Still no clue as to what to expect relative to end results, class rankings, etc but as I caught myself last night wondering how many commits could happen this weekend it hit me that this roller coaster ride is just beginning. It seems like we put so much focus leading-up to the spring game as to what could happen or what commits it might bring that you get lulled into thinking this represents some form of conclusion regarding this cycle. It doesn't. Quite the opposite.
In fact, relative to the role and efforts it clearly appears guys like KJJ and Gebbia are going to put into this class, this weekend is really more like a "ribbon cutting ceremony" introducing us to a whole new thing. And a recruit/commit like Brendan Jaimes is a pretty good case study in what that means. Just over three weeks ago, he was excited and intrigued by an NU offer but probably wasn't going to get on-campus until late summer or fall. He also was reportedly interested in staying in close to home but had planned on being at Cal's spring game yesterday.
I get that things change. That plans change. Quickly. Especially in recruiting. But I can read a map and yesterday Brendan Jaimes wasn't at Cal, he was in Lincoln and just became the 6th member of the 2016 class. Wow and wtf.
So what gets a south central Texas boy to convince his family to load-up on relatively short notice, come to Lincoln and then reportedly know that he wanted to commit soon after arriving? Answer: Expectation confirmation. Pretty sure I read an update where it was revealed that KJJ and Gebbia had reached out to Jaimes via DM. Extolled the virtues of the program, coaches, etc. Personally encouraged Jaimes interest in the Huskers and invited him up to the spring game. Apparently, that resonated with Jaimes (and his family). The ice was broken and Jaimes showed up expecting to feel accepted and at home. Immediately, it seems, Jaimes found in Lincoln what he expected to find. That's a powerful dynamic.
And according to the last sentence of Mike Matya's offer article from three weeks ago, Jaimes also found in Lincoln what he wanted to find: "I'm just looking for the best player/coaches relationship I can find and a campus where it feels like home."
His commitment article and actions yesterday make perfect sense now. His expectations were confirmed. He found in Lincoln what he was expecting to find. What he expected to see, think and feel. That's pretty powerful.
It's also the biggest change in dynamic over the last few months for which we can thank KJJ, Gebbia, etc. How many post-recruiting visit articles have you read over the last 15 years where some of the first words a recruit said was, "I really didn't know what to expect" and/or "it was much nicer/cooler than I imagined"? Try to find those same or similar comments in these most recent post-visit articles.
These guys are coming to Lincoln expecting to be impressed. Expecting to get rock star treatment. Expecting to have fun. And NU and Husker Nation certainly didn't disappoint. You get that pretty clearly from the updates. Expectation confirmation is occurring.
This confirmation can't occur if the expectations aren't established prior to the visit and these can only really (effectively) come from the peer level. Via phone or text, Brendan Jaimes may really come to like and trust Cavanaugh as his future coach but he's not relying on Cav for what to really expect as a kid visiting or living in Lincoln. The game changes when two highly ranked SoCal guys reach-out and tell you that Lincoln is the cool place to be.
Bookie, Rahyme, Deommodore, Tyjon, etc didn't show-up in Lincoln wondering what they were going to find. They arrived with an expectation as to what the experience was going to be. So far, so good. It appears that Husker Nation didn't disappoint.
The ripples from KJJ and Gebbia are going to become waves if the "movement" in Lincoln can continue with this level of impetus. Expectations are changing. And more importantly...being confirmed.
Good thing I like roller coasters because this one seems to just be getting started. Cool.
GBR!
In fact, relative to the role and efforts it clearly appears guys like KJJ and Gebbia are going to put into this class, this weekend is really more like a "ribbon cutting ceremony" introducing us to a whole new thing. And a recruit/commit like Brendan Jaimes is a pretty good case study in what that means. Just over three weeks ago, he was excited and intrigued by an NU offer but probably wasn't going to get on-campus until late summer or fall. He also was reportedly interested in staying in close to home but had planned on being at Cal's spring game yesterday.
I get that things change. That plans change. Quickly. Especially in recruiting. But I can read a map and yesterday Brendan Jaimes wasn't at Cal, he was in Lincoln and just became the 6th member of the 2016 class. Wow and wtf.
So what gets a south central Texas boy to convince his family to load-up on relatively short notice, come to Lincoln and then reportedly know that he wanted to commit soon after arriving? Answer: Expectation confirmation. Pretty sure I read an update where it was revealed that KJJ and Gebbia had reached out to Jaimes via DM. Extolled the virtues of the program, coaches, etc. Personally encouraged Jaimes interest in the Huskers and invited him up to the spring game. Apparently, that resonated with Jaimes (and his family). The ice was broken and Jaimes showed up expecting to feel accepted and at home. Immediately, it seems, Jaimes found in Lincoln what he expected to find. That's a powerful dynamic.
And according to the last sentence of Mike Matya's offer article from three weeks ago, Jaimes also found in Lincoln what he wanted to find: "I'm just looking for the best player/coaches relationship I can find and a campus where it feels like home."
His commitment article and actions yesterday make perfect sense now. His expectations were confirmed. He found in Lincoln what he was expecting to find. What he expected to see, think and feel. That's pretty powerful.
It's also the biggest change in dynamic over the last few months for which we can thank KJJ, Gebbia, etc. How many post-recruiting visit articles have you read over the last 15 years where some of the first words a recruit said was, "I really didn't know what to expect" and/or "it was much nicer/cooler than I imagined"? Try to find those same or similar comments in these most recent post-visit articles.
These guys are coming to Lincoln expecting to be impressed. Expecting to get rock star treatment. Expecting to have fun. And NU and Husker Nation certainly didn't disappoint. You get that pretty clearly from the updates. Expectation confirmation is occurring.
This confirmation can't occur if the expectations aren't established prior to the visit and these can only really (effectively) come from the peer level. Via phone or text, Brendan Jaimes may really come to like and trust Cavanaugh as his future coach but he's not relying on Cav for what to really expect as a kid visiting or living in Lincoln. The game changes when two highly ranked SoCal guys reach-out and tell you that Lincoln is the cool place to be.
Bookie, Rahyme, Deommodore, Tyjon, etc didn't show-up in Lincoln wondering what they were going to find. They arrived with an expectation as to what the experience was going to be. So far, so good. It appears that Husker Nation didn't disappoint.
The ripples from KJJ and Gebbia are going to become waves if the "movement" in Lincoln can continue with this level of impetus. Expectations are changing. And more importantly...being confirmed.
Good thing I like roller coasters because this one seems to just be getting started. Cool.
GBR!
