If your son played??

[wcbsas]

I appreciate your response. I think his coach would respond similarly to you. It is hard to know when he’s really hurt. I struggle with that sometimes because he’s the kind that will play through it.

Last piece of advice - I would have no issues with letting your son decide ... I did the same with mine ... but I would be very upfront and make your agreement conditional on the fact that he does have to communicate fully and completely with you in regards to his health and physical well-being.

 

[Frosty1980]

I would say yes. It really comes down to if they want to play ball after college or just use their abilities to get free college. If its just to get through college does where they play in the grand scheme of things matter.

That’s a good point. The vast majority never play professionally. Personally I would let my son make whatever decision he believed in. Whatever coach he felt most comfortable with and trusted would be the big thing. I can tell you my son would want to go to Nebraska. That’s his team so I know that would be the dream school.

 

[wcbsas]

I would say yes. It really comes down to if they want to play ball after college or just use their abilities to get free college. If its just to get through college does where they play in the grand scheme of things matter.

The truth of the matter is the majority of the kids in basketball, baseball and to a certain degree football already know pretty quickly in high school whether they have a chance professionally or not ... bball players are playing nationally on sponsored tennis shoe teams and are already being actively recruited by blue blood colleges as freshmen in high school.

There are very few late bloomers professionally in this sport in my opinion.

 

[KleinTxHusker]

TE University - Fant, Hockeson, Kittle

Although I do wonder in retrospect whether Fant is happy with his decision given he shared the TE position with Hockenson

IIRC, there was more than a little grumbling out of his (Fant) family that he wasn't being fully utilized in the offense. Heck, based on draft results, although he went in the first round as the 20th pick, he was the second best TE on the team!

 

[cthusker]

That’s a good point. The vast majority never play professionally. Personally I would let my son make whatever decision he believed in. Whatever coach he felt most comfortable with and trusted would be the big thing. I can tell you my son would want to go to Nebraska. That’s his team so I know that would be the dream school.

Absolutely totally 100% agree with your position. Give him the best advise you can and then get out of his way and let him make his own decision. Deciding where to go to college is a HUGE decision for young men/women and especially to play college athletes. Bottom line it should be their decision as it's their life!

 

[KleinTxHusker]

Let’s just say you have a senior playing football and was being recruited. Would you recommend he goes to Nebraska under these coaches? Would it depend on position? If he was an offensive lineman being recruited by Iowa, Wisconsin, and Nebraska what would you tell him? Take your fan goggles off and answer truthfully. I would recommend Iowa if my son played offensive line or tight end. They have proven for over a decade to send kids to the NFL. Noah Fant chose them and it went really well. I think this is always a fun discussion.

Ultimately it would be my kid's decision. I would make sure DONU gets a hearing. I would outline what I thought were relevant things to make a decision on. Based on what I would recommend as criteria and metrics there would be a big risk Wisc or Iowa would be picked over DONU. This is primarily based on 20 years of sub par results vs. the the other two and poor continuity. We are in season 4 of Frost, and really outside of Jurgens, it is hard to see the value added by the staff. And even Jurgens has had his issues that rise to question of quality of coaching. And this did not start with Frost, as Dr. Rob says this issue has been around since Callahan was HC at the least.

 

[Frosty1980]

Ultimately it would be my kid's decision. I would make sure DONU gets a hearing. I would outline what I thought were relevant things to make a decision on. Based on what I would recommend as criteria and metrics there would be a big risk Wisc or Iowa would be picked over DONU. This is primarily based on 20 years of sub par results vs. the the other two and poor continuity. We are in season 4 of Frost, and really outside of Jurgens, it is hard to see the value added by the staff. And even Jurgens has had his issues that rise to question of quality of coaching. And this did not start with Frost, as Dr. Rob says this issue has been around since Callahan was HC at the least.

I really like your response and way of looking at it. I think a huge part would also be based on what each school offers academically. That’s what got us Suh. He liked our engineering department.

 

[DuckTownHusker]

It really depends on my kid's skill level and what his dreams are.

If he was in the ~90% who will never play in the NFL, than I'd want him to pick a school based on academics and what his eventual career will be. If he wants to be a world-class lawyer and future Supreme Court Justice, than it's a question of whether you play football for Yale or Harvard.

If he's in the 5% who plays in the NFL, than I start looking at the most viable route to get into the league. For many players, that might mean playing at a mid-tier level (FBS G5, FCS) and absolutely blowing away the competition. Beating the hell out of FCS defenders at North Dakota State seems more impressive to me than being a middling OL at Indiana or Nebraska or Kansas State.

If he's in the elite 1% who has serious first-round potential (and would be a likely 3-5 year starter in college) than I start looking at the national powerhouses like Ohio State or Alabama, or I focus on the "Lineman U" schools like Iowa or Wisconsin.

Of course all that gets trumped by a kid who grows up a Husker fan and wants nothing more than to play for UNL. Sometimes the dream isn't major academics (Ivy League) or getting into the NFL. If my kid wants to be a successful businessman and loves football, than Nebraska is a totally perfect option.

 

[Frosty1980]

It really depends on my kid's skill level and what his dreams are.

If he was in the ~90% who will never play in the NFL, than I'd want him to pick a school based on academics and what his eventual career will be. If he wants to be a world-class lawyer and future Supreme Court Justice, than it's a question of whether you play football for Yale or Harvard.

