Francois gone?

[TheBeav815]

frost has signed several "interesting" recruits since he's been the coach if you look at the recruit's recruiting story. some of these kids that left were committed somewhere else or rumored to heavy leans to home town schools then all of a sudden decommitted and later picked nebraska. although this happens on occasion i think sometimes there is a warning sign and Frost wants to take the risk. he has some recruits who nebraska was not the first choice but a fall back choice after something happened. fans dont want to see anything except the 4 star ranking. my opinion is Frost is taking some risks other coaches are not. and when you do that some of them will work out and others will not.

I don't mind the idea of taking a risk on a few kids. I do mind the idea of not having equally-touted kids to replace them with if that risk takes a bad turn.

If we have 12+ kids who are 4* and 2-3 of them flame out, no sweat. If we have 9 kids who are 4* and 2 of them flame out before the season even arrives, that's ringing alarm bells for me.

 

[scarletred]

I don't think that's it. How long has he been here?

First let’s make sure he was here to begin with... Someone in the know can they confirm he was working out in Lincoln..

 

[jflores]

I don't mind the idea of taking a risk on a few kids. I do mind the idea of not having equally-touted kids to replace them with if that risk takes a bad turn.

If we have 12+ kids who are 4* and 2-3 of them flame out, no sweat. If we have 9 kids who are 4* and 2 of them flame out before the season even arrives, that's ringing alarm bells for me.

That seems unreasonable. Scott won't get extra schollies to cover the risk.

You have to consider why he's taking the risk in the first place. If he could recruit 12+ 4* who aren't "risky" he wouldn't gamble on the risky kids in the first place.

Fact is, we aren't naturally a Top 10 recruiting program and there's going to be some element of risk for us. Other Southern teams have 500 mile radius' as well, and we are going to get kids who just flat out want to leave the south, legacy, or are up for sumthin' new, but those combined are a small percentage of kids compared to southern kids who fall inside multiple schools' 500 mile radius.

 

[TheBeav815]

That seems unreasonable. Scott won't get extra schollies to cover the risk.

You have to consider why he's taking the risk in the first place. If he could recruit 12+ 4* who aren't "risky" he wouldn't gamble on the risky kids in the first place.

Fact is, we aren't naturally a Top 10 recruiting program and there's going to be some element of risk for us. Other Southern teams have 500 mile radius' as well, and we are going to get kids who just flat out want to leave the south, legacy, or are up for sumthin' new, but those combined are a small percentage of kids compared to southern kids who fall inside multiple schools' 500 mile radius.

At risk of rehashing our earlier discussion, I don't accept that a coach who makes $5 million and his assistants who make $500K+ get the luxury of just being unable to recruit 12+ 4* guys. Your paycheck says you're elite. Your recruiting class better say it, too.

Other programs that have won nothing of substance are out there inking major classes, and we always say, "Oh well look where they're located though." If it's that easy then why isn't every team in the south dripping with talent? If it's about proximity to major population centers then why can't the schools in the Northeast be any good? (Cue a debate on whether Western Pennsylvania is in the Northeast)

No, Nebraska doesn't have a wellspring of world beaters of HS football right in its back yard. But they've signed elite classes before and other programs have risen and fallen since then. It can be done. For $5 million, you better do it again.

NU didn't hire the hottest name in coaching to come here and have a respectable little program. They hired him to build a national contender. He will be unable to do that without getting and keeping blue chip kids.

 

[Baxter48]

Has anyone heard the real story on why him and gray left? The sad part is these universities spend lots of money recruiting these kids and your not going to recover that, on the other hand you don’t win much with 2 stars kids either

 

[HominidHusker]

First let’s make sure he was here to begin with... Someone in the know can they confirm he was working out in Lincoln..

They confirmed he was here in the winter, left when spring ball cancelled like others, and came back.... and now gone again.

 

[HominidHusker]

there are a lot of young DBs in the program. it is one of the youngest rosters in the country. a lot of these kids would be sitting for quite a while because of the youth ahead of them

We lose 3 seniors after this year (two 4*s), Taylor-Britt will be a senior after this year, and we just lost two 4* DBs from this class after losing two 4* DBs from Frost’s first class.... and we only have 1 lower rated DB so far for 2021.
We will not be very deep after this year.

Nadab Joseph and Marques Buford could change this picture a bit, but neither is official yet plus Buford could still play WR.

One question is if they’ll still grow Javin Wright into an OLB or maybe move him back to DB.

 

[jflores]

At risk of rehashing our earlier discussion, I don't accept that a coach who makes $5 million and his assistants who make $500K+ get the luxury of just being unable to recruit 12+ 4* guys. Your paycheck says you're elite. Your recruiting class better say it, too.

