a big play threat on the field.
***When I look at this team right now, I feel a lot of the younger guys have much more passion and drive than the seniors, but it's a situation where the seniors ignore them and don't give them the respect they deserve. I would like to see the seniors take more of these young guys under their wings and develop them and show them the ropes for the future.
***I know some questioned why NU took Riley Reiff in this year's class, but let me tell you…this kid has the no nonsense "I'm going to kick your butt" attitude this team is missing. I think he will develop into a good player down the road.
***I really think Gary Pinkel's fake field goal call in the fourth quarter was him trying to send a message to recruits that they shouldn't have picked Nebraska. Callahan has taken a lot of good players from Pinkel and I know that has to bother him deep down inside.
***Nebraska's current stretch right now reminds me a lot of 2005 when the Huskers lost three games in row, including a 40-15 loss at Kansas. The scrutiny was just as bad at that point and I remember the radio show hosts of the world talking about staff changes back then, but somehow NU bounced back and won their final three. Will Nebraska bounce back and win their next two at home? That's hard to say, but the A&M and OSU games are almost must win type games for Callahan and his staff.
***What drives me nuts is when things go bad, people blame guys at Rivals.com for supposedly "over ranking" Nebraska's recruits. We can all agree the 2005 class did not work out, but in 2006 NU was ranked 20th, last year they were 13th and in 2004 they were ranked 27th, so it's not like Rivals was saying Nebraska had classes that were going to win national titles. At Rivals.com we rank and evaluate recruits based on what they do on the high school level…once they get to college it is not our job to develop them.
;
Nebraska fans are about to enter a unique period of the recruiting cycle under coach Bill Callahan. One we haven't experienced covering before with the current staff. Depending on how the rest of the season plays out, Nebraska's current list of 24 verbal commitments may be the apex of NU's recruiting fortunes for this class. We simply won't know for a couple months, but if NU continues to play in the manner of the past five games, and especially if they suffer more embarrassing losses, the best that may be able to be hoped for is to retain as much of this current class as possible.
You don't need me to tell you this, but the job of reeling in such high-profile recruits left on NU's board as Simi Kuli,Justin Thompson, Deion Walker and Tyler Edwards has become more difficult with each additional loss.
A couple top targets eliminated NU just this past week: Aldon Smith was in attendance at Saturday's game, and he has since committed to Missouri. New Rivals250 defensive tackle Jurrell Casey eliminated Nebraska and Arizona, and has USC in the lead, with Oregon and Ole Miss still in the picture.
What's most important for this class going forward is that the core of this group sticks together. No news is good news going forward with regards to this class. What also would help NU is for the Huskers to keep fighting to improve for the rest of the season and to win as many games as they can.
In a telling comment, when I spoke with Jurrell Casey this week about what he's looking for in a school he said, "Whichever team keeps on working the hardest and which ones come out with well-earned victories. Even if they lose, I want to see them keep on fighting through the game and never give up."
Quick notes on recruits:
Eric Harper ? He'll be officially visiting NU this weekend and he still sounded sold on playing for the Huskers despite the team's recent struggles. He told me that he's still hearing occasionally from home-state LSU. He camped there and he went to the Tigers' game with Tulane two weeks ago with his cousin and three of his brothers. After the game, he spent some time with the LSU coaches. He told me, "Oh yeah, it went good. I was talking to their offensive coordinator, their defensive coordinator, and their linebacker coach ? coach Peveto. Coach Peveto said they really liked my highlight tape." Harper said that he might take one more official visit to Louisiana-Monroe after Nebraska.
DeVonte Christopher ? He will be heading to Stanford for his official visit this weekend with Nebraska still in the lead. Stanford's defeat of Southern Cal last Saturday had to have turned his head, though. He's told me on more than one occasion that he really likes coach Harbaugh. He's also scheduled an official with Colorado for the weekend after his Palo Alto stop, so his situation has to be considered very fluid.
Juron Criner ? DeVonte's teammate is having a breakout campaign. He continues to lead the state of Nevada in receiving yards and scoring. Through six games, Criner has 31 receptions for 768 yards and 15 touchdowns. He still holds the same offers from UNLV, Utah, Nevada and Wyoming, with the Running Rebels being his tentative leader. When I spoke with Criner this week, he said that Kansas State is a new school really coming on and showing him a lot of attention. Husker assistant coach Ted Gilmore was out to evaluate Criner three weeks ago, and DeVonte brought Juron's film with him when he was on his official to NU a couple weeks ago. As of Monday, the Huskers hadn't offered him and their recruiting contact hadn't increased noticeably. When I asked Juron what he was looking for in a school he said, "Well, the first thing I'm going to look at is a school big in passing. Like, I wouldn't want to go to a school that runs the option. Then another thing, I want to go somewhere where the coaches are cool guys - little things like that. As far as to where I'll go, I'm still open-minded about that."
Etc.
