The move to the B1G and Husker recruiting

[HuskerWheatie]

The move to the B1G created concern over how the Huskers would recruit. Now that we’re headed into year two I thought I take a look at the numbers and compare NU’s 2008-2010 recruiting classes to the 2011-2013 classes. I included only high school athletes in the analysis.

First off, the numbers indicate NU has gotten about the same number of athletes from neighboring states and SEC states in each of the two time periods. Personally, I’d like to see us recruit Missouri a little better. Perhaps that will happen in the Tigers crash and burn in the SEC.

I think the general assumption was that NU would be badly hurt by a reduced presence in Texas. It appears that concern was warranted. NU has signatures/commitments from an average of 4 fewer players each year from the Lone Star State (21 in 08-10 compared to eight in 11-13). The more important question is whether recruiting less effectively in Texas will hurt the product on the field. I think that question is still very much open for debate. Texas, OU and A&M already generally got first pick in Texas. Though a quick check shows LSU, Arkansas and Alabama have exactly one commit among them from Texas for the 2013 class, you’d have to think the SEC schools will now recruit Texas harder than they have in recent years. There was already a lot of competition for Texas talent and it’s likely to get more intense. I suspect NU will pull an occasional athlete from Texas, but won’t likely sign eight a year, as happened in 2008 and 2009.

The recruiting losses in Texas have been offset by gains in B1G territory. NU has two athletes a year more from Ohio in the last three classes and another extra athlete per year from the other B1G states. The one thing that was surprising is NU has fewer California HS athletes in the last three classes compared to the previous three (3 compared to 7). I think that’s an anomaly. The Huskers have some strong recruiting roots in California. Over the long run, I’d be surprised if California athletes don’t make up for a good part of the reduced number of recruits from Texas.

At the end of the day, Husker coaches have always had to recruit nationally. In that sense, nothing has changed. It seems to me the coaching staff has adjusted well to the new conference alignment and is doing a great job of building a program we can all be proud of.

[Scarlet]

Your data is skewed. The 2013 class is only half full.

[HuskerWheatie]

The actual number of HS players isn't very different. I was also only looking for big differences in numbers, so unless we fill all remaining spots in the class with players from Texas, the main point holds. The fact the 2013 class isn't finished is also one reason I said the California numbers were an anomaly as they may well even out by February.

[The Impaler]

The other thing to consider is last years class was a very small class.

I think we still keep a strong presence in TX moving forward, not as many recruits as in the past but like you pointed out the staff has made inroads into Ohio so that offsets TX.

[CombatTargeteer]

Ohio

[KC Husker]

You may want to compare Texas recruit numbers prior to the Big XII, to see if we compare with the recruits we got from Texas when we were in the Big 8. We will probably fit more in that range. But we may have been getting more players in the Big 8 days from Texas, because UT wasn't as big as a factor.

[RedEd]

You may want to compare Texas recruit numbers prior to the Big XII, to see if we compare with the recruits we got from Texas when we were in the Big 8. We will probably fit more in that range. But we may have been getting more players in the Big 8 days from Texas, because UT wasn't as big as a factor.

As I recall, and it may not be accurate, but in Big 8 days, NU didn't get that many players from Texas.