Greg Smith on ESPN 590 (6/25/19) Lynom/Conn & Betts

[Red Reign]

Greg Smith talking recruiting

---Likes Lynom's length and NU getting back into FL again. At 6'3" and 170lbs he has the room to grow in the S&C Program. In addition not afraid to stick his nose in and make a tackle. True CB prospect despite his height of 6'3". Coach Fisher wants long guys who are physical and not afraid to put their hands on receivers. He feels a must in the B1G.

---Alex Conn plays OT now but a good chance he moves to OG. Right now he is 6'5" and 280 lbs and has really good feet. Greg feels he has a really high upside. In addition, he is a no nonse hard nosed kid. With a mean streak who fits what Coach Austion is looking for.

---Like a lot of folks was surprised Reed picked UW. Said as late as Sunday Night word he got was it looked good for NU. The switch came at the last minute. His dad did not come on his OV only mom. The host teased that it sounded like Dad had been paid by UW and thus the switch. Greg was very uncomfortable with that line of questioning.

---He changed his prediction on Xavier Watts and now has him Notre Dame bound. However, the key to him is we do not know why he biblically or privately did not commit to them while in South Bend on his OV. Was that because NU is in the back of his mind and he is having a hard time turning down the Huskers. Key is if this drags out its good for NU.

---Expects Gunnerson, Hutmacher and Simon to make decisions this summer. Exepects 8-10 commits my opening weekend.

 

[Red Reign]

You can listen to it here

 

[OldFatHerbie]

---Expects Gunnerson, Hutmacher and Simon to make decisions this summer. Exepects 8-10 commits my opening weekend.

I bet Hutmacher will be a Husker. And he is awesome, an future All-Conference stud if he just follows the path. After that, 8-10, no. We've been in this boat. We need to win games this fall. I'm not being a hater by saying it will be half that estimate. If we are a ranked entity halfway through this season, I'll entertain what Greg Smith is offering.

 

[Red Reign]

I bet Hutmacher will be a Husker. And he is awesome, an future All-Conference stud if he just follows the path. After that, 8-10, no. We've been in this boat. We need to win games this fall. I'm not being a hater by saying it will be half that estimate. If we are a ranked entity halfway through this season, I'll entertain what Greg Smith is offering.

I disagree. We had 13 last year by opening weekend. I not only think 8-10 is doable we might go beyond that. Mike Schaefer also said 8+ tonight on the 247 podcast. So its pretty much across the board thinking

 

[Beareye]

Only three more commits are needed in the next two months to reach 8 by opening weekend. I sure hope we have at least eight by then.

With that said, filling up fast in and of itself is not necessarily a good thing. Getting who you really want/need is what matters, regardless of the timing of the various commitments. We'll just have more good news during the season than all these other teams that are quickly filling up in the summer!

 

[Redfish]

I’m normally a very positive person, but something here is certainly bothersome to me. I know we “won’t get them all” you never will. However, key misses could add up to a very disturbing recruiting year, or at the very least disappointing. It’s not that we miss, it’s who and WHERE they are from. Missing the 2 big guys from Colorado Atteberry and Rosengarten, then Logan from Iowa... and if we lose Watts from Omaha. That to me would be more than disappointing. That is NOT keeping your home turf secured. Especially on the top tier targets. Hopefully by year 5 Nebraska has enough wins and trending upward enough and competitive that it means more to stay close.

 

[Twelve String]

I bet Hutmacher will be a Husker. And he is awesome, an future All-Conference stud if he just follows the path. After that, 8-10, no. We've been in this boat. We need to win games this fall. I'm not being a hater by saying it will be half that estimate. If we are a ranked entity halfway through this season, I'll entertain what Greg Smith is offering.

Out of Gunnerson, Hutmacher and Simon the only one I feel reasonably confident about is Hutmacher. According to 247 it appears Simon is either Notre Dame or Ohio State bound. My concern with Gunnerson is he will opt to be with his brother at Iowa State. Couldn't blame him for wanting to stick with family.

Supposedly there are more announcements coming in July. 8 commits by opening day shouldn't be tough to hit.

