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.
In the hours since Saturday’s old school 9-6 win over Michigan State in the snow, I’ve been asked many times, “How can a recruit see that and not want to be part of the Huskers’ program?” After talking to some of the prospects that were in attendance for the game, it does seem like the win had a positive effect.
However, it’s not just the win itself. When people talk about something special brewing in Lincoln, they are not just talking about wins. There is a shift in the mentality in Lincoln and a passion coming from the players. Senior defensive tackle Mick Stoltenberg talked about this after the game.
“Just like I was telling the guys after the Illinois game, the way I watched this team approach practice after being 0-6 and coming back and really believing that we could turn everything around and win the rest of them and then kind of the way things have gone the last few weeks, you can definitely see it going up and the momentum building,” Stoltenberg said. “I know we had some recruits in town too this weekend and I really hope they kind of see the type of thing we’re building here. I really do think it’s going up and I definitely think people should get on board now because it’s a fun ride.”
Stoltenberg had one more thought on what the recruit reaction should be after seeing that game in Memorial Stadium.
“If you don’t love watching that in the snow with that environment, the crowd the way it is, then I don’t even know if we want you here,” he said. “I’m sure that the recruits loved it and the guys that are going to want to play here, I’m sure they loved that too.”
So far, each visitor I’ve talked has been very excited about what they saw on Saturday and the direction of the program. It’s hard to not be impressed with the progress made in such a short time by the Huskers.
Recruit Watch
>> The Huskers added another preferred walk-on commit on Saturday when Zach Weinmaster, who is inside linebacker’s Jacob’s brother, pledged to the team.
https://twitter.com/zach_wein_21/status/1064221366407389185
>> Husker running back commit Rahmir Johnson had a great day in his playoff game, rushing for 155 yards. He certainly looks ready to hit the ground running in Lincoln.
TOUCHDOWN, Bergen Catholic!
6️⃣for6️⃣…AGAIN! Nebraska-bound Rahmir Johnson putting on a show in final game at Crusader Stadium. This 62-yard TD run gives BC a 28-17 lead with 30 secs left in Q3. That’s TD runs of 62 & 44 this quarter. #NJFootball pic.twitter.com/zbVjg1Rhkn— JJ Conrad (@JJ_Conrad) November 17, 2018
>> I reached out to a couple of prospects for quick comments on what they thought the most memorable thing was about the trip to Lincoln for the Michigan State game was. First Monroe Mills, a 2020 lineman from Missouri, had this to say: “When the snow started falling and everyone in the stadium got super excited as Nebraska score the final field goal to win the game.”
>> Next Felix Anudike, an edge rusher from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, told me that “just the atmosphere. As I walk in all the fans where cheering and shouting, it was just amazing to a part of.”
It certainly sounds like Nebraska made a big impression on Saturday.
Thank you to the Nebraska coaching staff for the game invite. It was a great experience and the coaches and fans showed me a lot of love. @HuskerFBNation #GBR @NEB_Recruiting @SeanDillonNU @coach_frost 🔴⚪️🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/FtRKlUsEIB
— Felix Anudike🇳🇬 (@fanudike) November 17, 2018
ICYMI
>> Brandon Vogel wrote about Nebraska getting into a fistfight and coming out with a proof-of-culture win.
>> The foundation-setters became the win-sealers according to Derek Peterson.
>> Pickering did the kickering and became an unsung hero on Saturday.
>> So far, I’ve had premium interviews with 2019 JUCO LB Dru Mathis, 2020 DL Brock Griffin, 2021 OT Teddy Prochazka and 2020 OT Turner Corcoran checking in to see how their visits to Lincoln went.
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.
