Just a quick look/comparison between the teams most relevant to NU since the Huskers joined the B1G Conference. What you are looking at is Rivals data from 2011 thru the current 2016 commit lists. The data pulled is the total players signed or currently committed / total players from southern states (total from FL, TX or CA) and then the % of total players signed or committed from southern states.
For the purposes of this discussion, "southern states" are those below the yellow line.
A couple of comments/observations from putting this together:
GBR!
For the purposes of this discussion, "southern states" are those below the yellow line.
A couple of comments/observations from putting this together:
- If Iowa really wants to be a player in the West Division, they need to be up with Minnesota and Wisconsin. No excuses for how they are trending, imo.
- For as few total players as Wisconsin has signed over this period, they must have a very high contribution rate from their respective recruiting classes. Not a lot of busts. Good on them.
- Under MR, NU needs to maximize the number of players signed. OSU already recruits at a high level and over this period they've basically signed one more full class of prospects than what NU has signed. That is a big competitive disadvantage for NU if your goal is to be the best and beat the best. PSU was still on sanctions for much of this period and they only signed 3 less prospects than NU.
- Don't sleep on Jerry Kill. If you truly make it a "stars" battle, then Minnesota isn't going to win. However, if you take a comprehensive look based on geography, type of athlete's and execution of a recruiting plan, I think it could be argued that Minnesota is second only to Ohio St at this time (even though I think that MR is showing the ability to do what Kill is doing but will have greater success because he's got the Nebraska "brand" and resources).
- The B1G hits FL, GA and TX hard. That said, no program has a greater reach in TX than NU and the Huskers are far and away the leaders in the West/SW. In CA, the Huskers are king. NU has also signed more from Louisiana than all of these other programs combined during this period. I hope that NU continues to be aware of these very clear and long-established advantages and leverages the hell out of them. MR clearly seems to be on point with this strategy.
GBR!
