SIAP - Congratulations to Zane Flores ...

[rcnut223]

Just adding perspective, he’s an 87 three star on 247 which is a solid rating.
His offer list is as good or better now than most Nebraska kids ever get, let alone QB.

I’ve said a few times that whether we offered or not is less of a big deal to me versus showing minimal (close to zero) interest in him at all. That carries bad optics of not caring about local talent, antithetical to public messaging about locking down borders, and also at a time when local kids have been snubbing us.

Make it clear we are interested in him, keep communication, let him know want to him to be a preferred walk-on or grayshirt perhaps, whatever it takes to make it not look like we’re asleep at the wheel when there’s a talented QB in our back yard during a time we had some terrible QB play (esp. 2020), and not much waiting in the wings to boost confidence in the future (before recent transfer additions).

Ok I’ll bite.

If you have no desire to offer the kid why show interest. It’s not good for Nebraska and it’s not good for Zane

If Nebraska shows interest it may persuade a qb(Williams) to look else where.

If Zane holds out for a Nebraska offer and doesn’t get one, he may pass on a legit offer from another school

Nebraska can’t afford to be disingenuous with anyone

 

[scarletred]

Ok I’ll bite.

If you have no desire to offer the kid why show interest. It’s not good for Nebraska and it’s not good for Zane

If Nebraska shows interest it may persuade a qb(Williams) to look else where.

If Zane holds out for a Nebraska offer and doesn’t get one, he may pass on a legit offer from another school

Nebraska can’t afford to be disingenuous with anyone

I might add SF should have been pursuing Flores long before Whipple was hired..

And SF should have informed Whipple about Flores when he arrived just to check him out..

So did he or didn’t he? Maybe Red Cap can answer a few of these questions..

 

[crymsonsteel]

Troy Edwards

JR played here, I forgot.

 

[Reditus]

How in the heck does Haarberg and Tores get a scholly offer but not Flores? Makes zero, zero, sense. When people say yeah, but you don't know what the coaches now, so shut up, don't listen to them.

I think it makes sense.

I think they went with Watson to get more of a running threat in the room. Haarberg and Torres lean towards arm talent vs running.

If Flores was graduating in Torres's class I think he would have an offer. Timing, what's in the room and what's available in the recruiting pool all are factors.

 

[cubsker]

JR played here, I forgot.

Dude just torched us. 405 yards receiving against a secondary with Ralph and Mike Brown.

 

[theBIGgig]

we sure the kid even considers Neb if they offer? - maybe winning and bowl games are important to him

he is committing to a respected program known for it's prolific offense

nationally, outside of Neb (and even within on occasion), the decision to play at Neb is met with thinly veiled snickers given the state of the program .. it's akin to committing to play football at Kansas or committing to play basketball at a place like ...well ... Nebraska

 

[RedCap]

I might add SF should have been pursuing Flores long before Whipple was hired..

And SF should have informed Whipple about Flores when he arrived just to check him out..

So did he or didn’t he? Maybe Red Cap can answer a few of these questions..

I'm not going to weigh in on Zane's recruitment or ever try to speak on his behalf. It's his life and his to share whatever he wants to say. I'm just very happy for him and hope he has a tremendous career. Period.

 

[king_kong_]

I'm not going to weigh in on Zane's recruitment or ever try to speak on his behalf. It's his life and his to share whatever he wants to say. I'm just very happy for him and hope he has a tremendous career. Period.

going to play for a quarterback at his alma mater who actually has a clue

good for him, so incredibly disappointing for us.

imagine Flores to Fidone + the Lincoln WRs for years to come in Memorial Stadium... sigh

 

[Frosted Szn]

Disappointing. Flores should have continued the Nebraska tradition of "Mexican QBU". Too good of a fit to pass up.

 

[Huskerfan2112]

Um, Watson is a 5.6 three star kid.

So we offered a three-star QB from 1500 miles away, one who is only 6 foot tall, instead of the one from 30 miles away who is 6'4 and already built like a college QB. Brilliant.

