Who is left for 2021

[ShortSideOption]

That's where I'm at. On paper, he was a really good hire. Background in the 3-4 and has been around some really good defensive minds like Don Brown and Justin Wilcox. Brought a pretty good recruiting resume too. I just wonder if he's just better off on the West Coast? He'd probably be killing it with his connections if he were at USC, Oregon, Utah, UCLA, Washington or back at Cal.

It's the same sort of concern I have with Mike Dawson. He's got great connections on the East Coast and would probably be a huge asset at Penn State, Pitt, Boston College, Rutgers, etc. but I'm always a little leery having a coach on a staff where his biggest weapon, so to speak, can't really be utilized. I mean, how much of an advantage will his connections to Jersey be at Nebraska? At least with Dawson we saw him get guys like Robinson and Hutmacher outside the region. Who knows, maybe Tuioti will get the ball rolling and I'll look stupid for ever having doubts?

I just think both of those hires should have been coaches with more B1G recruiting ties. The 500-mile radius is so dang important at Nebraska, imagine having a guy like Vince Marrow back on staff. JMPO, I would have used those openings to go after a couple coaches who had the sort of rolodex and connections in states like Ohio, Illinois or Missouri, that Sean Beckton has in Georgia.

Probably true. We've seen it with hiring the national recruiter and when they get their studs here, it's too much of a culture shock and they leave before they even have a padded practice. I loved the Charlton Warren hire, massive ties in a border state that players don't have an allegiance to the home state school, and then ties to Atlanta. And basically countering the point I already made, he was really good at finding character guys like Aaron Williams and Keiron Williams.

Nebraska has been good for so many decades that we have people thinking we need to keep our ties in Texas because of Burkhead and Craver, keep ties to California because of Ralph Brown and Lawrence Phillips, keep ties to Florida because of Frazier, keep ties to New Jersey because of the Peter brothers. At the end of the day, lock up Nebraska, get good at recruiting the border states, then work from there.

 

[2010sAreNeverComingBack]

That's where I'm at. On paper, he was a really good hire. Background in the 3-4 and has been around some really good defensive minds like Don Brown and Justin Wilcox. Brought a pretty good recruiting resume too. I just wonder if he's just better off on the West Coast? He'd probably be killing it with his connections if he were at USC, Oregon, Utah, UCLA, Washington or back at Cal.

It's the same sort of concern I have with Mike Dawson. He's got great connections on the East Coast and would probably be a huge asset at Penn State, Pitt, Boston College, Rutgers, etc. but I'm always a little leery having a coach on a staff where his biggest weapon, so to speak, can't really be utilized. I mean, how much of an advantage will his connections to Jersey be at Nebraska? At least with Dawson we saw him get guys like Robinson and Hutmacher outside the region. Who knows, maybe Tuioti will get the ball rolling and I'll look stupid for ever having doubts?

I just think both of those hires should have been coaches with more B1G recruiting ties. The 500-mile radius is so dang important at Nebraska, imagine having a guy like Vince Marrow back on staff. JMPO, I would have used those openings to go after a couple coaches who had the sort of rolodex and connections in states like Ohio, Illinois or Missouri, that Sean Beckton has in Georgia.

When he was hired, it seemed like a lot of the talk was about his recruiting potential being tied to breaking into the Polynesian communities, and maybe creating some version of a pipeline there to Nebraska that a few west coast schools seem to have a stranglehold on... guessing it might take some work on the front end to start to see a lot of results there.

Is it fair at all to say lackluster recruiting as a whole might be tied to him focusing on that aspect that hasn't come to fruition (yet)? And/or any insight as to whether NU is moving up the board of Polynesian recruits as a whole?

 

[N2FL]

Probably true. We've seen it with hiring the national recruiter and when they get their studs here, it's too much of a culture shock and they leave before they even have a padded practice. I loved the Charlton Warren hire, massive ties in a border state that players don't have an allegiance to the home state school, and then ties to Atlanta. And basically countering the point I already made, he was really good at finding character guys like Aaron Williams and Keiron Williams.

Nebraska has been good for so many decades that we have people thinking we need to keep our ties in Texas because of Burkhead and Craver, keep ties to California because of Ralph Brown and Lawrence Phillips, keep ties to Florida because of Frazier, keep ties to New Jersey because of the Peter brothers. At the end of the day, lock up Nebraska, get good at recruiting the border states, then work from there.

Definitely. Nebraska could put together top 20 classes every year if the bulk of it was coming from Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Illinois.

It's too bad Bo's recruiting vision was so bad because winning 9 games a year, he could have really taken advantage. If Frost gets Nebraska back to 9, 10 games a year and contending for the division year in and year out, he could assert himself throughout the region on the recruiting trail.

