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.
When you arrive on a college campus as a college football player, there is a lot to take in. The adjustment from high school to the strict regimen of college can be difficult, which is reason alone to expect the adjustment to take time.
One thing that is completely within your control as a new player on the team is your work ethic and willingness to learn. That is something all four of the freshman defensive backs—Quinton Newsome, Noa Pola-Gates, Javin Wright and Myles Farmer—have been praised for by teammates.
“They came in here ready to roll,” junior cornerback Dicaprio Bootle said on Monday. “They were really excited to get going. We were excited to have them here. They are new guys and personalities to make the room even better. There are more guys to compete against. Those guys want a piece of the cookie too. We give them that opportunity because everybody eats in our room. We are trying to teach them up. They don’t know everything right now but they are learning fast, especially these last four days of camp.
“The guys can fly around and aren’t scared to mess up. If they do mess up, it’s full speed. If they mess up, they try to fix it. That’s what’s good about them.”
Doing the little things doesn’t just help a player get on the field, but it also promotes a team-first culture. Quickly earning the respect of the older defensive backs has helped right away.
"A lot of the older guys have accepted the younger guys right off the jump," defensive backs coach Travis Fisher said. "That’s what I’m most proud about this group, they’ve just accepted the freshman right off the jump. They’re helping them making plays on the field, you see the older guys running out there patting them up, giving them an 'atta boy,' and that’s what’s contagious. You can’t coach that. There’s guys that are actually tied into each other, love each other, don’t mind playing with each other and competing with each other and don’t mind cheering for the other one when he’s making a great play."
A lot has to happen to be fortunate enough to see the field early in a talented defensive back room. However, the culture of the room seems to be heading in the right direction which is a credit to both the older and younger players on the Huskers’ roster.
Recruit Watch
>> Pinellas Park High School running back Lawrence Toafil has set an announcement date for his commitment.
For anyone who doesn’t know I will be committing on Wednesday, August 7 on Bay news 9 at 1030 pm #Road2️⃣Glory 🔷🔴
— Lawrance Toafili (@LToafili_3) August 6, 2019
ICYMI
>> So far in fall camp, defensive back Quinton Newsome is flashing the traits that made him a recruit the Huskers were excited about.
>> There are big shoes to fill but the outside linebackers for the Huskers are ready for the challenge, writes Jacob Padilla.
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.
