Recruiting Under Riley

[Toms Wife]

I keep hearing about how good our recruiting is under Riley. We have had classes of #31, #24, and #20. Yet, it is hard to find aggregate totals so I put some together for the Big Ten.

I have three questions:
1. Are we satisfied with our rankings as compared to other Big Ten teams during this tenure?
We are tied for fourth in 5 stars at 0
We are fifth in 4 stars.
We are second in 3 stars.
We are fifth in average star.
We are fifth in total points.
We are first in all those categories (except # of 3 stars) in the West.

2. Is this the best recruiting that we can expect at Nebraska?

3. Why do we consider Riley a good/great recruiter?

 

[WHCSC]

I think OSU, PSU and Mich are going to be very hard to beat or even match year in and year out. Mich St we should be beating regularly. Winning would help.

 

[big red22]

I keep hearing about how good our recruiting is under Riley. We have had classes of #31, #24, and #20. Yet, it is hard to find aggregate totals so I put some together for the Big Ten.

I have two questions:
1. Are we satisfied with our rankings as compared to other Big Ten teams during this tenure?
We are tied for fourth in 5 stars at 0
We are fifth in 4 stars.
We are second in 3 stars.
We are fifth in average star.
We are fifth in total points.
We are first in all those categories (except # of 3 stars) in the West.

2. Is this the best recruiting that we can expect at Nebraska?

3. Why do we consider Riley a good/great recruiter?

Hey... How about you do that for Bo Pelini and let's compare

 

[Toms Wife]

Hey... How about you do that for Bo Pelini and let's compare

I could. But Bo Pelini had to drop down a division because he couldn't find a job. Riley is the one competing against the teams above.

 

[big red22]

I could. But Bo Pelini had to drop down a division because he couldn't find a job. Riley is the one competing against the teams above.

It is simple Tom, they are signing the kids they want and not settling.

 

[nebcountry]

1. Are we satisfied with our rankings as compared to other Big Ten teams during this tenure?

My answer is "no" for the current results, but the machinery appears to be in place and being improved. Just my opinion, we should be able to repeatedly land 20th or better classes. There's only so many good football schools, and NU spends a crapload of money. Riley had to rebuild a recruiting machine since Pelini for all intents and purposes gave up on recruiting.

2. Is this the best recruiting that we can expect at Nebraska?

My answer is "no". Riley's name didn't carry any weight with recruits, no first year bump. If we hired someone more popular with recruits, I'd expect a bump. If we hired someone less popular, it wouldn't be as good.

3. Why do we consider Riley a good/great recruiter?

I consider Riley's greatest characteristic as adaptation, and it might be more recently acquired. Under his watch we have brought in recruiting assistants.

My own take. I'm more disappointed with 77 scholarship players. You want roster holes, then don't sign enough people. I think recruiting has improved though.

 

[WHCSC]

1. Are we satisfied with our rankings as compared to other Big Ten teams during this tenure?

My answer is "no" for the current results, but the machinery appears to be in place and being improved. Just my opinion, we should be able to repeatedly land 20th or better classes. There's only so many good football schools, and NU spends a crapload of money. Riley had to rebuild a recruiting machine since Pelini for all intents and purposes gave up on recruiting.

2. Is this the best recruiting that we can expect at Nebraska?

My answer is "no". Riley's name didn't carry any weight with recruits, no first year bump. If we hired someone more popular with recruits, I'd expect a bump. If we hired someone less popular, it wouldn't be as good.

3. Why do we consider Riley a good/great recruiter?

I consider Riley's greatest characteristic as adaptation, and it might be more recently acquired. Under his watch we have brought in recruiting assistants.

My own take. I'm more disappointed with 77 scholarship players. You want roster holes, then don't sign enough people. I think recruiting has improved though.

I agree with all of this and will add I think Riley is very impressive to recruit's parents. KJJ & Miles come to mind.

 

[Toms Wife]

Hey... How about you do that for Bo Pelini and let's compare

OK...I didn't want to do it but here it is. Again, this is not about Bo and Mike but tell me what you see.

 

[Toms Wife]

It is simple Tom, they are signing the kids they want and not settling.

Since their numbers are pretty much the same (with Bo averaging a higher number of five and four star guys), does this mean Bo shot higher and settled with the kind of kids Riley wanted?

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

2013 is wrong

 

[headcard]

Since their numbers are pretty much the same (with Bo averaging a higher number of five and four star guys), does this mean Bo shot higher and settled with the kind of kids Riley wanted?