Other programs that have won nothing of substance are out there inking major classes, and we always say, "Oh well look where they're located though." If it's that easy then why isn't every team in the south dripping with talent? If it's about proximity to major population centers then why can't the schools in the Northeast be any good? (Cue a debate on whether Western Pennsylvania is in the Northeast)

No, Nebraska doesn't have a wellspring of world beaters of HS football right in its back yard. But they've signed elite classes before and other programs have risen and fallen since then. It can be done. For $5 million, you better do it again.

NU didn't hire the hottest name in coaching to come here and have a respectable little program. They hired him to build a national contender. He will be unable to do that without getting and keeping blue chip kids.

I don't think you've adjusted too well to the new era of college coaching salaries.

I'll just use this as a rough list:

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nca...swinney-nick-saban/1tm0hym5dtina1ms02d4davsfp

There are some noticeable outliers there, with USF, Purdue, and Kentucky...but the vast majority of schools on that list generally have well regarded football programs and aim to compete for conference titles or better.

The cheapest coach on that list is ~800K less than Frost. One might say the going market rate for a Power 5 program with Top 25 ish aspirations is about 4 million bucks.

Which is important, $5 million isn't really "you're elite go do elite things" its "hey we'd have to pay run of the mill coach $4 million and change to run our program but we'll pay you a bit more because you did some things and other people want you too". Note that Frost did outrecruit Chryst and Ferentz, who both make less than him if you insist on doing a money ladder.

The fact that he was "the hottest name in football" and NU wanting to send a message it wanted to compete for real on the coaching market, is mostly what got him that extra million. To that point, we basically had spent 20 years being cheap.

 

[leodisflowers]

Floribraska!

 

[John_J_Rambo]

At risk of rehashing our earlier discussion, I don't accept that a coach who makes $5 million and his assistants who make $500K+ get the luxury of just being unable to recruit 12+ 4* guys. Your paycheck says you're elite. Your recruiting class better say it, too.

Other programs that have won nothing of substance are out there inking major classes, and we always say, "Oh well look where they're located though." If it's that easy then why isn't every team in the south dripping with talent? If it's about proximity to major population centers then why can't the schools in the Northeast be any good? (Cue a debate on whether Western Pennsylvania is in the Northeast)

No, Nebraska doesn't have a wellspring of world beaters of HS football right in its back yard. But they've signed elite classes before and other programs have risen and fallen since then. It can be done. For $5 million, you better do it again.

NU didn't hire the hottest name in coaching to come here and have a respectable little program. They hired him to build a national contender. He will be unable to do that without getting and keeping blue chip kids.

Exactly 30 mins later, the enlightened one arrives

Classic

 

[HominidHusker]

Yep, this is why you over sign. Will always have dropouts. Are we still in it with Dickerson? Or is he married to row the boat?

Not sure I’d trust a local kid who chose Fleck over Frost even if he wanted to come back.

... but yeah I’d still probably take him cus I’m desperate.

 

[v1nufan]

First let’s make sure he was here to begin with... Someone in the know can they confirm he was working out in Lincoln..

[QUOTE="was
Per OWH He was last to return earlier this month.

 

[TheBeav815]

I don't think you've adjusted too well to the new era of college coaching salaries.

I'll just use this as a rough list:

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nca...swinney-nick-saban/1tm0hym5dtina1ms02d4davsfp

There are some noticeable outliers there, with USF, Purdue, and Kentucky...but the vast majority of schools on that list generally have well regarded football programs and aim to compete for conference titles or better.

The cheapest coach on that list is ~800K less than Frost. One might say the going market rate for a Power 5 program with Top 25 ish aspirations is about 4 million bucks.

Which is important, $5 million isn't really "you're elite go do elite things" its "hey we'd have to pay run of the mill coach $4 million and change to run our program but we'll pay you a bit more because you did some things and other people want you too". Note that Frost did outrecruit Chryst and Ferentz, who both make less than him if you insist on doing a money ladder.

The fact that he was "the hottest name in football" and NU wanting to send a message it wanted to compete for real on the coaching market, is mostly what got him that extra million. To that point, we basically had spent 20 years being cheap.

I'm struggling to see how the list disproves what I'm saying. With a couple of exceptions, that list reads like a who's-who of the top recruiting classes.

We can quibble over where the entry barrier is for being "elite" and whether #14 qualifies, but if NU had Top-15 classes we're probably not having this debate. Gundy and Fitz are your big exceptions, they're making Alma Mater money. We think we didn't hire HCSF to be an alma mater guy and resign ourselves to never being an elite team again.