If you guys are the preeminent program in the region again, you couple that with a very appealing offense and you're in business. Colorado and Missouri (been saying this for a decade) have double-digit four-star kids every year between them. Neither program is putting a fence around its borders on the recruiting trail. They didn't when they were at their peak, they sure as heck aren't doing it any time soon. Those programs are keeping some of those kids home based purely on location. Nebraska gets its sh*t together and you can give those kids a much better option, along with the location factor.

Illinois (also been saying this for years) is up for grabs too and that state has tons of talent. Lovie Smith hasn't locked down that state by any means. He pays as much attention to the transfer market as he does the local HS talent in Chicago. Nebraska should have someone on staff with ties to that area, for sure. Throw in Iowa, where they could be on the verge of a regime change and there's opportunity to step into that vacuum.

You get 15 kids a year from the 500-mile radius, then you can go out to Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, California, etc. to get your class QB. Use the appeal of the offense to get kids like Wan'Dale, Fleming, Morrison, etc.

You fill up with local kids who are used to the landscape and culture. Then you can be even more picky and do a better job of vetting the kids in Florida, California, etc. that your recruiting to play 1500 miles from home.

 

[HuSkaBob]

When he was hired, it seemed like a lot of the talk was about his recruiting potential being tied to breaking into the Polynesian communities, and maybe creating some version of a pipeline there to Nebraska that a few west coast schools seem to have a stranglehold on... guessing it might take some work on the front end to start to see a lot of results there.

Is it fair at all to say lackluster recruiting as a whole might be tied to him focusing on that aspect that hasn't come to fruition (yet)? And/or any insight as to whether NU is moving up the board of Polynesian recruits as a whole?

Was thinking the same thing - signed Vaha Vainuku who didn't play. Eteva Mauga-Clements doesn't make a PI critical mass to recruit to. See if you can Dom and Toniu to work with the O-line maybe as consultants?

It's an uphill battle - unless he's only working on that pipeline and letting someone like Dawson and/or Ruud recruit other defensive linemen.

 

[N2FL]

When he was hired, it seemed like a lot of the talk was about his recruiting potential being tied to breaking into the Polynesian communities, and maybe creating some version of a pipeline there to Nebraska that a few west coast schools seem to have a stranglehold on... guessing it might take some work on the front end to start to see a lot of results there.

Is it fair at all to say lackluster recruiting as a whole might be tied to him focusing on that aspect that hasn't come to fruition (yet)? And/or any insight as to whether NU is moving up the board of Polynesian recruits as a whole?

He's getting Nebraska on a lot of Polynesian radars, for sure, but COVID certainly has put a damper on the traction he could be gaining on that front because of the travel restrictions. I think it's a bonus that he could potentially help get that pipeline going again, but it'd have been shortsided to put too much weight into that when hiring him. Sure he'll look for poly kids for the d-line, and he'll help identify and recruit a kid here and there at linebacker or o-line, but he needs to be versatile and no pigeonhole himself. I think the staff would be tickled pink to get 1/3, 1/4 kids he brings in to be poly so they can start to rebuild that.

 

[Huskerpilk]

Nebraska gets its sh*t together and you can give those kids a much better option, along with the location factor.

I just condensed it for you....

 

[TnHusker87]

Definitely. Nebraska could put together top 20 classes every year if the bulk of it was coming from Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Illinois.

It's too bad Bo's recruiting vision was so bad because winning 9 games a year, he could have really taken advantage. If Frost gets Nebraska back to 9, 10 games a year and contending for the division year in and year out, he could assert himself throughout the region on the recruiting trail.

If you guys are the preeminent program in the region again, you couple that with a very appealing offense and you're in business. Colorado and Missouri (been saying this for a decade) have double-digit four-star kids every year between them. Neither program is putting a fence around its borders on the recruiting trail. They didn't when they were at their peak, they sure as heck aren't doing it any time soon. Those programs are keeping some of those kids home based purely on location. Nebraska gets its sh*t together and you can give those kids a much better option, along with the location factor.

Illinois (also been saying this for years) is up for grabs too and that state has tons of talent. Lovie Smith hasn't locked down that state by any means. He pays as much attention to the transfer market as he does the local HS talent in Chicago. Nebraska should have someone on staff with ties to that area, for sure. Throw in Iowa, where they could be on the verge of a regime change and there's opportunity to step into that vacuum.

You get 15 kids a year from the 500-mile radius, then you can go out to Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, California, etc. to get your class QB. Use the appeal of the offense to get kids like Wan'Dale, Fleming, Morrison, etc.

