Recruiting never stops and it’s easy to miss the top stories day-to-day. Recruiting analyst Greg Smith recaps all things Nebraska recruiting news, analysis and more so you never miss a thing.
If we have learned anything in 2020, it is to expect the unexpected. The Huskers were hoping to get nine games, plus a bowl game, in this season. Coach Scott Frost is still engineering the rebuild of the Nebraska football team. The Huskers have one less game to get better though. The matchup with Wisconsin being canceled for this Saturday.
One thing is clear after one game in the 2020 season: we don’t know how many games the Huskers play this year. This year is the biggest test yet for Frost’s recruiting and development. Looking back at Game 1, we know that 14 players from the 2019 recruiting class saw game action. A couple more from that class will end up seeing time this year. Many of the players that saw action in the game will continue to have roles as the season progresses.
The 2020 recruiting class has players already seeing the field too. Offensive tackle Turner Corcoran made his debut, as well as wide receivers Marcus Fleming and Alante Brown. Outside linebacker Pheldarius Payne showed what he can do in the first game. There will be a handful of other players from that class who end up playing too. Most notably, JUCO transfers Omar Manning and Jordon Riley.
Things could be better and fans want to see more of those young guys but the Huskers are recruiting guys that can help them in some way early in their careers. That counts for something. It gets to be a feather in the cap of the staff. That can be sold to recruits on the recruiting trail which always helps.
What about development though?
Let’s look back to the 2018 recruiting class. There’s been a lot of talk about how that class. It had double-digit players not finish their careers at Nebraska. It was a transition class and those are tough. But of the guys that remain from that class there aren’t many busts.
There are nine players left from that recruiting class on the roster. Six are starters. Two more, Casey Rogers and Will Farniok, saw the field on Saturday. Braxton Clark is hurt or he would have played. He saw action last season. The only two that are still here that we haven’t much of is Tate Wildeman and David Alston. Wildeman has battled injuries throughout his time in Lincoln.
Even at this very early stage of an unpredictable season, we can safely say that we are seeing a lot of “Frost recruits” this season. That should be the case since it is Year 3 and the Huskers have turned over so much of the roster. The next piece of the puzzle is finding out how far the players have come in helping to produce wins.
Unfortunately for Nebraska, the team will have to wait until Nov. 7 to get the next shot to find out.
Recruit Watch
>> James Monds, a 2022 defensive back from Florida, is still feeling the love from the Huskers.
🔥 🌽! @coach_frost pic.twitter.com/FGwXD73fN9
— 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 III ✞ (@MondsJames) October 28, 2020
>> Check out some highlights on Nebraska outside linebacker commit Pat Payton’s last game.
10/23🖤 A Night To Remember ….. pic.twitter.com/977CFVP4sG
— The Last Backyardigan🏕 (@PatPayton6) October 28, 2020
ICYMI
>> As Brandon Vogel writes, the Huskers’ challenge is the same even if the schedule is not.
>> The Mind Your Own podcast is back and they cover a lot of ground including fighting people? Tune in to hear the latest from Erin Sorensen and Sausha Durkan.
>> Defensive lineman Casey Rogers is ready to bang some heads in his expanded role.
>> Jacob Padilla is back with Padding the Stats to talk through surprises and expected outcomes from Week One.
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.