Once recruits get on campus for a game day I hope we see an uptick in commits jumping on he band wagon.

To be honest, I thought there would be more enthusiasm from recruits at this point given the attendance at the Friday Night Lights, BBQ, and Spring Game. I can't believe that the coaching staff is happy sitting at 5 commits after all the effort put into those events and all the travel they put in.

The idea that you can keep every Nebraska kid at home is ludicrous. If Watts ends up at Notre Dame, which seems very possible, so be it.

 

[Huskerthom]

Out of Gunnerson, Hutmacher and Simon the only one I feel reasonably confident about is Hutmacher. According to 247 it appears Simon is either Notre Dame or Ohio State bound. My concern with Gunnerson is he will opt to be with his brother at Iowa State. Couldn't blame him for wanting to stick with family.

Supposedly there are more announcements coming in July. 8 commits by opening day shouldn't be tough to hit.

Once recruits get on campus for a game day I hope we see an uptick in commits jumping on he band wagon.

To be honest, I thought there would be more enthusiasm from recruits at this point given the attendance at the Friday Night Lights, BBQ, and Spring Game. I can't believe that the coaching staff is happy sitting at 5 commits after all the effort put into those events and all the travel they put in.

The idea that you can keep every Nebraska kid at home is ludicrous. If Watts ends up at Notre Dame, which seems very possible, so be it.

A couple things.
1. I am way more upbeat about Gunnerson than you. Yes I know the family history at ISU. However some kids just want to be their own man. My Dad, all my uncles and any cousin that served went into the Army. I chose the Corps because I wanted to set myself apart. Many kids do not want to fall in line. Some want to one up the rest. Expectations at N are much higher standard.

2. As for the paragraph about FNL and the BBQ. These coaches are not high pressure used car salesman. They are patient. I do not think they are nervous at all.

 

[Bleed Red]

On Conn moving to OG:

I think the staff would be smart to recruit 80% OT and only the occasional, very special interior lineman. They want length and good feet all across the OL, so targeting OTs and then moving those guys who aren't the best to an inside position gives them more room to "miss" and also an athletic line all the way across.

Kind of the same rationale could be applied to DBs. Recruit long, physical CBs and then move the ones who are the 2nd cut to safety. As long as they can hold up to the physical challenge, they get 4-5 DBs on the field with good ball and cover skills and have more chances of hitting on elite corners.

Of course, in order for this to be successful, they have to recruit athletes who are more likely to accept a position switch than transfer if they are not able to win their "chosen" position battles.

 

[36Blast]

This thread should be merged with the Bunched Panties thread.

 

[Huskerthom]

On Conn moving to OG:

I think the staff would be smart to recruit 80% OT and only the occasional, very special interior lineman. They want length and good feet all across the OL, so targeting OTs and then moving those guys who aren't the best to an inside position gives them more room to "miss" and also an athletic line all the way across.

Kind of the same rationale could be applied to DBs. Recruit long, physical CBs and then move the ones who are the 2nd cut to safety. As long as they can hold up to the physical challenge, they get 4-5 DBs on the field with good ball and cover skills and have more chances of hitting on elite corners.

Of course, in order for this to be successful, they have to recruit athletes who are more likely to accept a position switch than transfer if they are not able to win their "chosen" position battles.

I thought the same thing. Guys who are good highschool tackles can be great OG and centers, The same with your point about CB and safetys. If you can play corner you will be a great cover safety. Only issue is finding the guys not afraid to stick their nose in on run support.

 

[joncarl]

A couple things.
1. I am way more upbeat about Gunnerson than you. Yes I know the family history at ISU. However some kids just want to be their own man. My Dad, all my uncles and any cousin that served went into the Army. I chose the Corps because I wanted to set myself apart. Many kids do not want to fall in line. Some want to one up the rest. Expectations at N are much higher standard.

2. As for the paragraph about FNL and the BBQ. These coaches are not high pressure used car salesman. They are patient. I do not think they are nervous at all.

So you are the smart one in your family, good for you.

