Nebraska is still playing a a bit of catch-up on the 2019 recruiting trail. The entire process has sped up to the degree that a new staff taking a new job doesn't just have to scramble to fill its first class––with the new complication of a December signing period––and also has to get up to speed quickly on its second class, which, under normal circumstances would be well underway a year in advance.
The Husker coaches didn't have that advantage for the 2019 so the offers to prospects in that class continue to fly.
Beyond thankful to have received an offer from the university of Nebraska!! #GoHuskers #B1G pic.twitter.com/2qhSZVMK7q
— Zachary Franks (@SchoolBoyFranks) May 14, 2018
Out of nothing more than curiosity, I decided to take a look at Nebraska's recruiting "footprint" based on its offers so far. These things are always fluid, but as of this morning that included 230-plus offers spread over 34 states.
There are some interesting impressions to be gleaned from that quick heat map.
>>No surprise but the "Big Three"––California, Florida, Texas––lead the way because recruiting is largely a function of population (or at least a football-playing population). Florida leads the way with 40 offers, as expected, but Texas isn't far behind with 35.
>>Georgia is the hot new restaurant everyone is trying to get a table at in recruiting. Thanks to some connections there, including tight ends coach Sean Beckton's deep ties, the Huskers have extended more than 20 offers in a state home to roughly 10 million people. But . . .
>> . . . Nebraska has also extended 21 combined offers in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Oklahoma, four states with a combined population of roughly 11 million. (States that might be undervalued in terms of talent.) Now the number in Kansas (6) is boosted by four junior-college offers, which is worth noting but far from a demerit. You go where your connections are, and running backs coach Ryan Held is well connected in the Kansas JUCO ranks.
>> The state with the fifth-most Nebraska offers––behind Florida, Texas, California and Missouri––is (dramatic pause) Alabama? That might be one of the more surprising pieces of information here. Alabama is middle-of-the-road in terms of population, but it's one of those states that punches above its weight in terms of talent production. It's not easy work going down there and trying to beat out Alabama and Auburn, which makes the Huskers' presence there interesting.
>>HI, Hawaii. (That's an abbreviation joke. Thank you.) The Huskers have three offers out on the islands, which is something that merits monitoring going forward. Scott Frost has had two pretty good quarterbacks from Hawaii. It's also a good state for linemen, of course, but it's a costly state to recruit. Maybe a coach can bundle some California time in there on his way to Hawaii, but for the most part if a school is going to consistently go out there it needs to end up with some results eventually.
The Grab Bag
- According to a report from Jon Rothstein Nebraska will host Seton Hall as part of the 2018 Gavitt Games.
- Adam Rittenberg of ESPN looks at the transfers most likely to impact the 2018 college football season.
- Why is Illinois, 5-19 in two years under Lovie Smith, recruiting so well all of the sudden?
- ICYMI: Wide receiver Keyan Williams announced his intent to transfer, Derek Peterson continues his look at the most intriguing 2018 Huskers with cornerback Lamar Jackson and Greg Smith breaks down the Nebraska targets most likely to commit next.
Today's Song of Today
https://youtu.be/PGj7-R6WPf4
Brandon is the Managing Editor for Hail Varsity and has covered Nebraska athletics for the magazine and web since 2012, Hail Varsity’s first season on the scene. His sports writing has also been featured by Fox Sports, The Guardian and CBS Sports.
