I'm not sure getting Bubba Smith in his prime would have helped the 'Huskers...
P.S. Didn't he go to Sparty?
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Would things be different if Bubba Starling would have come?
- Thread starter WestTexasHusker
- Start date
P.S. Didn't he go to Sparty?
He's an argument for taking the money...
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I was with you until the bolded. We have attracted plenty of elite talent (to the skill positions). Our problem has been a failure to develop elite linemen (which was our signature group during the glory days) and to instill a take-no-prisoners, relentless attitude. Until the last couple of years under Rhule, we had a reputation as being the all-bus team. Look great coming off the bus (and in the recruiting rankings), but wilt in the games.
Plenty of "mediocre" Husker players got drafted back in the day, because they were part of a winning TEAM that played with physicality. OTOH, plenty of talented Husker players over the past 10 years have been overlooked, because their talents were wasted behind subpar lines.
No
elite talent? No. Not even close. Elite talent comes from consistently achieving a recruiting ranking in the top 10 with several top 100 players taken from the 5 and 4 star pool. We are lucky to get one or two "top 150" players per year. Most of our recruiting has come from 3 star rated talent in which the vast majority never become a college star or play in the NFL. The recruiting class rankings are a total guess after the top 10-15 classes or so. The gulf between the number 1 and number 15 class is much larger than 15 to probably 60.
| Prospect Rating | Population (Annual) | All-American Rate | NFL Draft Rate | 1st Round Draft Rate |
| 5-Star | ~32–35 | ~33% – 38% | 63% – 71% | ~34% |
| 4-Star | ~300–350 | ~10% – 12% | 22% – 25% | ~3.8% |
| 3-Star | ~1,800–2,000 | ~1% – 2% | 6% – 7% | ~0.4% |
Programs like Iowa and Wisconsin (before they decided to pull a Nebraska) have been successful because of strong leadership and a clear and consistent identity in terms of style of play which has allowed them to help their players reach their peak potential. That being said, they are often exposed by teams like Michigan and Ohio State.
Now, NIL changes this dynamic because, in theory, it allows us to attract talent with money that might help overcome the severe geographic challenges and lack of current program legitimacy we face. However, it seems that with the money being thrown around that we are playing from behind again.
Won't argue with you on that. My point was that we should be able to develop the trenches to be at least at the level of Iowa and pre-Fickell Wisconsin. If we can do that, the next step is attracting the 4*s and occasional 5*.
Side note, I remember when Tee Martin and Peerless Price thought they weren't elite enough to play at NU...
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No.
Do not agree. Yes he had tons of talent at L$U. But I remember watching him run the RPO at Ohio State and was pissed we did not land him.
THIS IS THE ONE that would have changed NU's trajectory.
J. Lord probably plays RB, and we have a QB who is prepared to take over from EC.
Lord, IIRC, did not prepare hard in his Fr and So years.
FS has better years in 2002 and 2003, and does not get fired.
Ummmm …. Who cares. I don’t. He made a decision and we all lived with it (including him)
Exactly. Don't get me wrong because JL was a stud running the ball and put the team on his shoulders what he could, but he was better served on D. Even in the pros that is where his chance was. He was sure fun to watch run. Heck of an athlete!
Jammal Lord will always be one of my favorites. Going to school, playing QB, and trying to parent his younger teenage brother.