In an interesting coincidence, double-digit 4* commits is the entry barrier to the top-15 on this class ranking: https://247sports.com/season/2020-football/compositeteamrankings/

What's a million bucks or a couple 4* kids between friends? Maybe not much in a given year. Multiplied over the course of four or five years, both get expensive.

 

[TheBeav815]

Exactly 30 mins later, the enlightened one arrives

Classic

What a detailed and convincing analysis you just posted as to why we shouldn't mind that 22.2% of the top of NU's 2020 class is already gone before a single kickoff.

 

[scarletred]

[QUOTE="was
Per OWH He was last to return earlier this month.

Wow he gave it 2 weeks and packed it in..

 

[jflores]

Wow he gave it 2 weeks and packed it in..

Nebraska weather sucks bro

 

[v1nufan]

Must have forgotten his flip flops.

 

[Wasker77]

Per Journal Star.

Nebraska has lost another Class of 2020 defensive back.


Freshman Jaiden Francois has entered his name into the NCAA's transfer portal, the Journal Star confirmed Friday.


Francois is the second four defensive back signees from Florida to leave the NU program before ever playing a snap.

A mid-year enrollee, Francois originally signed with the Huskers over Miami and several other national suitors in December.

This story will be updated.


Contact the writer at pgabriel@journalstar.com or 402-473-7439. On Twitter @HuskerExtraPG.

View Comments

Are other schools losing players too? I bet with the Covid and how easy it is to enter the transfer portal that every school is. I don't think it looks good for Scott and his staff with the departure of all these highly ranked recruits. (It could be that when some of these kids get to Lincoln that they don't like it. Florida life is a lot different than living in Nebraska. I sure as hell wouldn't live in Florida, but for a young kid who has never lived anywhere else and now find themselves over a thousand miles from home it can be more than a little overwhelming. My family moved away from Nebraska in June following my freshman year at UNL. It wasn't always easy. My parents left me with a small house back in the hometown and I had all my friends from high school and their families who were all very supportive)

 

[WHCSC]

Wow he gave it 2 weeks and packed it in..

It's not for everyone

 

[ZaneHickey]

Per Journal Star.

Nebraska has lost another Class of 2020 defensive back.


Freshman Jaiden Francois has entered his name into the NCAA's transfer portal, the Journal Star confirmed Friday.


Francois is the second four defensive back signees from Florida to leave the NU program before ever playing a snap.

A mid-year enrollee, Francois originally signed with the Huskers over Miami and several other national suitors in December.

This story will be updated.


Contact the writer at pgabriel@journalstar.com or 402-473-7439. On Twitter @HuskerExtraPG.

View Comments

Oui.

 

[NYC-Husker]

What strikes me about this one is that there's no "thank you Nebraska" message. This kid seems kind of like school in the summertime.

 

[Sodakred]

too bad.. awaiting enlightened posts about how poorly this reflects on Coach Frost

Very true. Plus we have plenty of talent to get our 4 or 5 wins without this guy.

 

[Joe M]

Seems like Frost has taken somewhat of a shotgun approach to recruiting, offering and taking kids with minimal regard for their social / cultural fit.

He’s also taken quite a few chances on kids others schools have backed off of due to qualifying concerns. Those academic issues don’t magically go away even if they do end up qualifying. I know Frost was trying to rebuild a depleted roster but I think his approach is a primary driver of the attrition.

 

[H2Oman]

He gone
He not gone
He gone

 

[John_J_Rambo]

Very true. Plus we have plenty of talent to get our 4 or 5 wins without this guy.

great point. everyone knows we're one true freshman safety (corner?) away from bowl eligibility!

 

[salsa red]

they may still get him back though its unlikely

 

[Charlie Marlow]

bummer but not super surprising.

His family obviously didn't want him coming here and when he shows up, everything gets shut down a few days later.
Sometimes it really is no one's fault.
But I will still blame his mom just for the fun of it.

 

[yNOTskers]

Which kids have done that? Aaron Green and....?

Was thinking the same thing, can’t thing of anyone that’s transferred and had a good/better career somewhere else. I may not have the best memory though.

 

[John_J_Rambo]

bummer but not super surprising.

His family obviously didn't want him coming here and when he shows up, everything gets shut down a few days later.
Sometimes it really is no one's fault.
But I will still blame his mom just for the fun of it.

he was an early enrollee who went through winter camp

 

[BeautifulDayintheNeighborhood]

I would love to hear how it reflects well on him. Is he not the head coach of the staff that identified, recruited, signed, and coached this kid over the course of the last year or so?