Do you think that is the case? Because it honestly sounds absurd to me. "Averaged more 5 star players" You mean the one legacy 5-star OL that we turned into a 2-star DT? Who did Bo shoot high for? Owa, maybe Peat?

I wish our recruiting was better too, but this is beyond a reach.

 

[Asjohn01]

OK...I didn't want to do it but here it is. Again, this is not about Bo and Mike but tell me what you see.

[/QUOTE

Looks like bo was trending down and Riley trending up, especially hard with a complete miss class that 14 was, how many of those kids are playing?

 

[Toms Wife]

2013 is wrong

Thanks. Lots of cutting and pasting. It is now fixed. It dropped the average stars for Bo .03 points.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

2011 seniors should have been here in 2015 for Riley's first year right?

4 stars from 2011
Peat - gone
Charles Jackson -
Aaron Green - gone
Santos - injured - left team
Sterup - played
Bubba Starling - never made it
Klachko - gone
J. Turner - 4 star qb moved to WR
Tyler Moore - gone
Ryne Reeves - played
Damion Stafford - Juco - gone

4 stars from 2012
Alonzo Moore - injury prone - played for Riley
Seisay - JC gone
Z. Anderson - JC gone
Thurston - played sparingly then transferred to Colorado St
McMullen - played - bad relationship with Banker
Westerkamp - played

4 stars from 2013
T. Newby - played and started
Adam Taylor - injuries
Gregory - JC gone
Marcus Newby - meh
Josh Banderas -

4 stars from 2014
Wilbon
Gates
Harrison - never made it
Farmer

 

[Toms Wife]

Do you think that is the case? Because it honestly sounds absurd to me. "Avered more 5 star players" You mean the one legacy 5-star OL that we turned into a 2-star DT? Who did Bo shoot high for? Owa, maybe Pete?

I wish our recruiting was better too, but this is beyond a reach.

No, it was being snarky to the one being snarky about Bo always settling while Mike gets who he wants.

 

[big red22]

2011 seniors should have been here in 2015 for Riley's first year right?

4 stars from 2013
T. Newby - played and started
Adam Taylor - injuries
Gregory - JC gone
Marcus Newby - meh
Josh Banderas -

4 stars from 2014
Wilbon
Gates
Harrison - never made it
Farmer

That is the current leadership classes at other schools... We don't have much do we? Tom, you might as well wipe out that 2011 class, because nearly everyone of them did nothing

 

[Toms Wife]

2011 seniors should have been here in 2015 for Riley's first year right?

4 stars from 2011
Peat - gone
Charles Jackson -
Aaron Green - gone
Santos - injured - left team
Sterup - played
Bubba Starling - never made it
Klachko - gone
J. Turner - 4 star qb moved to WR
Tyler Moore - gone
Ryne Reeves - played
Damion Stafford - Juco - gone

4 stars from 2012
Alonzo Moore - injury prone - played for Riley
Seisay - JC gone
Z. Anderson - JC gone
Thurston - played sparingly then transferred to Colorado St
McMullen - played - bad relationship with Banker
Westerkamp - played

4 stars from 2013
T. Newby - played and started
Adam Taylor - injuries
Gregory - JC gone
Marcus Newby - meh
Josh Banderas -

4 stars from 2014
Wilbon
Gates
Harrison - never made it
Farmer

We will have to wait and see what happens with Mike's guys. We do know at least three of his highest rated players never made it past season their first season.

HOWEVER, I just posted about Bo because I was asked to do it. Riley isn't competing against Bo. He gone. The premise is how we stack up with other Big Ten teams (and to a lesser extent the rest of the country). Right now we are fifth in the Big Ten.

 

[Toms Wife]

That is the current leadership classes at other schools... We don't have much do we? Tom, you might as well wipe out that 2011 class, because nearly everyone of them did nothing

Great. I'm not here to argue against 2011. The issue is the schools we will be playing week in and week out.

 

[big red22]

Great. I'm not here to argue against 2011. The issue is the schools we will be playing week in and week out.

Just trying to let all you Bo defenders know that the 2013 and 2014 classes are supposed to be our leaders... DPE and Drew Brown were the only seniors with a scholarship coming out of high school to play for us this last Saturday. I know you can still be a good football team with young guys, but there is something to be said here.

People saying Bo isn't here anymore sure like to dismiss the fact that his 2013 and 2014 recruiting classes are still upperclassman now, and there isn't very many of them!