As Jason Peter said on Big Red Wrap-up; and many others have mentioned on RSS, what is probably the most disappointing development in the Husker program is the utter lack of physicality of the team. NU has played very soft on both sides of the ball this season - even when their collective manhood was challenged by other teams' late hits or cheap shots.
It's especially disheartening for fans because what used to be the trademark of the Big Red program was its toughness and hard-nosed play win or lose.
When Nebraska came up short to Florida State in the '94 Orange Bowl 18-16, after the game the Seminole players said that Nebraska was the most physical team they had ever faced.
When all the nation's media were collectively laughing at the Huskers' chances to knock off Steve Spurrier and the mighty Gators in the '96 Fiesta Bowl, the Huskers quietly and confidently matched their athleticism but also muscled them all over the field.
Before this year's road contest with Wake Forest, former UCLA coach Terry Donahue was on the NFL Network discussing the game and he said, "You know - I used to hate playing Nebraska because they were so physical it would affect our team for two games after that."
This has nothing to do with style of offense or defensive schemes. It has to do with a mindset and ethos that has seemingly vanished from the institutional memory of the Nebraska program. It's hard to foresee a reversal in NU's recent fortunes unless this is somehow restored to the team.
;
Is Rippy looking around?
I had the opportunity to speak with Doug Rippy this week amidst rumors that he was seriously considering reneging on his commitment to Nebraska in favor of the Cincinnati Bearcats. After talking with him, I am convinced that he is still solid with the Huskers. A full update will be popping up on Friday and you can all decide for yourself. However, here are some of the highlights:
What are his current feelings in regards to the recruiting process and his commitment to Nebraska?
"I'm strongly with Nebraska...100 percent," Rippy said. "Nothing is going to change that. I feel that if you make a commitment to a school, you should honor it. I feel when I committed to Nebraska, that is where I wanted to be with any downfalls and everything...win or lose."
When does he plan to take his official visit to Nebraska?
"I'm scheduled to go Nov. 10 to watch them play Kansas State," Rippy said.
"I'm looking forward to getting back down there. When I went to Nebraska the first time, I didn't want to come home. I loved the fans and the community...the whole thing."
What about the rumors that say he is giving serious consideration to changing his commit to the University of Cincinnati?
"I don't want people to get the wrong thing in their head. I've gone to a couple of games there with a couple of friends, but it's only because its close and I get free tickets. To be honest with you, I'm nowhere close to considering Cincinnati."
Rippy also said he is still in frequent contact with Jonas Gray, D.J. Woods (both of whom he plans to room with in Lincoln), Will Compton and Blaine Gabbert. He said all of those players are still solid with the Huskers.
Another interesting tidbit is that he said many opposing coaches have begun somewhat of a smear campaign against the University of Nebraska. Rippy said he's not listening.
I was convinced that Rippy was extremely sincere after speaking with him, but I've been wrong before. We'll see how it all plays out.
Small, fast and explosive
I spoke to Terrence Robinson, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound athlete out of Klein (Texas) Oak this past week. He claims nine scholarship offers, including one from Nebraska. The speedy running back/receiver (4.33-second 40-yard dash) has already visited Wake Forest and has a visit to Oregon planned for Oct. 26. Are there any other schools he's pretty sure that he'll visit?
"I'd like to say Nebraska," Robinson said. "I'm trying to get in touch with the Nebraska coach to set something up. Those are the only three schools I'd say that are set in stone (that will receive visits).
"I've liked Nebraska ever since I was little. They have a great environment there. They are always a top 20 team. From the looks of things, they really have a good program going."
Robinson has racked up more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground through the first five games of the season. He's also passed for 150 yards and a score and hauled in 10 passes for just fewer than 200 yards and two more touchdowns.
Will he make it to Lincoln for an official visit? There is a good chance.
Nebraska slips with Arizona tight end
The conversation I had with Dion Jordan late last week was one of the strangest I've had with a recruit over the past year or two. Dion told me that Nebraska had the "best facilities in the country" and he raved about the academics at Nebraska and the game time atmosphere. All of his comments led me to believe that Nebraska was very high atop his list of favorites.
When I asked him about Colorado, the only real positive he mentioned was that he had a bit more fun on his trip to Boulder. He said he and some of the Buffalo players spent some time in Denver and really had a good time. He mentioned nothing about the atmosphere, about the fan support, about the academics or about the coaches.
Then, I asked him about his favorites and he told me that Cal and Oregon were both high on his list and Colorado had really moved up as well. Where is Nebraska?
"They've probably moved down a little bit," Jordan said. "I still like them but, probably, not as well as the other three schools."
It just goes to show you that every kid is different. Atmosphere, fan support, academic support...etc are big deals to some kids. For others like Dion, it's more important to feel comfortable in the community and have a number of outlets/choices outside of football. Don't count on Nebraska hauling in this standout from Arizona. (Chances five percent at best). My prediction is that he ends up at Oregon.
Side note - Dion was seriously injured in an accident a day or two after my interview with him. Apparently, he suffered serious burns to over 30 percent of his body. My prayers and thoughts go out to both he and his family.
