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.
The 2020 season changed a lot of the ways we operated in the world. When it came to college football, the effects the were felt all across the sport. That, of course, extended to recruiting. The lifeblood of the sport was fundamentally changed as coaches became familiar with Zoom and in-person contact was not allowed.
There is a sense of normalcy now as we turn our full attention to the 2021 football season. Running backs coach Ryan Held is excited for that now that fall camp is over.
“Here in a week or so we’ll be able to get back to communicating with (the class of 2023) which will be nice,” Held said. “We’ll get back to being able to see highlight videos and game film of kids playing. Some kids are playing right now or they’ve already played a game. “We’ll get new JUCO film as well.
“It’ll be a conglomerate of stuff but our recruiting department does a great job. Our coaches do a great job of understanding their area. Then obviously as a position coach they’re like the head coach of their position. You’ve got to own your position.”
The Huskers will need to approach recruiting this month in a way they haven’t had to do since the 2019 season. There is still uncertainty about class sizes. It appears right now that Nebraska will take a small class of potentially 13 players. The plan on bringing in official visitors has to remain flexible.
“I think it’s fluid. We’re going to roll like normal and then adjust just to see how this thing goes,” Held said. “Obviously, recruiting is the lifeblood of your program. We got to make sure that we’re identifying kids that are fits for us and what we’re trying to get done on both sides of the ball and special teams.”
Keeping things flexible extends to how the coaching staff will evaluate senior film. The program is always looking. It’s difficult to know what the pool of available players will look like this year. The junior college and the transfer market will be unpredictable. The team does have a firm grasp on the high school market.
“We know high school for the most part, especially within 500 miles, that’s important to us,” Held said. “Recruiting in this world now it could change drastically. with certain guys getting in the transfer portal. You might lose a guy, you just have to be able to adjust and be good to go. Be ready to fight again and find those kids that fit us.”
Be ready to adjust and fight. Sounds like words to stick to for the Huskers this season.
Recruit Watch
>> Papillion La-Vista slot wide receiver Tyson Money is set to come to Lincoln for the home opener against Fordham.
Thank you for the invite! Cant wait to get down to Lincoln 🔴⚪️🔴⚪️@coachwilhite pic.twitter.com/q8NW5t2DVE
— 𝓣𝔂𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 ⚡️ (@TysonMoney3) August 24, 2021
>> Class of 2023 offensive lineman AJ Salley is also excited to visit.
thankful for the game invite ‼️🌽 @HuskerFBNation pic.twitter.com/cxp6G98qV5
— aj salley (@salley_aj) August 24, 2021
ICYMI
>> In the latest Straight Up Breakdown podcast Brandon Vogel and I cut through the noise ahead of the 2021 football season.
>> The open positions are becoming more clear as Nebraska gets closer to Illinois.
>> As Steve Marik writes, Nebraska’s offensive line is impressing (Premium) ahead of the Illinois game.
>> Captain Damion Daniels is leading the Blackshirts crew (Premium) up front according to Jacob Padilla.
>> The ‘whole body of work’ (Premium) will determine the open cornerback spot for the Huskers this fall.
>> Cam Taylor-Britt has set his sights high for interceptions for the upcoming season.
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.
