At the request NebChicago I have added a comparison of high-level recruits for Nebraska and Division foes to show how those numbers relate over Frosts four classes. I was going to try and remove all players 6’7” or taller regardless of rating as I am told they cannot play. That information was just too hard to easily pull together so I have had to leave them in and hope it won’t skew the analysis too much. I did call Benhart and Prochazka’s parents and explained to them that they are too tall to be good football players and they should focus on more reasonable pursuits. I think they may have found it a bit creepy and one of them said Jonathan Ogden says hello. I am not sure what that meant.
Moving on.
Total Recruited for 2018 to 2021 Nebr. Nebr
Rivals Iowa Wisc NW Minn. Illin Purdue Total Remain
6.0+ 0 1 0 0 1 0 4 3
5.9+ 0 6 0 1 1 3 8 8
5.8+ 13 14 7 7 6 8 22 na
5.7+ 16 17 17 17 2 8 28 na
Recruited 29 38 15 25 10 19 62
available 20 %Attrition 23 30 12 20 8 16 44 actual
This represents 2018 through 2021 classes for West Division teams. With the 2018 class going into their 4th year and 2019 class going into third year overall this group should have significant impact on 2021 results for these teams. I have included Nebraska’s recruited numbers and actual players remaining. I assumed a very conservative attrition of 20% for Division foes as that is too much effort to get actuals. For example, 5.8 Bateman is included as Minnesota’s numbers but will be on an NFL roster in 2021 and would be adjusted with the 20% assumed attrition.
With massive attrition from 2014 to 2017, Nebraska’s available high level recruit numbers actually looked like Illinois and Northwestern when Frost arrived. As much as I love Fritz, even he had a 9 loss season in 2019 which is worse than any season Frost has had. Only a great coach can win in Big Ten with that type of recruiting and even they cannot do it consistently as Fritz has shown.
Overall, only Wisconsin has been close to our numbers over this period. Iowa/Minnesota are next hovering around half the numbers of high-level recruits available for 2021.
One other item I found interesting was at WR/TE. I have felt many times that Wisconsin, Northwestern and Iowa will compete at the LOS but look to fall short against teams like Ohio State primarily because of the skill position talent gap so I looked at WR/TE on the offensive side and it is as you would expect. Iowa, Wisc, NW and Minnesota just don’t recruit a lot of high caliber offensive skill players. Kudos to Minnesota for identifying and developing Bateman as their lone four-star recruit over that period.
In 2021 Nebraska will have twice the number off Rivals high level WR/TE players on the roster than any West team but Purdue. It is also the only school with Blue Chips (Fidone, Manning & Betts) at WR-TE with exception of Purdue with 1. Unfortunately for Purdue, that is the only place they recruit at anywhere near a high level.
Total WR-TE recruits from 2018-2021 Nebr Nebr
Rivals Iowa Wisc NW Minn. Illin Purdue Total Remain
6.0+ 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2
5.9+ 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
5.8+ 1 2 0 1 0 3 4 2
5.7+ 4 2 0 4 0 4 7 5
Recruited 5 4 0 5 0 8 15 10
With 20% Attrition 4 3 0 4 0 7 NA
Every team has gaps and flaws to contend with that isn’t OSU. Not only has Nebraska significantly improved the number of high level players it has landed and retained relative to the previous four years, it is also significantly out recruited it peers in the West on paper over this period. There is not excuse going forward for this staff to not start competing for and regularly winning this division.
Moving on.
Total Recruited for 2018 to 2021 Nebr. Nebr
Rivals Iowa Wisc NW Minn. Illin Purdue Total Remain
6.0+ 0 1 0 0 1 0 4 3
5.9+ 0 6 0 1 1 3 8 8
5.8+ 13 14 7 7 6 8 22 na
5.7+ 16 17 17 17 2 8 28 na
Recruited 29 38 15 25 10 19 62
available 20 %Attrition 23 30 12 20 8 16 44 actual
This represents 2018 through 2021 classes for West Division teams. With the 2018 class going into their 4th year and 2019 class going into third year overall this group should have significant impact on 2021 results for these teams. I have included Nebraska’s recruited numbers and actual players remaining. I assumed a very conservative attrition of 20% for Division foes as that is too much effort to get actuals. For example, 5.8 Bateman is included as Minnesota’s numbers but will be on an NFL roster in 2021 and would be adjusted with the 20% assumed attrition.
With massive attrition from 2014 to 2017, Nebraska’s available high level recruit numbers actually looked like Illinois and Northwestern when Frost arrived. As much as I love Fritz, even he had a 9 loss season in 2019 which is worse than any season Frost has had. Only a great coach can win in Big Ten with that type of recruiting and even they cannot do it consistently as Fritz has shown.
Overall, only Wisconsin has been close to our numbers over this period. Iowa/Minnesota are next hovering around half the numbers of high-level recruits available for 2021.
One other item I found interesting was at WR/TE. I have felt many times that Wisconsin, Northwestern and Iowa will compete at the LOS but look to fall short against teams like Ohio State primarily because of the skill position talent gap so I looked at WR/TE on the offensive side and it is as you would expect. Iowa, Wisc, NW and Minnesota just don’t recruit a lot of high caliber offensive skill players. Kudos to Minnesota for identifying and developing Bateman as their lone four-star recruit over that period.
In 2021 Nebraska will have twice the number off Rivals high level WR/TE players on the roster than any West team but Purdue. It is also the only school with Blue Chips (Fidone, Manning & Betts) at WR-TE with exception of Purdue with 1. Unfortunately for Purdue, that is the only place they recruit at anywhere near a high level.
Total WR-TE recruits from 2018-2021 Nebr Nebr
Rivals Iowa Wisc NW Minn. Illin Purdue Total Remain
6.0+ 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2
5.9+ 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
5.8+ 1 2 0 1 0 3 4 2
5.7+ 4 2 0 4 0 4 7 5
Recruited 5 4 0 5 0 8 15 10
With 20% Attrition 4 3 0 4 0 7 NA
Every team has gaps and flaws to contend with that isn’t OSU. Not only has Nebraska significantly improved the number of high level players it has landed and retained relative to the previous four years, it is also significantly out recruited it peers in the West on paper over this period. There is not excuse going forward for this staff to not start competing for and regularly winning this division.
