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 high school state playoffs get kicked off around Nebraska this week. There will be a lot of great action over the next month leading up to the state championship games at Memorial Stadium the week of Thanksgiving. There are plenty of storylines to keep an eye on going into the games.
Here are a few I’ll be watching out for.
Rivalry game to open the playoffs in Class A
The playoffs never lack intensity. I can’t imagine how intense the Omaha Westside versus Creighton Prep game will be on Friday night. Westside won the first meeting between the two teams, 49-21, back in September. It’s tough to beat a team twice in the same season. The Junior Jays come into the game having dropped their last two games giving up over 40 points in each contest.
Are we on a collision course for a rematch in Class B?
Last year, we got big-time matchup in the Class B final between Omaha Skutt and Scottsbluff. The game featured current Husker outside linebacker Garrett Nelson and star running back Jarod Epperson. The SkyHawks took that game 48-27 in Lincoln. Now, both teams are undefeated this season as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds. Each team may face tough games along the way but a potential rematch is highly anticipated.
Class A will be no joke
Due to the point system that’s in place to determine seeding in Nebraska high school football, Bellevue West is the four seed in the Class A bracket. If the playoffs go according to seedings, they’d possibly have to go through Omaha Burke and Millard West just to get to Lincoln for the State Championship game. There are a lot of quality teams in Class A this year. The Thunderbirds, led by Nebraska commit Zavier Betts, enter the playoffs as my favorite. However, there are five or six dangerous teams. Class A will be a lot of fun.
Once we get to the State Championship games, it will be fun to see the Husker players and coaching staff out at Memorial Stadium taking in the action. As always, keep your eyes peeled because Hail Varsity will be on the scene at playoff games.
Recruit Watch
>> Huskers running back commit Sevion Morrison posted a cool edit that the Huskers did for him on Wednesday night.
https://twitter.com/SevyMorrison28/status/1189709166006460416
>> Marvin Harrison Jr., a 2021 wide receiver recruit, has committed to Ohio State.
COMMITTED #GOBUCKS #ZONE6 ⭕️❤️ pic.twitter.com/3WYIcis76l
— Ju (@MarvHarrisonJr) October 31, 2019
>> Omaha Westside cornerback Avante Dickerson has been invited to the All-American National Combine.
Blessed to be invited to the All American National Combine. pic.twitter.com/ubyvwPAB5U
— AD #28 (@_dickerson1) October 31, 2019
ICYMI
>> Tom’s Time has returned to talk about the time the Huskers left the Sooners out in the cold.
>> The Huskers started slow but finished strong for a win over Doane, writes Jacob Padilla.
>> I took a look at Purdue’s recruiting at a glance (Premium). They have crossed paths with the Huskers plenty over the last few seasons.
>> Derek Peterson has three thoughts from Nebrasketball’s 91-63 win over Doane.
>> Scott Frost addressed the media briefly ahead of the game with Purdue with no update on Adrian Martinez’ status.
>> Nebraska’s backfield has taken some hits but key Huskers have stepped up. (Premium)
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.