Its sort of like tackling in the spring game: damned if you do and damned if you dont

 

[otismotis08]

Troy Edwards

LA Tech. We won, but man did Rattay and Edwards put on a show.

No. 4 Nebraska 56, La. Tech 27

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ New coach, same old story for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Frank Solich era opened with No. 4 Nebraska beating Louisiana Tech 56-27 in the Eddie Robinson Classic on Saturday, although the Bulldogs made a record-setting impression in defeat. Wide receiver Troy...

apnews.com

 

[wkato]

going to play for a quarterback at his alma mater who actually has a clue

good for him, so incredibly disappointing for us.

imagine Flores to Fidone + the Lincoln WRs for years to come in Memorial Stadium... sigh

So Flores already beat out Purdy to Fidone. Wow, he must be good! Will Fidone ever get to play? Seems knee have become an issue with him.

 

[king_kong_]

So Flores already beat out Purdy to Fidone. Wow, he must be good! Will Fidone ever get to play? Seems knee have become an issue with him.

if purdy can't hit a seam route in the spring game against 100th teamers, he will never play a snap here

both guys are damaged goods, but Fidone has a much easier path to playing time

 

[headcard]

we sure the kid even considers Neb if they offer? - maybe winning and bowl games are important to him

he is committing to a respected program known for it's prolific offense

nationally, outside of Neb (and even within on occasion), the decision to play at Neb is met with thinly veiled snickers given the state of the program .. it's akin to committing to play football at Kansas or committing to play basketball at a place like ...well ... Nebraska

View embedded media

You are really bad at this trolling thing.

 

[HominidHusker]

Ok I’ll bite.

If you have no desire to offer the kid why show interest. It’s not good for Nebraska and it’s not good for Zane

If Nebraska shows interest it may persuade a qb(Williams) to look else where.

If Zane holds out for a Nebraska offer and doesn’t get one, he may pass on a legit offer from another school

Nebraska can’t afford to be disingenuous with anyone

These are fair points. Recruiting has always had players or programs strung along as it’s part of determining what’s best for each party.
I don’t think that process is disingenuous by itself if done in good faith, but agree with you if we simply had zero interest.
If we had zero interest (unless they just really dislike him personally), then my judgment turns to our ability to evaluate a player.
Our evaluation would be pretty sh*tty if we had no interest in what he was doing.
Okie St’s success with QBs is enough evidence.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

If this kid is a can’t miss prospect than I get the hand wringing. But he is a run of the mill QB. This isn't meant to disparage the kid or anything, good luck to him at Okie St. I tend to agree that if he was from Utah or North Carolina there would be no discussion about passing on this kid. But the fear of him being something more than a long term back up at Oklahoma St has people in a panic, because he is from Nebraska.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

These are fair points. Recruiting has always had players or programs strung along as it’s part of determining what’s best for each party.
I don’t think that process is disingenuous by itself if done in good faith, but agree with you if we simply had zero interest.
If we had zero interest (unless they just really dislike him personally), then my judgment turns to our ability to evaluate a player.
Our evaluation would be pretty sh*tty if we had no interest in what he was doing.
Okie St’s success with QBs is enough evidence.

What success? Mason Rudolph? Brendan Weeden? They have had better teams, not sure the QB was the reason why. They were at best game managers.

 

[scarletred]

I'm not going to weigh in on Zane's recruitment or ever try to speak on his behalf. It's his life and his to share whatever he wants to say. I'm just very happy for him and hope he has a tremendous career. Period.

Understand.

 

[theBIGgig]

What success? Mason Rudolph? Brendan Weeden? They have had better teams, not sure the QB was the reason why. They were at best game managers.

this is fair ... but if you were a high school QB wouldn't it be wise to hedge your bets and go to a school with offensive coaches and surrounding talent that affords a mere game manager an NFL opportunity along with the associated paycheck as opposed to a 3-9 crap show

everything being equal ... I would rather it be shown I'm not an NFL caliber QB while in the NFL rather than scrambling for my life and facing superior coaching on the opposing sideline in lincoln

 

[Harry Caray]

If this kid is a can’t miss prospect than I get the hand wringing. But he is a run of the mill QB. This isn't meant to disparage the kid or anything, good luck to him at Okie St. I tend to agree that if he was from Utah or North Carolina there would be no discussion about passing on this kid. But the fear of him being something more than a long term back up at Oklahoma St has people in a panic, because he is from Nebraska.

