WR Xavier Watts Commits To Notre Dame

[HuskerHeathen]

The following is a true statement: Not all Nebraska kids want to play for Nebraska

In the past we've had good local players choose to go elsewhere (this is true) even in the Osborne era (see Larry Station or Scott Frost). Frosty may be the poster child for this in terms of "doing his own thing" when he chose Bill Walsh over TO (fortunately for NU football that didn't work out).

It is possible that when a person on the board here just says a kid might want to do his own thing, the person is just simply reflecting the true statement above. Nothing more than that ....nothing about proximity being tough or a lamentation on how hard it is to recruit.

But, I do think I understand you're frustration with NU fans always trying to come up with excuses of why we can't do this or do that particularly when it comes to recruiting.... We've always seemed to have plenty of built in excuses. We've had head coaches lead the way with built in excuses.....

Okay, that's all I got...

Your kool-aid is stale and putrid.
You must have bought it on sale after the SELL BY date.

 

[Beareye]

NU was five for five with the instate players we offered last year, and at least two of those five could have gone just about anywhere. Betts and Watts are the two instate 2020 class prospects that we have offered, and Betts has already committed. Ruud, Frost, and company seem to have a pretty good handle on instate recruiting.

Every kid is different, and there is of course no guarantee with Watts. There certainly is some reason for optimism and hope based on recent success though.

 

[HuSkaBob]

The guy fans should be worried about losing out on is Xavier Watts. Michigan and especially Notre Dame are really pushing hard for him. The Irish might be the leader at the moment.

@N2FL - I know UNL wants to keep Watts at home, what's the deal? Grass is greener? Better offensive fit? Just wants to get away?

 

[Huskerwisdom]

NU was five for five with the instate players we offered last year, and at least two of those five could have gone just about anywhere. Betts and Watts are the two instate 2020 class prospects that we have offered, and Betts has already committed. Ruud, Frost, and company seem to have a pretty good handle on instate recruiting.

Every kid is different, and there is of course no guarantee with Watts. There certainly is some reason for optimism and hope based on recent success though.

Exactly. Not only have we done a great job of recruiting locally, our offense is going to be record setting this year, IMO, and we are going to see the kind of stars that Frost can make out of offensive skill players writ large. If he's not into Nebraska, then we are on an even playing field with the rest. It's possible we'll lose him, but I think Frost and our coaches will give us every chance to get him to NU, unless he really just wants to move away from home.

 

[Twelve String]

It certainly looks like he is trending away from NU, as there is yet anther CB for Watts to Notre Dame. Betts is an academic risk, so WR is an area of concern for 2020 if Watts does not commit. I hope the coaches are working on plan B.

I am a amazed and a bit concerned that our 2020 recruiting in general has been so quiet for so long.

 

[BubbaGene]

It certainly looks like he is trending away from NU, as there is yet anther CB for Watts to Notre Dame. Betts is an academic risk, so WR is an area of concern for 2020 if Watts does not commit. I hope the coaches are working on plan B.

I am a amazed and a bit concerned that our 2020 recruiting in general has been so quiet for so long.

We’ll be fine. It’s May.....

 

[36Blast]

Not worried at all. We are in on a lot of big fish. They tend to stretch the process out a bit.

 

[N2FL]

It certainly looks like he is trending away from NU, as there is yet anther CB for Watts to Notre Dame. Betts is an academic risk, so WR is an area of concern for 2020 if Watts does not commit. I hope the coaches are working on plan B.

I am a amazed and a bit concerned that our 2020 recruiting in general has been so quiet for so long.

Watts is definitely a top target both in terms of talent and Frost wanting to continue to put a fence up around the state. Every time he beats out schools like Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Michigan and other schools in the Big Ten footprint - along with teams from the SEC, Big 12 and Pac 12 - for guys like Henrich, Hickman and if they eventually get Watts and then Avante Dickerson and Teddy Prochazka in the next class, it sends more of a message that you aren't pulling kids from Nebraska that the Huskers really want.

Now, will those schools continue to target the Nick Henrich's and Avante Dickerson's that come along? Sure, but more and more they will devote less resources and time unless they get a serious mutual interest from the start.

As for the WR position in general, I think Nebraska has several plan A guys still on the board and if they miss on Watts they'll be far from working their backup plans. Recruiting is slow, but expect a big June and ultimately, I think Frost will have 10-12 commits by the time he's prepping for South Alabama.

 

[goodnterribles]

It would be incredibly disappointing if they were to lose Watts to ND or somebody else. But I still believe they already got the important commit in this class (Corcoran). Add Hutmacher to that, and that's how you keep building towards being a CFP contender.