If he's in the 5% who plays in the NFL, than I start looking at the most viable route to get into the league. For many players, that might mean playing at a mid-tier level (FBS G5, FCS) and absolutely blowing away the competition. Beating the hell out of FCS defenders at North Dakota State seems more impressive to me than being a middling OL at Indiana or Nebraska or Kansas State.

If he's in the elite 1% who has serious first-round potential (and would be a likely 3-5 year starter in college) than I start looking at the national powerhouses like Ohio State or Alabama, or I focus on the "Lineman U" schools like Iowa or Wisconsin.

Of course all that gets trumped by a kid who grows up a Husker fan and wants nothing more than to play for UNL. Sometimes the dream isn't major academics (Ivy League) or getting into the NFL. If my kid wants to be a successful businessman and loves football, than Nebraska is a totally perfect option.

Very well thought out.

 

[KleinTxHusker]

My son is a freshman in high school. He wants to play next year. It’s a tough decision but I’m letting him decide. The thing is he has a definite possibility of playing college basketball. Possibly a high level. I know his basketball coach will cringe when told he’s playing football.

Unless your kid looks like he might have a shot at D-1; no football (well discourage him, but ultimately his decision). I remember a really talented Basketball player (who was a bean pole) playing 8th grade FB with my son (who had a TE body but O-Line speed) and I remember saying to BB player's mom that if he were my kid, no way would he be playing FB (which is what his parents thought - and ultimately what happened).

I really disagree with going to FB coach and telling them you don't want your kid doing X or Y. There was a kid on my youngest son's class who had a track offer from UCLA and that is what dad did. Kid played WR, no DB no Special teams, etc. Really was a distraction and many people knew. Turns out the track offer fell through. IMO, it did no one any good for him to be playing. No injuries, but was underutilized and a non factor in FB and there was enough grumbling amongst players and parents. Coach was a real nice guy, a good effective coach, but it probably wasn't fair to the team.

My son got small college interest (very limited FCS, mostly lower - one 3/4 scholarship). Ultimately he decided not to play any college ball. Made me a happy man. He got to have fun, got out with no injuries (he was one of the bigger, stronger players on the field) but he'd been on the small side at even the FCS level.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

TE University - Fant, Hockeson, Kittle

Although I do wonder in retrospect whether Fant is happy with his decision given he shared the TE position with Hockenson

The decision that made him a 1st round NFL draft pick? Yea I think he is okay with it....

 

[KleinTxHusker]

I really like your response and way of looking at it. I think a huge part would also be based on what each school offers academically. That’s what got us Suh. He liked our engineering department.

One huge plus for DONU is we actually get kids through real academic programs. Iowa and Wisconsin probably have "better" engineering (Iowa State, too).

But there may be a lot of "top" schools who will steer athletes away from those majors, or worse, the entrance requirements for those majors are so high they can't realistically get many FB players into them.

I wonder how many Texas players actually are able to get into Business School (it is limited to something like top 2% or 7% of HS class). We have friends kids who have to go to JUCO and get wait listed into aTm Engineering (UT would be very tough, too).

There are things that athletic departments can do probably to get kids in those, but I would have my doubts.

 

[Frosty1980]

Unless your kid looks like he might have a shot at D-1; no football (well discourage him, but ultimately his decision). I remember a really talented Basketball player (who was a bean pole) playing 8th grade FB with my son (who had a TE body but O-Line speed) and I remember saying to BB player's mom that if he were my kid, no way would he be playing FB (which is what his parents thought - and ultimately what happened).

I really disagree with going to FB coach and telling them you don't want your kid doing X or Y. There was a kid on my youngest son's class who had a track offer from UCLA and that is what dad did. Kid played WR, no DB no Special teams, etc. Really was a distraction and many people knew. Turns out the track offer fell through. IMO, it did no one any good for him to be playing. No injuries, but was underutilized and a non factor in FB and there was enough grumbling amongst players and parents. Coach was a real nice guy, a good effective coach, but it probably wasn't fair to the team.

My son got small college interest (very limited FCS, mostly lower - one 3/4 scholarship). Ultimately he decided not to play any college ball. Made me a happy man. He got to have fun, got out with no injuries (he was one of the bigger, stronger players on the field) but he'd been on the small side at even the FCS level.

I personally would never dictate anything to a varsity high school coach. I may have a discussion to feel them out but if my son does play I will stay out of the coaches way. Same thing with basketball. His basketball coach knows more than I do so I stay out of the way.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

To the OP it depends on my son's plans for life after football and which schools offer him the best academic support. Fortunately for DONU the support is top notch. However, there are a lot of great universities with top not student support as well. After that it would be which coaching staff he bonded with the best. If he loved Austin and Frost and wanted to go to NU even knowing they might not be there as long as him, I'd be okay with it. If he chose Iowa or wisconsin I'd have to put on a husker shirt first so those shirts didnt touch my skin. I flat out refuse to wear purple or burnt orange.

 

[Frosty1980]

To the OP it depends on my son's plans for life after football and which schools offer him the best academic support. Fortunately for DONU the support is top notch. However, there are a lot of great universities with top not student support as well. After that it would be which coaching staff he bonded with the best. If he loved Austin and Frost and wanted to go to NU even knowing they might not be there as long as him, I'd be okay with it. If he chose Iowa or wisconsin I'd have to put on a husker shirt first so those shirts didnt touch my skin. I flat out refuse to wear purple or burnt orange.

I told all my kids if they went to Iowa I would support them but I would still wear Husker gear.