;
More on Whitmore
I’ve said this before on the board and in past Tunnel Talks, but cornerback David Whitmore sounds solid every time I’ve talked with him.
I spoke with Port Arthur Memorial defensive coordinator Curtis Viola earlier this month before reaching Whitmore late this week and he mentioned to me that other schools call, but they always just tell them he’s committed to Nebraska.
After talking with Whitmore himself, it seems that’s the way he wants it.
It seems to me that the biggest thing for Whitmore is the tradition of Nebraska and said that he just wanted to be a part of it. He’s also having a pretty good season. He may not have an interception, but his coaches have told me that they’ve played teams with receivers that were 6-foot-3 plus in three straight weeks and Whitmore is the guy that lines up against the top guy every time.
Also, some people on the board keep bringing up Texas as a school that will go in late on Whitmore. The Longhorns have two safeties already committed in Nolan Brewster and Blake Gideon along with cornerbacks Aaron Williams and D.J. Monroe. I highly doubt that they’re looking to add more and like I said above, Whitmore doesn’t appear interested in taking other visits.
Brown still on the board
Waller, Texas defensive tackle/fullback prospect ; Eddie Brown was a guy we also hadn’t talked with in a while, so I decided to check in on him late this week.
Brown seems to be pretty set on visiting Arkansas, Nebraska, and Texas Tech. Of those three schools, the Huskers are the only ones looking at him as a fullback. He says that he’ll play anywhere and it’s really about what kind of weight he needs to put on or take off to get ready for a spot on the next level.
It appears that he’s pretty interested in Nebraska also because he and his high school coach and have been learning more about the Huskers program.
I remember seeing him at the Houston junior day and I just remember the guy measuring in bigger than he looked. He’s a quick player that makes a lot of plays on defense and I think though he may not have a definite position right now, I could see him as a defensive lineman or a fullback on the next level. He’ll just need some time to develop.
We’ll keep you posted on when he may visit.
Etc.
*** I’m going to head out to the Millard North vs. Omaha Westside game tomorrow night to see Nebraska commits Sean Fisher and Collins Okafor face off. I’ll have a photo gallery and a story from that game this weekend for you guys.
*** I’ve said it a lot, but I see the same questions on the board about Brandon Thompson’s commitment and what kind of effect that will have on Nebraska still taking Trevor Robinson. Guys, I have no doubt that Nebraska will wait on Robinson.
*** The only official visitor this weekend is going to be Eric Harper from what we know. Now, they’re may be some unofficial visitors, but the early start has kept the visit list low in numbers.
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It was not much of a surprise to get a commitment from Brandon Thompson. He knew that only a few spots are left, so he talked it over with his folks and coaches and then pulled the trigger. One thing that did surprise me was the number of offers he was considering - 20 offers. He was considering all of the Texas schools except UT and some other solid programs as far away as Virginia. When I talked to his coach the thing I remember the most was when he said, "he is a dominant, dominant football player." He said it strongly and very convincingly. Hard to believe that 52 others are rated higher than him.
The Rivals.com Cincinnati publisher called me about two weeks ago and told me that Doug Rippy was going to switch to Cinn. I asked him if he was going to break the story and he got back to me by email to tell me that Rippy would be committing when a teammate committed. You can read the last update and see that Rippy says he is 100% committed. One has to accept that view and move on. By the way, I have no idea how the Cinn. publisher got the idea Rippy was going to change. Maybe he thought so since he was taking in all of their games or maybe from another kid. Another one to watch until Feb.
Another question I kept seeing after last Saturday's game was what would happen to those that committed or those that are considering NU. A recruit should want to go to the school for the academics, of course and where he feels the most comfortable. Losses should not matter that much. But most like winners and losing consistently is not good. Will there be more wins than losses over the rest of the games? I have to believe there will be.
Dodge City C.C. JUCO cornerback Kennard Banks could come into the picture more as times goes on. Another corner is needed and he is just one of many in the JC ranks. He told me that he would love to visit NU if they gave him the chance. Right now, the interest is only lukewarm for him. Playing on a 1-5 team sure doesn't help. His coach has been quoted as saying that Banks is his best player, so he must be fairly good.
Simi Kuli and Justin Thompson called coach Buddy Wyatt last night and I understand that the coach has both of them excited about their upcoming visit (Oct. 20) to Nebraska. The expections are high and they were told the red carpet will be laid out for them. They want to see the campus and the time has almost arrived for the Huskers' turn at the bat.
One JUCO corner that wants to visit Nebraska and you can almost count on it is/will be Maurice Gray. I have talked to him and he is excited about seeing NU. The update showing KU as the favorite means nothing...it is the only school he has seen. By the way, his team, Butler, is the opposite of Banks' team. Butler is undefeated and ranked #5 in the nation.
JUCOs or not. NCAA requirements in regards to taking more core classes will put more into the JC ranks than now. I have no idea if Nebraska will always be taking JUCOs. I am only telling you a fact.
Duane 'Roz' Rossiter
HuskersIllustrated.com
Recruiting Publisher