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

4 and 5 stars as a pct of total recruits

2012 6/17 - 35%
2013 5/25 - 20%
2014 4/25 - 16%

2015 6/21 - 29%
2016 4/21 - 19%
2017 7/20 - 35%
2018 5/10 - 50%

there is improvement

 

[Toms Wife]

Just trying to let all you Bo defenders know that the 2013 and 2014 classes are supposed to be our leaders... DPE and Drew Brown were the only seniors with a scholarship coming out of high school to play for us this last Saturday. I know you can still be a good football team with young guys, but there is something to be said here.

People saying Bo isn't here anymore sure like to dismiss the fact that his recruiting is still upperclassman now, and there isn't very many of them!

You wanted to see how the recruiting numbers stacked up between Bo and Mike. They are even at best. These ratings are based upon what experts say about the kids. You can talk about who stuck around...Bo poisoning the water while they are here...Bo running off guys...etc. Bo is fired because he couldn't get it done.

However, this board keeps putting out how Riley is this great recruiter. The reality is that he brings in kids who are at the same levels as Bo's kids ACCORDING TO THE EXPERT EVALUATERS who run this site. If you want to say he gets nicer kids, kids with better back grounds, kids more likely to not quit or transfer, kids who are more coachable, then go for it. But the numbers are what the numbers are.

 

[big red22]

You wanted to see how the recruiting numbers stacked up between Bo and Mike. They are even at best. These ratings are based upon what experts say about the kids. You can talk about who stuck around...Bo poisoning the water while they are here...Bo running off guys...etc. Bo is fired because he couldn't get it done.

However, this board keeps putting out how Riley is this great recruiter. The reality is that he brings in kids who are at the same levels as Bo's kids ACCORDING TO THE EXPERT EVALUATERS who run this site. If you want to say he gets nicer kids, kids with better back grounds, kids more likely to not quit or transfer, kids who are more coachable, then go for it. But the numbers are what the numbers are.

As Tuco pointed out Bo's classes downward trend. Riley's classes are on an upward trend, problem is that upward trend has been kicked in the balls by our administration, but hopefully Riley can make it salvageable before he is forced to leave.

 

[Toms Wife]

As Tuco pointed out Bo's classes downward trend. Riley's classes are on an upward trend, problem is that upward trend has been kicked in the balls by our administration, but hopefully Riley can make it salvageable before he is forced to leave.

I don't think you want bring up getting kicked in the balls by the administration. Pelini's numbers would easily be better across the board if SE hadn't kicked him the nuts his last two years. If you take off Bo's last class that SE ruined, Bo's numbers are easily better across the board.

P.S. And Bo wasn't good enough!

 

[TwinsRRUs]

You wanted to see how the recruiting numbers stacked up between Bo and Mike.

I took "How about you do that for Bo Pelini and let's compare" as in compare Nebraska's recruiting vs the rest of the B1G, not vs Riley.

Did Bo's recruiting ranking rank in the same places as Riley's in the B1G?

I would like to see whether his classes were better than Wisconsin, OSU, MSU, Michigan, etc. Without looking, I would assume that Bo's classes ranked similar to Riley's compared to the other B1G teams.

 

[Toms Wife]

I took "How about you do that for Bo Pelini and let's compare" as in compare Nebraska's recruiting vs the rest of the B1G, not vs Riley.

Did Bo's recruiting ranking rank in the same places as Riley's in the B1G?

I would like to see whether his classes were better than Wisconsin, OSU, MSU, Michigan, etc. Without looking, I would assume that Bo's classes ranked similar to Riley's compared to the other B1G teams.

No, Bo's classes were far better than Rileys in comparison to other Big Ten teams. He was third in every meaningful category.

 

[mkbrkloster]

Without any data to back it up, IMO Bo's main problem was keeping his higher profile recruits around. Also, it sure feels like the "hit/miss" ratio under Bo was not very good on the guys that did stay. Riley may have the same problem...not sure we know yet.

 

[mkbrkloster]

No, Bo's classes were far better than Rileys in comparison to other Big Ten teams. He was third in every meaningful category. I will give a pic in a second.

I'd say for most of Bo's tenure, Michigan wasn't historical (or present) "Michigan". Yeah, MSU took their place in on-field performance, but they didn't do it with top 10 classes either.

 

[headcard]

That 2011 class was heartbreaking. I thought that was the group that would get us back.

