Receiver to transfer to NU
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Monday, Jun 11, 2007 - 12:11:55 pm CDT
Adrian Hilburn, a fleet wide receiver from San Francisco City College, had no qualms about verbally pledging to accept Nebraska’s scholarship offer this past weekend despite never visiting NU’s campus.
You see, Hilburn has a trustworthy inside source for information in former San Francisco City College quarterback Zac Lee, who transferred to Nebraska this past January.
“He tells me how good the program is and just everything about Nebraska,” said the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Hilburn, who reportedly runs the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. “Really, I don’t need to see the campus. I saw it online — the weight room, study areas, everything. It’ll be great to see it in person, but I already know it’s a good school.”
Hilburn becomes the eighth player — and first junior college athlete — to pledge to Nebraska’s class of 2008. Last season at San Francisco City College, Lee and Hilburn helped lead the Rams to a 10-2 record and an appearance in the California junior college title game. Hilburn, in his first season at the school, recorded 27 receptions for 366 yards and six touchdowns.
A Texas native, Hilburn will have three years to play two at Nebraska. He plans to receive his associate’s degree from San Francisco CC in December, enroll at NU in January and be ready for spring practice.
Brad Hoiseth, junior college recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, said Hilburn’s best days on the field probably are ahead of him.
“Last year, he kind of played second fiddle to Kenny O’Neal,” Hoiseth said of the five-star wide receiver who signed with Tennessee’s class of 2007. “Hilburn should be City College’s guy this year, although they’re loaded at receiver. He’s a guy who catches passes downfield.”
In addition to Nebraska, Hilburn said he received strong recruiting interest from Tennessee, Oregon, Kansas State and Texas A&M. However, none of those schools made formal scholarship offers, he said.
Hilburn said he was lightly recruited coming out of Canyon High School in New Braunfels, Texas.
“I didn’t get much recruiting attention because we ran the ball 50 times a game,” he said. “I figured why not go to City College, where they throw it 50 times a game?”
Hilburn obviously looks forward to playing again with Lee, a sophomore at Nebraska who has four years to play three.
“Zac has a great arm,” Hilburn said. “Some quarterbacks have great arm strength but really don’t know how to use it. Zac knows how to throw the ball and where to throw it when a defender is on you. His timing is really good. We always worked together outside of practice, so it fell into place during games.”
Nebraska offensive line coach Dennis Wagner played the primary role in Hilburn’s recruitment. Of the Huskers’ eight verbal commitments for 2008, Wagner has played a lead role in landing six of them.
“He was real cool, real straightforward,” Hilburn said. “You know how some coaches beat around the bush? Coach Wagner just gets straight to the point and talks about business.”
ljs
