Nebraska Recruiting: Can Huskers Land a Top 2021 Quarterback?
Photo Credit: Greg Smith

Nebraska Recruiting: Measuring the Success of Camps

June 17, 2019

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.


We are fresh off the first weekend of Nebraska’s big camps since the first of two Friday Night Lights events happened as well as the first-ever Pipeline Camp for offensive and defensive linemen. In the almost two days since the big man camp, I have fielded numerous questions about the camps and if they were successful. 

I suppose it depends on your definition of success. The all-too-quick comment I have received a few times is that the previous staff was able to lure big-name talent to Lincoln for Friday Night Lights, so the current staff should be able to do the same for its camps. I think there are a couple of things fans are missing when they lob that particular criticism.

First, things change quickly in the recruiting world and it seems to me that less and less “big time” established prospects are participating in these camps. My second counter-point would be: is it possible that this staff utilizes camps differently than the previous staff? Clearly, the previous staff was about shooting their shot at as many big-name players as possible by getting them on campus and hoping for the best. The hit rate on that strategy wasn’t great but that seemed to be the course of action. 

It could be that the current staff—knowing that their strength as an entire staff is evaluations—wants to get as many prospects from future classes on campus and actually working out. That way Nebraska’s staff can work with them, see what makes them tick and evaluate them. Time will tell how that strategy plays out or evolves if it is the strategy.

One more quick point: remember this was the first year of the big man camp. If you want to build something big and long-lasting with a camp like this, it will take a little time. Rome, or the Pipeline in this case, wasn’t built in a day.

Of course, all of this will partially be a moot point by next weekend when Nebraska hosts a double-digit number of Power 5 prospects and a handful of official visitors for the Big Red BBQ and second Friday Night Lights camp.

Recruit Watch

>> Florida linebacker Ty Berrong announced his commitment date of September 16 and included Nebraska in his top five. Keep an eye on the Northern Illinois game just two days before that for his potential official visit.

>> Another transfer is heading to Illinois. Wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe announced on Twitter that he would be heading to the Illini.

>> Oklahoma running back Sevion Morrison will take an official visit to Nebraska this weekend. He also showed off his footwork on social media.

ICYMI

>> The Huskers are utilizing The Program again to gain a deeper bond within the team and develop leadership.

>> Jacob Padilla explains why Dachon Burke could play a big role for Nebraska in the upcoming basketball season. 

>> I caught up with 2021 Elkhorn South star Teddy Prochazka (Premium) who praised the ‘special’ Pipeline camp.

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