Bubba Starling
Charles Jackson
Tyler Moore
Jamaal Turner
Ryan Klachko
Aaron Green
Todd Peat
Ammer Abdullah
Ryan Reeves
Damion Stafford

Oh what could have been.

 

[timnsun]

You wanted to see how the recruiting numbers stacked up between Bo and Mike. They are even at best. These ratings are based upon what experts say about the kids. You can talk about who stuck around...Bo poisoning the water while they are here...Bo running off guys...etc. Bo is fired because he couldn't get it done.

However, this board keeps putting out how Riley is this great recruiter. The reality is that he brings in kids who are at the same levels as Bo's kids ACCORDING TO THE EXPERT EVALUATERS who run this site. If you want to say he gets nicer kids, kids with better back grounds, kids more likely to not quit or transfer, kids who are more coachable, then go for it. But the numbers are what the numbers are.

I don’t understand how you continue to throw out that Riley’s 3 best recruits didn’t even make it here, all he while using all of Pelini’s recruits who never stayed here either.

 

[TwinsRRUs]

However, this board keeps putting out how Riley is this great recruiter. The reality is that he brings in kids who are at the same levels as Bo's kids ACCORDING TO THE EXPERT EVALUATERS who run this site. If you want to say he gets nicer kids, kids with better back grounds, kids more likely to not quit or transfer, kids who are more coachable, then go for it. But the numbers are what the numbers are.

I jumped on board the recruiting band wagon when Riley was hired and was riding high while going through the Calibraska movement.

So far we have some good classes that seem like they are panning out with many of the recruits contributing or getting in position to contribute.

My biggest issue with Bo's classes were how many of the recruits either didn't show up, or didn't pan out.

Well, so far Riley has had some recruits leave, similar to Bo, but maybe not as many...
2015: Talan, Stevenson, Alston
2016: Grim, Simmons
2017: Blades, Watts, (Johnson Jr.?)

I was hoping for top 15 classes, but that hasn't been happening...

 

[JohnRossEwing]

This should go int he Double Standard thread...A Bo class of 29 is horrible but a Riley class of 29 is basically #1.

Can't they just both not be good? Can't both coaches just not be good?

 

[RedMyMind]

No, Bo's classes were far better than Rileys in comparison to other Big Ten teams. He was third in every meaningful category.

Bo played in the Big 10 when the power schools were down and still couldn't get anything going.

 

[Toms Wife]

I don’t understand how you continue to throw out that Riley’s 3 best recruits didn’t even make it here, all he while using all of Pelini’s recruits who never stayed here either.

I don't throw any of them out. The numbers are the numbers. I said above that it's fine to talk about Pelini not keeping guys around. But that's another question. That question isn't about recruiting and the mantra that Riley is doing a fine job recruiting..

 

[Toms Wife]

Bo played in the Big 10 when the power schools were down and still couldn't get anything going.

Yep. And he got fired for it like he should have.

 

[WHCSC]

No, Bo's classes were far better than Rileys in comparison to other Big Ten teams. He was third in every meaningful category.

Is this when PSU was under sanctions?

 

[Nate004]

For god sakes, how many FREAKING TIMES do we have to do this? The problem for both coaches is they didn't get top 15 classes, and until we do that, we won't be winning much of anything of importance. Both recruit in the 20's range for the most part... Pelini either never got his high ranking players on campus, or didn't develop them for the most part. Riley needs to be able to do this better, and is still under evaluation at this point.

 

[anon_umk0ifu6vj6zi]

I don't think you want bring up getting kicked in the balls by the administration. Pelini's numbers would easily be better across the board if SE hadn't kicked him the nuts his last two years. If you take off Bo's last class that SE ruined, Bo's numbers are easily better across the board.

P.S. And Bo wasn't good enough!

You mean by tripling his recruiting budget after the old penny pincher was out of the way? That kind of kicking in the balls? But oh yeah let's keep imagining things.

 

[Toms Wife]

Is this when PSU was under sanctions?

For some of the time yes. But please notice that they still averaged 19.9 kids and the star rankings of those kids were just 3.00.

 

[Toms Wife]

You mean by tripling his recruiting budget after the old penny pincher was out of the way? That kind of kicking in the balls? But oh yeah let's keep imagining things.

Sooooooooo...for a long span of time Bo was recruiting as well as Riley with 1/3 the budget?

 

[Bruce1981]

A conference title would help recruiting significantly