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.
Things change quickly in the world of recruiting. We say that often in recruiting. We are usually discussing where players are leaning towards committing. Sometimes we are talking about how many prospects a team is taking at a certain position. Neither are the case today. I’m talking about focus states for Nebraska’s recruiting efforts under Scott Frost.
At one time, it seemed we recruited AZ talent, {Ty, Javin & NPG } was a super haul Now it’s crickets. PAC 12 isn’t known as fb conference, outside Ducks, what gives? Thx
— Oblivious (@Oblivio60072055) August 15, 2021
It seemed like the Huskers were going to make a big impact in Arizona for years to come after that 2019 haul. Nebraska landed some big fish from the state in coach Scott Frost’s first full cycle. The Huskers signed two players—Ty Robinson and Noa Pola-Gates—that were U.S. All-Americans. The team also added legacy defender Javin Wright. The Huskers were finalists for defensive lineman Matthew Pola-Mao out of Chandler, Arizona. There were 12 total scholarships offered to Arizona natives that cycle.
The 2020 recruiting class produced high-end talent. The Huskers were after them but came up short. Players that Nebraska offered picked good programs. Notre Dame, Ohio State, Georgia and Texas A&M all benefitted. There was a trio of players that Nebraska got serious consideration from. Tight end Tommy Christakos, defensive end Regen Terry and linebacker Malik Reed all took official visits to Nebraska.
The Huskers didn’t land any in the end. The most damaging loss from that group was Malik Reed. It felt like that recruitment was Nebraska’s to lose right up until he picked Wisconsin. That cycle Nebraska offered 10 scholarships to players from the Grand Canyon State.
The number of scholarships offered by Nebraska in Arizona dropped off in the 2021 class. Nebraska only offered four players from the state. The was not a factor in any of the recruitments. The Huskers have offered seven players in the state in the current cycle. Five of the seven have already committed to schools. The Huskers aren’t in the mix the other two at the time.
As you can see, the effort in Arizona has fallen off for the Huskers. That’s not necessarily a good thing or a bad thing. There are plenty of states out there for the team to pull talent from. Florida, Georgia and Texas are usually where the bulk of Nebraska’s offers go out in. California is usually not far behind. Missouri and Iowa are also key states for the program.
Arizona tends to have good talent in the state. If the team isn’t gaining commitments from the state those resources have to go elsewhere. Things are always subject to change but the Huskers don’t seem to have a big focus on the state anymore.
Recruit Watch
>> Indiana 2023 defensive line target Kendrick Gilbert posted his Week One highlights.
https://t.co/5pNHOFHNys Week1 highlights vs Westfield. Good team win☘️
— Kendrick Gilbert (@Kcgilbert23) August 21, 2021
>> Chase Kennedy, a 2022 defensive end target, also posted some highlights.
gotta love it man 🖤🤝 pic.twitter.com/IvxbOWf0QC
— Chase Kennedy (@chasekennedy_5) August 21, 2021
ICYMI
>> Scott Frost is focused on Illinois this Saturday as the Huskers prepare the season-opener.
>> John Cook is looking for an edge and the Huskers prepare for the Husker Invitational.
>> The newly minted Blackshirts are keeping the focus on Illinois this week.
>> Check out the notes from the players in the hallway (Premium) including traits of the offensive line, Deontai Williams boxing and more.
>> Nebraska’s player leadership extends beyond the four captains for the 2021 season.
>> Nebraska volleyball was picked to finish second in the Big Ten this season by the league’s coaches.
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.