Do you think William Watson is a can't miss prospect?

 

[inWV]

Do you think William Watson is a can't miss prospect?

I'm assuming the answer is no. Neither are can't miss. But one has been evaluated over several years by Whipple who is the OC and QB coach. And I do know whose opinion weighs heavily with Scott Frost. Mark Whipple's.

 

[WHCSC]

There are likely several people who's job to some degree depends on who is recruited, offered and signed to play football for Nebraska and none of them (as far as I know) are on this board.

 

[beaglehusker]

if purdy can't hit a seam route in the spring game against 100th teamers, he will never play a snap here

both guys are damaged goods, but Fidone has a much easier path to playing time

Just a bad take, you get too emotional.

 

[frostonthegrass]

this is fair ... but if you were a high school QB wouldn't it be wise to hedge your bets and go to a school with offensive coaches and surrounding talent that affords a mere game manager an NFL opportunity along with the associated paycheck as opposed to a 3-9 crap show

everything being equal ... I would rather it be shown I'm not an NFL caliber QB while in the NFL rather than scrambling for my life and facing superior coaching on the opposing sideline in lincoln

• "he is committing to a respected program known for it's prolific offense" Oklahoma State 2021
  • Passing Yards
    115th
    231.9 PYPG
• • Total Yards Per Game
    81st
    417.4 YPG
• Points For
• 31.1
  Tied-106th

 

[Hugo_Stiglitz7]

Um, Watson is a 5.6 three star kid.

So we offered a three-star QB from 1500 miles away, one who is only 6 foot tall, instead of the one from 30 miles away who is 6'4 and already built like a college QB. Brilliant.

That means he's actually 5-9 and about 166 lbs after a big-box meal at taco bell.

 

[HominidHusker]

What success? Mason Rudolph? Brendan Weeden? They have had better teams, not sure the QB was the reason why. They were at best game managers.

I just took a peek now and was underwhelmed with their QB performance last few years (compared to what my impression was), but Rudolph put up good numbers. His stats would qualify him above game manager I think. He was up near the top two years in a row.

 

[bomber89]

Here is a novel idea, how about taking two quarterbacks once every 3 years due to the high rate of them transferring so often. I would of offered and recruited Zane hard as well.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

Do you think William Watson is a can't miss prospect?

Don’t move the goalposts. My position is not is A better than B. My position is that B is just an average QB, who just happens to live 20 miles from Lincoln. If he lived 600 miles from Lincoln no one would be saying “we should have offered B”.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

this is fair ... but if you were a high school QB wouldn't it be wise to hedge your bets and go to a school with offensive coaches and surrounding talent that affords a mere game manager an NFL opportunity along with the associated paycheck as opposed to a 3-9 crap show

everything being equal ... I would rather it be shown I'm not an NFL caliber QB while in the NFL rather than scrambling for my life and facing superior coaching on the opposing sideline in lincoln

You make it sound like Flores made a decision between Nebraska and Oklahoma St. Nebraska wasn’t an option for him.

according to his “offer list” he chose Oklahoma St over Kansas, Kansas St, Memphis, Washington, Missouri, Bowling Green, Pitt, Oregon St and Indiana.

 

[Newbomb_Turk1]

You make it sound like Flores made a decision between Nebraska and Oklahoma St. Nebraska wasn’t an option for him.

according to his “offer list” he chose Oklahoma St over Kansas, Kansas St, Memphis, Washington, Missouri, Bowling Green, Pitt, Oregon St and Indiana.

Nebraska was fair to the kid by showing zero interest. He was able to move on and find a good fit. Win/Win. Sad fact is they found a much better QB in Watson that Wipp wanted.