 

[ShortSideOption]

Need to hope Watts stretches this into November/December and create excitement for him with our offense otherwise he’s probably gone. Give ourselves more time to make up ground.

 

[Red Reign]

Need to hope Watts stretches this into November/December and create excitement for him with our offense otherwise he’s probably gone. Give ourselves more time to make up ground.

If he is seeing Irish Green so be it. As much as you want to seal the borders you are going to lose a kid once in awhile

With the ex-teammates he already has that are Huskers if they can not sway him them its probably not going to happen.

Some kids just want to leave the state. I had friends like that.

I hope we get him with that being said I have never understood the allure of Notre Dame

 

[Middle-aged_Ball_Coach]

I hope we get him with that being said I have never understood the allure of Notre Dame

So ... what I hear you saying is "I'm not Catholic."

Fwiw, I'm not Catholic, but I've had this strange habit/history of having dating (and eventually marrying) a Catholic. I can't tell you how many times and in how many different Catholic churches all over I have heard some priest work some reference to Notre Dame into the service. This was especially brought home to me in college as I was dating a Catholic girl while rooming with the guy who wished that Rudy could have been his life story; of course, he was Catholic, too.

Just out of curiosity, could I get a shout-out from and Catholic Husker fans who have regularly heard priests/nuns/monks pumping Notre Dame football? Maybe it's just my experience, but my wife was from New Jersey, I grew up in South Dakota, one sister-in-law is from the Twin Cities, and another was living in Arizona, and all four locations were rife with Catholic clergy pumping Notre Dame sunshine.

 

[Red Reign]

So ... what I hear you saying is "I'm not Catholic."

Fwiw, I'm not Catholic, but I've had this strange habit/history of having dating (and eventually marrying) a Catholic. I can't tell you how many times and in how many different Catholic churches all over I have heard some priest work some reference to Notre Dame into the service. This was especially brought home to me in college as I was dating a Catholic girl while rooming with the guy who wished that Rudy could have been his life story; of course, he was Catholic, too.

Just out of curiosity, could I get a shout-out from and Catholic Husker fans who have regularly heard priests/nuns/monks pumping Notre Dame football? Maybe it's just my experience, but my wife was from New Jersey, I grew up in South Dakota, one sister-in-law is from the Twin Cities, and another was living in Arizona, and all four locations were rife with Catholic clergy pumping Notre Dame sunshine.

Nope has nothing to do with Catholic. Had a friend who went there who was not Catholic and loved the education but hated the sports atmosphere. Another close life long friend who is an ex-priest who hates Notre Dame too. Told me some funny stories about tweaking parishioners who were huge Irish fans. Dirty little secret is he got his MS at Ohio State.

Of course my dad always hated Notre Dame too especially Lou Holtz. Said no son of his who play for him.

Some of my best friends are Catholic and many can not stand Notre Dame for all the obvious reasons

I have met a person or two in my travels who are from Nebraska who hate the Huskers too for the way media etc jam Husker football down there throats.

 

[satcong2]

If he goes elsewhere so be it. That happening would not indicate any weakness in our current staff. You go on to the next guy and drive on.

 

[Middle-aged_Ball_Coach]

Nope has nothing to do with Catholic. Had a friend who went there who was not Catholic and loved the education but hated the sports atmosphere. Another close life long friend who is an ex-priest who hates Notre Dame too. Told me some funny stories about tweaking parishioners who were huge Irish fans. Dirty little secret is he got his MS at Ohio State.

Of course my dad always hated Notre Dame too especially Lou Holtz. Said no son of his who play for him.

Some of my best friends are Catholic and many can not stand Notre Dame for all the obvious reasons

I have met a person or two in my travels who are from Nebraska who hate the Huskers too for the way media etc jam Husker football down there throats.

It's fair to mention the anti-Notre Dame backlash among Catholics because it's definitely there. Still, if you're Catholic, you've got some people whispering in one ear their love for N.D. while the other ear is filled with hatred for N.D.--that's a whole lot more interesting than NOTHING being said about [fill-in-the-blank]. Even hatred of a school is an advantage in recruiting. I give you the Jimmy Johnson-era Miami Hurricanes as Exhibit A.

Also, for what it's worth, it's one of the most iconic, beautiful campuses that I've ever visited. If you've never been there, you should go. My introduction to Notre Dame's campus and Notre Dame Stadium was the '93 game against Florida State. Wow! It's hard to walk away from that with a negative impression of the whole.