As we plunge further into quarantine and travel restrictions, schools across the country are having to come up with new plans on how to do business. There is a lot to manage right now to keep current players on top of schoolwork and working out, but that’s not all. Coaching staffs are having to meet virtually to continue preparing for the season ahead. Recruiting is evolving as the COVID-19 restrictions continue and the Huskers are doing their best to stay active on the trail.
Let’s get to the Recon.
Husker Commits
Randolph Kpai, Inside Linebacker, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Henry Lutovsky, Offensive Lineman, Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Christopher Paul Jr., Inside linebacker, Cordele, Georgia
Teddy Prochazka, Offensive Lineman, Elkhorn, Nebraska
2021 Needs
| QB | 1 | DL | 4 |
| RB | 2 | MLB | 2 |
| WR | 2 | OLB | 2 |
| TE | 1 | DB | 2 |
| OL | 1 | K/P | 0 |
The Recon:
>> It’s become a growing trend for schools around the country to get creative with virtual tours of campus and facilities during this dead period. Kansas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Minnesota have led the way on this. I was told that the Huskers started looking into virtual tours of different academic buildings to send recruits on Wednesday. It shouldn’t be that difficult because the different colleges at the university already have tools in place they use to recruit students. When prospects normally come to campus, there are always certain buildings and dorms they get a tour of so it makes sense to send prospects videos of those buildings for the time being. This is a smart move by the football program because no one knows how long this will last. Any way that you can get your materials in front of prospects is needed.
>> Before the COVID-19 slowdown, priority quarterback target Peter Costelli was planning to attend Nebraska’s Junior Day. He had other visits planned as well in hopes of getting closer to making a college choice. I reached out to the signal-caller and he was hoping to visit Nebraska, Utah, Northwestern, Oregon, Arkansas, Michigan State and maybe Louisville. I still think Nebraska is in a good spot with Costelli but his timetable may be impacted now depending on when players are able to start visiting schools again.
>> There’s something COVID-19 related that I didn’t consider immediately: current players being able to keep up with their academics. As Scott Frost said this week, Associate Athletic Director for Academics Dennis Leblanc and his staff will have to manage all of the academics of every student-athlete remotely for the remainder of the semester.
"Dennis (Leblanc) is going to be a huge part of what we are doing going forward, because if classes are online, he’s going to have to continue with his team tutoring and mentoring our student-athletes in the classroom, probably remotely, making sure we are staying ahead on our academics," Frost said.
Managing current student-athletes’ academics from a distance will be a tall order. It’s assumed that the NCAA will work with schools on academic requirements for eligibility once the dust settles. However, you just never know how these things will go given how different everyone’s home situation is.
>> It wouldn’t surprise me if two regional wide receivers don’t move to the top of Nebraska’s board. With all the uncertainty out there about visits, it could become a sound strategy to focus in on area talent even more than usual because it will be easier for them to get back to your campus. Bellevue West wideout Keagan Johnson and Kansas City wideout Jaylin Noel have both been to Lincoln and were already key targets before the NCAA imposed dead period. It’s now even more important for Nebraska to land them. Johnson has already set his official visit to Nebraska and Noel is finalizing his date soon.
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