You fill up with local kids who are used to the landscape and culture. Then you can be even more picky and do a better job of vetting the kids in Florida, California, etc. that your recruiting to play 1500 miles from home.

Your narrative got me thinking about John Parrella ... in your mind, would he be a better fit?

 

[N2FL]

Your narrative got me thinking about John Parrella ... in your mind, would he be a better fit?

He never really got the chance to prove himself. I will say, though, that in his first recruiting class (and only since the staff he was on got fired in year 2), he signed four kids (Damion Daniels, Deontre Thomas, Guy Thomas, Deontae Watts) and each were ranked as a four-star recruit by at least one service.

 

[Blue Howl]

I think it is a pipe dream to believe that there will ever be a pipeline to Nebraska for Polynesian players. There is no significant Polynesian community to speak of, and the weather and the distance are also negatives.

If that is why Tuioti was hired, then it was a mistake.

 

[Red Said Ted]

I think it is a pipe dream to believe that there will ever be a pipeline to Nebraska for Polynesian players. There is no significant Polynesian community to speak of, and the weather and the distance are also negatives.

If that is why Tuioti was hired, then it was a mistake.

Maybe. But it’s tough to judge how he might do at getting Poly players here in the midst of this pandemic. We didn’t factor that into the equation when he was hired. But clearly that’s it the only reason he was hired. Frost thinks highly of him as a D line coach and likes they way he interacts with players. He’s going to need a little time to show that he can improve the D line and get some guys into the league. He’s got some good raw material to work with now. Let’s see how this develops.

 

[NWA Husker]

Definitely. Nebraska could put together top 20 classes every year if the bulk of it was coming from Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Illinois.


You get 15 kids a year from the 500-mile radius, then you can go out to Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, California, etc. to get your class QB. Use the appeal of the offense to get kids like Wan'Dale, Fleming, Morrison, etc.

You fill up with local kids who are used to the landscape and culture. Then you can be even more picky and do a better job of vetting the kids in Florida, California, etc. that your recruiting to play 1500 miles from home.

Such an interesting theory.... has anyone ever made that exact scenario work here? Seems like I recall something eerily similar working like 25 years ago...It’s a DAMN good plan!

 

[Huskerthom]

I think it is a pipe dream to believe that there will ever be a pipeline to Nebraska for Polynesian players. There is no significant Polynesian community to speak of, and the weather and the distance are also negatives.

If that is why Tuioti was hired, then it was a mistake.

Only part of this I agree with is that there is currently not a community in Lincoln. That is important to Polynesian players. If weather is an issue than BYU, Utah, and the Puffs should never have had a lot of Polynesian players but they did.

Your last sentence is just silly. No one is hired to specifically recruit one race of player. They also need to know how to coach. Now maybe it could have been a tiebreaker. Not the primary reason. That said he does need to recruit better.

 

[ShortSideOption]

Tuioti was hired for the exact reason we gave Vaha Vainuku a scholarship. His recruiting prowess and trying to get us back into a place that really helped us during our glory years. I like TT as a coach, putting aside his presence as a polynesian connection, he was a damn good recruiter and one of the reasons I was excited for the hire....

But there's something to be said for getting "the right kind of kids" to Nebraska. Mike Dawson actually beat out Tony Tuioti for 4 star Ty Robinson to come to Lincoln. Would we still have that kid to be excited about if not for MD being here back in 2018? Can the method he used to recruit kids to Hawaii or Cal work to get kids to Lincoln? My other concern is he's never been anywhere on the mainland for longer than 2 seasons... longevity and continuity go a long way.

 

[Huskerthom]

Tuioti was hired for the exact reason we gave Vaha Vainuku a scholarship. His recruiting prowess and trying to get us back into a place that really helped us during our glory years. I like TT as a coach, putting aside his presence as a polynesian connection, he was a damn good recruiter and one of the reasons I was excited for the hire....

But there's something to be said for getting "the right kind of kids" to Nebraska. Mike Dawson actually beat out Tony Tuioti for 4 star Ty Robinson to come to Lincoln. Would we still have that kid to be excited about if not for MD being here back in 2018? Can the method he used to recruit kids to Hawaii or Cal work to get kids to Lincoln? My other concern is he's never been anywhere on the mainland for longer than 2 seasons... longevity and continuity go a long way.

As always fair and reasoned response.

 

[groundNpound]

I’m also disappointed in Tuioti’s recruiting so far. From film i think Big Nash is a better OG prospect than NG, but the way D-Line crootin has been going, we definitely need him over there.

Wiscy wanted Nash at OG and i’ll trust the way they evaluate HS O-Line. How does Cade Habermann project on the defensive side of the ball?