After the ink is dry on letters of intent, the real work begins. From that moment on, players are allowed to get workout, nutrition and playbook preparation so they can hit the ground running for their freshmen seasons. Once on campus, recruiting ranking don’t matter nearly as much as how quickly a player can get acclimated to life as college football player.
Some have the ability to step in right away and make the most of their opportunity. Cam Taylor was an example of that in 2018. This year, 3-star defensive back Quinton Newsome is the name to know.
“Quinton Newsome is doing a very good job of practicing with the two group,” defensive backs coach Travis Fisher said on Monday. “He’s playing at corner. He’s solid in the two group. Myles Farmer and Noa Pola-Gates are also with that two group. [At cornerback], you have a 1, a 1a and a 1b. Quinton Newsome at the end of camp could easily be a 1a.
“Quinton Newsome can go.”
It’s not an accident that Newsome has adjusted well during fall camp so far. Fisher credited head strength and conditioning coach Zach Duval for getting his body ready over the summer. When Fisher got to work with the Georgia native, he was able to focus on providing as much scheme knowledge as possible to see Newsome’s reaction in practice.
“He has very quick feet,” Fisher said. “He understands the game to be a young guy. He competes at a high level. He also makes plays on the ball. That’s something we struggled with in the past. He adds that attribute to our secondary, being able to make plays on the ball. He’s not afraid to compete. He will step right up there. He’s practiced with the two group since he’s been here. He’s in that group like he’s been at Nebraska for a while.”
Coming out of North Gwinnet High School, the versatile defender—who stands at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds—was a favorite of Fisher’s in part because of his quick feet. That quickness allows Newsome to come off breaks well, as shown in the clip below.
Newsome is also not afraid to compete, according to Fisher. Watching Newsome’s film, there are plenty of examples of how quickly he is able to make a play and then a tackle.
Newsome seems like a safe bet to see the field this season for the Huskers. That doesn’t mean he will start in 2019 but he is well on his way to avoiding a redshirt season based on his start to fall camp.
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.