Is it not particularly weird to lose two highly-touted kids out of an incredibly thin secondary without either of them having even been through a fall camp when they had a fantastic shot at playing early?

People love to slap the "prima donna" label on these kids and laugh them off the stage when they quit the team. Well guess what? It's part of the staff's job to identify that and stay away from kids who can't hack it in big boy football.

Either that or find a way to keep them happy enough to keep intercepting footballs. Those are the choices.

You wanna "Nebraska way" it up and chant "iron sharpens iron" then you can't recruit aluminum just because it was shiny and then say the kid wasn't tough enough when he quits.

Scott is gonna find out just like Bill, Bo, and Mike did that when it gets to be about year 4 or 5 we don't wanna hear it any more about not having enough talent around, it's hard to recruit at NU. We've seen what getting a ~25th ranked class and then shipping off the cream of that so-so crop will get you in the W column.

They better figure something out in terms of either keeping these kids or replacing them. They're out there playing with one arm tied behind their back and now we're going to pretend like we don't care if we start losing fingers off the free arm.

Preach brother

 

[dinglefritz]

bummer but not super surprising.

His family obviously didn't want him coming here and when he shows up, everything gets shut down a few days later.
Sometimes it really is no one's fault.
But I will still blame his mom just for the fun of it.

It sounds like part of the protocol for these guys when they get to Lincoln is a room quarantine for 2 weeks. Guys are really struggling with that. It's a terrible deal for a kid's mental health. I think there's going to be a huge number of kids attending school a long way from home who are going to bag it and go home.

 

[artguy68]

He was one of the top guys in last years' class, offered by Georgia, FSU, MIami, Auburn, Ohio State, and Penn State. He is the kind of athlete we need. Let's not pretend this doesn't really sting. The fact that he returned to Lincoln late and didn't stay even 2 weeks seems to indicate that he simply isn't feeling it here like he was back in Florida. I'll put money down that he also opts for FIU like Henry Gray (since he probably burned his bridges with Miami).

 

[Mack In Motion]

Has anyone heard the real story on why him and gray left?

I haven't. What is it?

 

[otismotis08]

Buh bye

 

[GBRforLife1]

great point. everyone knows we're one true freshman safety (corner?) away from bowl eligibility!

And a RB, a couple OLB, a few WR, OL who can pass protect, speedy LBs... etc.

 

[jeans15]

This is ridiculous

Tired of these southern kids leaving..stop wasting time on so many kids so far away from the house

This just makes losing the top db in the state that much more incompetent.
Im beginning to think Frost just sucks.

 

[WHCSC]

Im beginning to think Frost just sucks

You're wrong.
Kids get homesick. It happens to everyone. Especially with the crap we're in right now.

 

[Joe M]

You're wrong.
Kids get homesick. It happens to everyone. Especially with the crap we're in right now.

It’s happened to Nebraska at a higher clip IMO. They’ve had insane attrition the last couple years.

 

[dinglefritz]

It’s happened to Nebraska at a higher clip IMO. They’ve had insane attrition the last couple years.

I expected a lot of attrition with the coaching change and as we recruited over kids. I think with COVID all bets are off. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I believe our baseball team picked up a kid from Nebraska who had been playing in the desert southwest who transferred home. Lots of college students are re-examining their college choices right now. Who knows what's going through Francois's head. Girlfriend back home? Misses family? Clearly his Mom didn't seem happy about him choosing Nebraska because of the distance. Thus far I haven't heard a single kid bad mouth our staff and use them as a reason for leaving.

 

[Husker1078]

It’s happened to Nebraska at a higher clip IMO. They’ve had insane attrition the last couple years.

Has it really though??? Nebraska wasn't even tops in the conference last year (2019) with kids in the portal... Nebraska was middle of the pack with 12... PSU led the way with 22 players in their portal followed by Michigan with 18... Michigans portal included 10 (TEN ) 4-star players...

Nebraska's portal numbers look high this year with 21... However, 7 of them are walk-ons and 3 were dismissed for disciplinary reasons...
While I don't know the particulars of each of the other teams transfers, I think it's important to make sure we keep the walk on numbers in perspective as they make up something like 27 percent of our numbers... Thats about a 3rd of the kids leaving

Here are numbers from each conference members last 2 portals...

Penn state 22-14 =36
Maryland 15-20 =35
Nebraska 12-21 =33
Rutgers 13-18 =31
Michigan 18-12 =30
Illinois 14-7 =21
Indiana 12-8 =20
Iowa 9-10 =19
Purdue 9-10 =19
Minnesota 8-11 =19
OSU 9-4 -13
Wisky 5-5 =10
MSU 2-8 10
NW 2*3 =5