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.
Spring football began for the 2019 Nebraska season on Monday. I’ve commented both here and elsewhere that I believe this spring and summer will be big for Nebraska to set the foundation for what could be a highly-ranked 2020 recruiting class.
Just like last spring, it is expected that the Huskers will have a steady stream of visitors coming through Hawks Championship Center to check out practices on unofficial visits. The staff holds a general philosophy (that I agree with) that it is a good idea to get prospects around for the up-tempo practices and allow them to see how the coaches interact with the players.
Last April, two of the prospects that raved about their visits to check out a spring practice were Rahmir Johnson and Mosai Newsom. Both of the eventual Husker signees remarked about how much fun and teaching went on at the practices that were very fast-paced. It is not by accident that players come away impressed with seeing the staff in action. It’s part of a “winning edge” for the Huskers, which reminds me of a running backs coach Ryan Held quote from last October.
“We’re selling playing in schemes that are fun to play in with coaches that will treat you right and love you up,” he said at the time. “We are going to discipline you when we need to but we are not the group that will be out that cussing you out and downgrading you and everything. People see that at the end of the day. We aren’t heckle and jeckle. You see one thing and then you show up and we are different. The word gets out on that if you are that way. We don’t operate like that and it’s been a winning edge for us.”
Authenticity on the recruiting trail can be a powerful thing. Just think about the amount of times recruits and their families have described this staff as “genuine.” In the long run, it helps the coaches build better relationships. It also helps to ease the transition for players going from recruits to freshmen on campus because they know what to expect.
Recruiting for the 2020 class has been underway for quite some time now, but its about to ramp up to another level in the weeks to come.
Recruit Watch
>> Jonathan Odom, a tight end target from Tampa, Florida, took an unofficial visit this weekend to Iowa. Odom also just picked up an offer from his dad’s alma mater, Florida.
Great time in Iowa city #Swarm20 pic.twitter.com/udxpZ10IR9
— Jonathan Odom (@Odom_87) March 4, 2019
>> Cooper Davis, a defensive end prospect who visited for Junior Day, took a trip to West Virginia over the weekend.
I had an absolutely amazing time in Morgantown Saturday. Thank you to @WVUfootball @CoachChadScott @CoachLesley_WVU #HailWV #TakeMeHome20 pic.twitter.com/JWn2aQKquU
— Cooper Davis (@CooperrDavis) March 4, 2019
ICYMI
>> Nebraska safety CJ Smith doesn’t want you to forget about him as he comes back from a knee injury last season.
My comeback gone surprise everybody that doubted me. Coaches Etc.
— Cj Smith (@Cj_Csmith) March 4, 2019
>> We have a roundup of the information that has come from Nebraska’s first practice of the spring.
>> Nebraska’s Colby Gomes earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors in baseball.
>> It was announced that Jim Delany will retire as commissioner of the Big Ten in 2020.
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.