 

[N2FL]

On Conn moving to OG:

I think the staff would be smart to recruit 80% OT and only the occasional, very special interior lineman. They want length and good feet all across the OL, so targeting OTs and then moving those guys who aren't the best to an inside position gives them more room to "miss" and also an athletic line all the way across.

Kind of the same rationale could be applied to DBs. Recruit long, physical CBs and then move the ones who are the 2nd cut to safety. As long as they can hold up to the physical challenge, they get 4-5 DBs on the field with good ball and cover skills and have more chances of hitting on elite corners.

Of course, in order for this to be successful, they have to recruit athletes who are more likely to accept a position switch than transfer if they are not able to win their "chosen" position battles.

I agree and I think the staff does as well. You see it with guys like Michael Lynn, who played right tackle for Cherry Creek, but is being slotted at guard. Conn plays left tackle for Derby, but could easily project to guard. In fact, Turner Corcoran could also project to guard, but IMPO you put a talent like that at tackle because of the importance of the position.

I also defer guys to corner, if all things are equal. Mark Banker had that philosophy where he'd give a guy a look initially at corner and then slide you inside if that was your better spot. He did that with Avery Anderson, Tony Butler and Marquel Dismuke.

Travis Fisher has the philosophy of wanting "defensive backs" and not specifically guys that are "just" corners or "just" safeties. You can see that with guys he's brought in like Cam Taylor, Noa Pola-Gates and Quinton Newsome. Those three can play just about anywhere in the secondary.

I do think that you need to identify guys on the o-line that could project to center. That's a bit more of a specific scouting strategy for the staff. Whether they're high school centers already, or kids you've seen with the potential to transition there. It's not as easy of a transition for guys to move to center from tackle or guard. Nebraska has struggled to field a center that wasn't just competent for probably a decade.

I also think it's smart to go after kids even if they are "only" corners or safeties. A guy like Myles Farmer isn't going to be a corner. That dude has the athletic and physical tools to be an outstanding strong safety. And a guy like Joshua Moten, who visited last weekend, is a really good looking corner prospect who probably wouldn't fit at safety.

 

[Bleed Red]

I agree and I think the staff does as well. You see it with guys like Michael Lynn, who played right tackle for Cherry Creek, but is being slotted at guard. Conn plays left tackle for Derby, but could easily project to guard. In fact, Turner Corcoran could also project to guard, but IMPO you put a talent like that at tackle because of the importance of the position.

I also defer guys to corner, if all things are equal. Mark Banker had that philosophy where he'd give a guy a look initially at corner and then slide you inside if that was your better spot. He did that with Avery Anderson, Tony Butler and Marquel Dismuke.

Travis Fisher has the philosophy of wanting "defensive backs" and not specifically guys that are "just" corners or "just" safeties. You can see that with guys he's brought in like Cam Taylor, Noa Pola-Gates and Quinton Newsome. Those three can play just about anywhere in the secondary.

I do think that you need to identify guys on the o-line that could project to center. That's a bit more of a specific scouting strategy for the staff. Whether they're high school centers already, or kids you've seen with the potential to transition there. It's not as easy of a transition for guys to move to center from tackle or guard. Nebraska has struggled to field a center that wasn't just competent for probably a decade.

I also think it's smart to go after kids even if they are "only" corners or safeties. A guy like Myles Farmer isn't going to be a corner. That dude has the athletic and physical tools to be an outstanding strong safety. And a guy like Joshua Moten, who visited last weekend, is a really good looking corner prospect who probably wouldn't fit at safety.

Yes, i think we share the same feelings here. I agree with your assessment of center being more specialized, but with the SF offense, the center is often asked to pull and that requires the athleticism and feet of a OT in many cases. I think the recent issues at center for NU were as much about players not having the size to handle the huge DTs as much as anything else. The actual snapping of the ball can be taught, but having the size and strength to do it with a guy who is 330 pounds across from you is more challenging.

Certainly taking position specific studs is not bad, but overall skewing the numbers to the more difficult position to recruit to increases the odds of having quality and depth.

 

[N2FL]

Looking like the lure of the SEC is gonna be too much to overcome with Joshua Moten.