Bradley then Bryant

[DudznSudz]

Morning all!

So, I woke up to the news that we landed Bradley last night; I think thats great! Looking at his footage, that kid can play ball.

Also, it looks like we'll be landing another stud in-state RB for the 2018 cycle, Moses Bryant. He looks even more impressive than Bradley, actually.

My question is, do Nebraska athletes sometimes get short-changed on the star ratings because they're a little off the beaten path in terms of being evaluated or going to camps to earn ratings? My thought is Bradley is likely a high three star low four star, and Bryant is likely a four star player. Yet, on 247 Bradley is a 2 star, on Rivals a 3 star, and Bryant isn't rated at all on either. I'd appreciate some insight.

I also like that we can essentially not even worry about RB's for the next two recruiting cycles. We have 3 starters right now, just picked up 1 in-state, and we'll get another in 2018. That really does free us up to either shoot for the moon on an amazing talent, or, if those don't work out, not really worry too much about RB recruitment for the time being. Or am I being too optimistic?

Lastly, while having a stud RB is great, the system we'll be moving into (pro-style, 50/50 offense) may require a little less on the RB, or am I also reading that wrong?

 

[headcard]

Does Bryant have an offer?

 

[Crushinator]

Great runningbacks get their touches in ANY system, "pro-style" or otherwise.

 

[DudznSudz]

Does Bryant have an offer?

If he doesn't now, he will. 247 Sports shows him 100% going to Nebraska, and I bet he would even as a walk-on. His adoptive family lives here, and he's very close with his community in Elkhorn.

 

[DudznSudz]

Great runningbacks get their touches in ANY system, "pro-style" or otherwise.

Yeah, I was just curious about how that would play out. If we aren't quite as reliant on power running or option football, do we perhaps not necessarily need a 5 star freak running back to be highly successful in a pro-style system was my question. Perhaps its a dumb question though; a freak athlete WILL get his touches, its true.

 

[Crushinator]

Yeah, I was just curious about how that would play out. If we aren't quite as reliant on power running or option football, do we perhaps not necessarily need a 5 star freak running back to be highly successful in a pro-style system was my question. Perhaps its a dumb question though; a freak athlete WILL get his touches, its true.

No worries, I misunderstood what you were saying. I think people hear pro-style and think "chuck it all over the yard Mike Leach style". That's what I was responding to, and I read into your comments something that wasn't there. Really pro-style is having the flexibility to force a defense to cover the whole field. If our primary weapon is a running back then he will be featured.

 

[DudznSudz]

No worries, I misunderstood what you were saying. I think people hear pro-style and think "chuck it all over the yard Mike Leach style". That's what I was responding to, and I read into your comments something that wasn't there. Really pro-style is having the flexibility to force a defense to cover the whole field. If our primary weapon is a running back then he will be featured.

Right. My understanding is that an ideal pro-style system is 50/50 between running and passing, but you adjust the system as your talent and opponent dictate. So if you have a freak RB, maybe its more 60/40. Insane receivers, other way round. Maybe you play a team with a terrible run D, so you focus on running more just that game.

My question was, since the system allows for more flexibility, maybe you don't "have" to rely on a freak athlete at RB quite so heavily all the time?

 

[Crushinator]

My question was, since the system allows for more flexibility, maybe you don't "have" to rely on a freak athlete at RB quite so heavily all the time?

IMO (and I'm no expert) a pro-style system needs one freak of nature on it to make it effective. Be that QB, RB, or WR. Reason being the scheme itself doesn't favor any one aspect so any excellence at a position has to come from the athlete himself. It makes hay when a defense is forced to compensate and the offensive balance can make them pay. Without that freak athlete I think it forces the OC to call a perfect game and that just doesn't happen 100% of the time.

 

[jflores]

Bryant probably won't play RB for us. Damon said they were looking at him primarily at DB at this time.

 

[inWV]

Saw the Bryant kid play against Skutt twice and he was hands down the best player on the field both times. Elkhorn loses both games easily without him. I had heard the plan was to have him at DB.

 

[DudznSudz]

Ha! Fine with me! Any time we can snag really good in-state talent, that just represents one less recruiting battle we have to fight. Honestly, I think 2018's class could be incredible, as we already have Mapieu and that beast Jurgens committed in-state.

 

[tstaup]

Bryant is not an FBS RB. Good athlete, but he's not close to Jaylin's level

 

[jflores]

Bryant is not an FBS RB. Good athlete, but he's not close to Jaylin's level

Yah the only thing that gives me pause about Bryant is what we see him growing into. The show about him being looked at at DB, made it sound like he had a real long way to go in that regard and Stewart was kind of feeling it out. I don't know that anyone sees him as a D1 RB.

Kid is too dynamic not to take, but I'd sure like a clearer picture of where we think he will strongly contribute at. I suppose as a JD Spielman type at worst?

 

[headcard]

Yah the only thing that gives me pause about Bryant is what we see him growing into. The show about him being looked at at DB, made it sound like he had a real long way to go in that regard and Stewart was kind of feeling it out. I don't know that anyone sees him as a D1 RB.

Kid is too dynamic not to take, but I'd sure like a clearer picture of where we think he will strongly contribute at. I suppose as a JD Spielman type at worst?

JD Speilman at worst? I don't know, JD is pretty dynamic. I would say i's more like JD Speilman, best case. Hope I'm wrong (if he ends up at Nebraska).

 

[jflores]

JD Speilman at worst? I don't know, JD is pretty dynamic. I would say i's more like JD Speilman, best case. Hope I'm wrong (if he ends up at Nebraska).

I meant in the context of finding him a clearly defined role. RB seems mostly out. DB seems squishy.

What I don't want to happen to the kid is to have him bounce around a bunch of positions as a tweener and never do anything meaningful here.

Playing the slot and maybe returning kicks is probably the laziest prediction of what the kid might be able to do for us, but at worst, if he's a damn good slot guy or special teams returner, then I'll take it. It'd be super nice if we could get him to be an All Conference DB, but I'll take the slot production if that's where he fits.

 

[HuskerLLM]

Bryant probably won't play RB for us. Damon said they were looking at him primarily at DB at this time.

Correct

 

[jflores]

Adding to my thought. 6 months ago when Stewart was evaluating him, we didn't have Donte in the picture.

If Donte brings in the type of talent we think he's capable of hooking, I'm not sure where an athletic guy like Bryant

1. Measures up
2. How much risk are we taking to make him a DB, which he doesn't play?

I half wonder if the staff will cross DB off the list now and look at him more on the O side of the ball just because they have an Ace who they expect to lock down some of the best DB's nationwide.

 

[DudznSudz]

These are really good points. As was brought up earlier, maybe he'll wind up being a DB or a kind of receiver/return specialist, like JD Spielmann. Either way, I think the kid is a hell of an athlete and we should snag him, but then work with him on fitting him into a great spot.

 

[Huskers5105]

If he doesn't now, he will. 247 Sports shows him 100% going to Nebraska, and I bet he would even as a walk-on. His adoptive family lives here, and he's very close with his community in Elkhorn.

Moses will not walk on to Nebraska IMHO. If he gets a scholarship he will go to Nebraska. But in listening to him talk during Christmas (he's my cousin) Iowa is his #1 choice right now. Mainly because Iowa is showing him much more attention than Nebraska does....at the moment. Moses is still working on getting his grades where they need to be, should be good by the end of this school year if they aren't already.