This kid may end up being great. I hope he does. On paper, however, he’s not the 5 star difference makers that Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State get in droves. But we...as Nebraska fans...simply get excited about the “commit”. And these guys we do sign are marketed beyond all creation. It sales. A 5.5 star lb, rb. whatever..with 3 offers? He’s our “diamond in the rough” that will pull a Neil Smith and be an AA.
Im not here to crush people’s dreams because I use to do it too. I believed it and marketed it. But if Neb doesn’t sign more highly regarded players and KEEP them in Lincoln...we will continue to be a mid-tier team in The BIG teetering at the .500 mark.
Neb doesn’t have the advantages it did in the 90s...best strength program in the nation, could sign Prop 48s (e.g. Christian Peter, Barron Miles, Jamaal Williams). We are on more of an even playing ground with everyone else and Frost is far from TO (yet) that might be able to figure out a way to squeak out wins against superior teams with game planning, game management...etc.
Neb needs talent. I hope the transfer from Northern Iowa is our savior...I do. But IMO...we need more Lavante David’s, Suhs...etc...and we are just not signing them. And 80 percent of the time we do sign “Close” to them...they leave.
I hope my kids who are 24 and younger get to see a Neb team like I saw several times sometime in their lifetime but I’m sorry, I’m not confident that the transfer from NI is going to be the guy that makes that happen. Sorry to be a downer. I’ve lived this sh@& and even wrote about it, for years. Hell...I think we tried to market Panico as a guy that was overlooked and could really make some heads spin. We weren’t lying. We just wanted it so bad...we believed it. Remember the bad ass, low rated safety (hell cant even remember his name) that Roz absolutely loved. He never produced...so his ranking in hindsight was pretty spot on.