 

[Harry Caray]

Don’t move the goalposts. My position is not is A better than B. My position is that B is just an average QB, who just happens to live 20 miles from Lincoln. If he lived 600 miles from Lincoln no one would be saying “we should have offered B”.

I remember people saying similar things about Joe Burrow at the time. "If his dad hadn't played here, nobody would be saying we should have offered him, he's only a 3-star recruit".

The fact is, we signed an average QB from 1500 miles away, when there was one 30 miles away who actually has the size to play QB at this level. Watson is listed at 6-foot, 175 pounds - and that's being very generous. If we had a 5-star QB committed, I would understand passing on Flores. But instead, we decided to only take one QB, and it's a 3-star kid that won't even be able to see over the offensive line and will probably end up changing positions at the college level.

 

[nostromo78]

The transfer portal has changed football. There is a good chance that neither watson, nor flores will ever play a meaningful snap as a starter at either school.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

I remember people saying similar things about Joe Burrow at the time. "If his dad hadn't played here, nobody would be saying we should have offered him, he's only a 3-star recruit".

The fact is, we signed an average QB from 1500 miles away, when there was one 30 miles away who actually has the size to play QB at this level. Watson is listed at 6-foot, 175 pounds - and that's being very generous. If we had a 5-star QB committed, I would understand passing on Flores. But instead, we decided to only take one QB, and it's a 3-star kid that won't even be able to see over the offensive line and will probably end up changing positions at the college level.

So you don’t have a problem taking an average QB as long as he is from Nebraska.

edit - Burrow was ignored by Pelini supposedly because he didn’t fit what they were doing on offense. He was offered by Riley and Langsdorf but by then it was too late.

 

[inWV]

* Flores is a Nebraska kid and it would have been nice had it worked out to get him on the roster but it didn't.
* People on this board who think they know more about college QBs than Whipple are wrong.
* Whether Whipple and Frost bungled this is likely of little consequence, as more proximal events will determine their fates in Lincoln. If/when Watson is lined up to compete for the starters job is probably two starting QBs away. At least three years. If Whipple and Frost are still in Lincoln, then NU got back to winning and going to bowls and the Watson/Flores dust up is long forgotten. There may be other QBs more talented than Watson that join the program. Say a relative of the current Oline coach.
* Given what NU's QB room has looked like for at least a decade (well over a decade?), I think folks should be happy with the talent currently on hand. Cause it looks pretty good in comparison to prior years. Just give Google a spin.

 

[GaRed]

Where are all the people saying we need 4-5 star kids to win again and yet now they’re complaining about not recruiting a 3 star. With the transfer portal he might be back to Nebraska in a year or two

It never ends , I just chuckle .

 

[theBIGgig]

It never ends , I just chuckle .

“it never ends” correlates directly with the fact that “he (frost) never wins”

 

[king_kong_]

So you don’t have a problem taking an average QB as long as he is from Nebraska.

edit - Burrow was ignored by Pelini supposedly because he didn’t fit what they were doing on offense. He was offered by Riley and Langsdorf but by then it was too late.

My opinion is if choosing between two similar players, we should always prioritize the one from NE

your analysis is correct that nobody would be talking about Flores if he weren’t from NE, just like nobody had a clue who Watson was until he committed

Flores wouldn’t have needed to ever play a down to make an impact with local recruiting. Watson, meanwhile, won’t help there and also won’t ever play.

 

[Mrs.Jeans15]

I just think any recruit that is Power 5 worthy should be offeted if they are in state. Its not just about this year it's about building relations for future recruits as well.

Spending money trying to get a kid 100s of miles away just to see them transfer out is killing this program.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

I just think any recruit that is Power 5 worthy should be offeted if they are in state. Its not just about this year it's about building relations for future recruits as well.

Spending money trying to get a kid 100s of miles away just to see them transfer out is killing this program.

I agree except QB.

 

[king_kong_]

I agree except QB.

It’s not like we went out and courted a program-changer, we got a kid who peaked at 16 in a non-football state