Locked due to no posts in 60 days. Report 1st post if need unlocked 4/5 star: recruiting vs. Development

[Deleted member 4942]

So let's talk recruiting, especially in the "new era" cause I'm an old man, compared to development, especially in light of the recent departure of a highly regarded recruit.

In my era, the best athletes, Jerry Tagge, Johnny Rodgers, Guy Ingles, Rich Glover, Wayne Meylan, etc would be here for all four years of their scholarships. This meant that you had not only time to develop their skills but also the benefit of their wonderful athleticism for 3 years at the varsity level. Continuity and skill lead to great things in Husker land.

Now things are very different as talented athletes seem much less likely to stay for all four years of their scholarship. Less time to develop, less continuity, and less athleticism on campus.

An example, the great Ohio State class of 2016 to the NFL (2015 football team) had 12 players drafted: 5 seniors, 5 juniors and 2 sophomores.

The first round picks are even more startling with two sophomores, two juniors and a single senior. Amazing that OSU is able to "reload" the way we used to from such a talent loss.

What does this mean for DONU?
1. Highlights the importance of the walk on program as the way to develop players who will stay on campus for the full 4 to 5 years. They will give you a chance as a coach to provide continuity in your system and weight train them into viable players.
2. Can DONU recruit to the OSU, Alabama, Georgia 4-5 Star recruit level so that we can "reload" like OSU? Well, we never have so why do we think we will start now? Besides, as OSU has shown 4-5 stars if they are very, very good will likely leave early for the NFL, reducing continuity.

We have always leavened carefully chosen 3 stars and walk ons with a few select 4-5 stars that fit our system into championship teams.

So, the Nebraska kids still on our list are the most important part of our recruiting process, we all know that. While we are always sorry to lose a recruit, we wish him well, always hope he will reconsider.

Final thought is that our current class does not address what I would guess to be AD Moss's Christmas wish list: Help in the trenches. That is where championships are built.

Would love to see highly regarded O-line and D-line recruits, especially from Nebraska and the region (Kansas, Missouri, Dakotas, Colorado, Iowa) but have not seen any talked about on our recruiting thread gurus.

 

[Greatest Fan of All]

There is no reason to compare the two...high quality players are needed, and ALL players need development. You are correct though, that the very best players may move on early, but that's not really a problem, just a known possibility that you must deal with.

 

[bilsker]

You go get the best players you can get that fit what you want to do. You absolutely do not shy away from a super talented guy out of fear that he may move on. And the REASON guys are able to leave OSU early is BECAUSE they were developed. Very very few guys are like Adrian Peterson and can walk right in an play at an all american level. Even 4 and 5 star guys need to be developed.

The simple answer is it is all important. development, recruiting, walk-ons. If Riley accomplished anything at NU it should be that we don't have to have the attitude that "well, that guy has offers from ____ and ____ so we would just be wasting our time". We CAN get highly rated guys at any position and there is absolutely no downside to that.

 

[Blue Howl]

Recruiting or development? Yes.

 

[Goal-line]

Obviously, one should recruit highly talented personnel (most of the time). However, being able to identify a prospect who you think will fit your system, have good character, and will dedicate himself to work his rear end off so he can constantly improve, cannot be overlooked. That is, basically, what the walkon program was about when TO was the head coach. Now days, they want instant playing time. No two years of working on the scout team and in the weight room to get on the field. What we, as fans, get caught up in is the insanity of the media hype. Some kids who have a lot of stars behind their names in high school don't pan out because their talent was enough to get them buy at that time. Then, when they get to another level where they are required to do the things necessary to grow and develop to meet the competition for playing time, they fizzle out. Also, they do not understand the physicalness and the speed of the college game. The college level is much different than high school.

 

[bilsker]

Obviously, one should recruit highly talented personnel (most of the time). However, being able to identify a prospect who you think will fit your system, have good character, and will dedicate himself to work his rear end off so he can constantly improve, cannot be overlooked. That is, basically, what the walkon program was about when TO was the head coach. Now days, they want instant playing time. No two years of working on the scout team and in the weight room to get on the field. What we, as fans, get caught up in is the insanity of the media hype. Some kids who have a lot of stars behind their names in high school don't pan out because their talent was enough to get them buy at that time. Then, when they get to another level where they are required to do the things necessary to grow and develop to meet the competition for playing time, they fizzle out. Also, they do not understand the physicalness and the speed of the college game. The college level is much different than high school.

I get lamenting the entitled types but it's not like NU gets more than other programs.

Former player who does a sunday radio show on 1620...his name escapes me right now. He talked about how Jimmy Burough's kid that went to OSU relayed that they are basically made to feel like they aren't good enough when they get there...a "break em down and rebuild em" sort of thing. If they are all entitled coming in then it matters what you do with them when they show up. You can beat that out of a guy. Or he can leave. I'm not saying NU coaches enabled that entitled mentality but the former player certainly seemed to think so.