Watching the college playoff games

[Pennsyhusker]

I watched the two playoff games and thought they were great examples of why college football is so much fun. But it also left me depressed. I was depressed as I watched the quality of the athletes all the teams had on the field and the programs that made their appearance in the playoffs possible. It depressed me because we once had that many, many years ago.

It led to a question that has been rattling around in my head for months now. Given the nature of modern day college football is it even possible for a team with the geography and demographics of Nebraska to reach that level of play again? And let's be real here and not just spout the usual "si se puede" bullshit. Every team that is in the playoff comes from a part of the country that is rich in recruits. There are probably more D1 caliber players in Seattle alone than in the entire state of Nebraska in any given year. Of course, that did not stop Devaney or Osborne from getting recruits but that was a different era of college football. Callahan I guess proved that you could recruit to Lincoln, but he was at Nebraska when the Nebraska brand still meant a lot.

Can we do it? I am pessimistic. We have great facilities. We have great fans. We have money for NIL. We are in the premier conference. But in a conference with Washington, Oregon, USC, OSU, Michigan and PSU, how in the hell do we avoid being a perennial middle of the pack team in the B1G? How do we compete against that kind of recruiting firepower?

We were lucky that Raiola was a legacy recruit. For once we got a break. But had he not been a legacy guy he would not be coming here and we would be looking down the barrel of another year of shit QB play. Here is to hoping that our luck in landing him pans out...

 

[WHCSC]

We’re close

 

[BTF69]

I watched the two playoff games and thought they were great examples of why college football is so much fun. But it also left me depressed. I was depressed as I watched the quality of the athletes all the teams had on the field and the programs that made their appearance in the playoffs possible. It depressed me because we once had that many, many years ago.

It led to a question that has been rattling around in my head for months now. Given the nature of modern day college football is it even possible for a team with the geography and demographics of Nebraska to reach that level of play again? And let's be real here and not just spout the usual "si se puede" bullshit. Every team that is in the playoff comes from a part of the country that is rich in recruits. There are probably more D1 caliber players in Seattle alone than in the entire state of Nebraska in any given year. Of course, that did not stop Devaney or Osborne from getting recruits but that was a different era of college football. Callahan I guess proved that you could recruit to Lincoln, but he was at Nebraska when the Nebraska brand still meant a lot.

Can we do it? I am pessimistic. We have great facilities. We have great fans. We have money for NIL. We are in the premier conference. But in a conference with Washington, Oregon, USC, OSU, Michigan and PSU, how in the hell do we avoid being a perennial middle of the pack team in the B1G? How do we compete against that kind of recruiting firepower?

We were lucky that Raiola was a legacy recruit. For once we got a break. But had he not been a legacy guy he would not be coming here and we would be looking down the barrel of another year of shit QB play. Here is to hoping that our luck in landing him pans out...

NIL and transfers change it all.

It will be so much easier to get old and stay old now. And with an actual playoff starting next year, it will open things wide up.

Geography will clearly not help a school like NU, I think we all know that. But it will not be a huge issue with NIL and the transfer portal.

 

[dpnavy]

I watched the two playoff games and thought they were great examples of why college football is so much fun. But it also left me depressed. I was depressed as I watched the quality of the athletes all the teams had on the field and the programs that made their appearance in the playoffs possible. It depressed me because we once had that many, many years ago.

It led to a question that has been rattling around in my head for months now. Given the nature of modern day college football is it even possible for a team with the geography and demographics of Nebraska to reach that level of play again? And let's be real here and not just spout the usual "si se puede" bullshit. Every team that is in the playoff comes from a part of the country that is rich in recruits. There are probably more D1 caliber players in Seattle alone than in the entire state of Nebraska in any given year. Of course, that did not stop Devaney or Osborne from getting recruits but that was a different era of college football. Callahan I guess proved that you could recruit to Lincoln, but he was at Nebraska when the Nebraska brand still meant a lot.

Can we do it? I am pessimistic. We have great facilities. We have great fans. We have money for NIL. We are in the premier conference. But in a conference with Washington, Oregon, USC, OSU, Michigan and PSU, how in the hell do we avoid being a perennial middle of the pack team in the B1G? How do we compete against that kind of recruiting firepower?

We were lucky that Raiola was a legacy recruit. For once we got a break. But had he not been a legacy guy he would not be coming here and we would be looking down the barrel of another year of shit QB play. Here is to hoping that our luck in landing him pans out...

It's a fair question in what you ask! I've been around long enough to seen preDevaney, & everything that has followed! I don't know the answers, but I do know that the Huskers can a a lot better than what we have performed in the past! We finally now after T O. a Coach Rhule, who has a vision, a plan & a hard worker to make us better! How good, only time will tell! I do know every good Husker team we have had in my lifetime has really good Nebraska guys with a mix of great talent across the nation! GBR

 

[thall__]

per 24/7, there are no 5* recruits from Washington and only six 4* recruits, so i'm not buying that they're full of top-tier recruits. Washington is good because they got the coach right.

In the landscape of NIL/transfer portal, I don't think geography is as important as branding. Look at Oregon, they have hovered at good to great for years because they make intelligent use of branding themselves as the fashionable school with cool uniforms.

If it were all about proximity to recruiting, Texas A&M and Florida wouldn't have looked like shit this year.

I have no delusions of Nebraska going on an Alabama/Georgia type run in my lifetime, though i'd welcome being wrong. That said, there's no reason to not expect success on the same level as Utah; occasionally winning the conference and putting together tough teams that could hang with anyone.

 

[Pennsyhusker]

per 24/7, there are no 5* recruits from Washington and only six 4* recruits, so i'm not buying that they're full of top-tier recruits. Washington is good because they got the coach right.

In the landscape of NIL/transfer portal, I don't think geography is as important as branding. Look at Oregon, they have hovered at good to great for years because they make intelligent use of branding themselves as the fashionable school with cool uniforms.

If it were all about proximity to recruiting, Texas A&M and Florida wouldn't have looked like shit this year.

I have no delusions of Nebraska going on an Alabama/Georgia type run in my lifetime, though i'd welcome being wrong. That said, there's no reason to not expect success on the same level as Utah; occasionally winning the conference and putting together tough teams that could hang with anyone.

I like this analysis. I think the Oregon branding example is good.

 

[huskerfan1414]

Yes we can.
The fact that NU can still pull top 20 classes despite the past 20 years, especially the past 7, is simply stunning.

 

[Huskers123456]

I watched the two playoff games and thought they were great examples of why college football is so much fun. But it also left me depressed. I was depressed as I watched the quality of the athletes all the teams had on the field and the programs that made their appearance in the playoffs possible. It depressed me because we once had that many, many years ago.

It led to a question that has been rattling around in my head for months now. Given the nature of modern day college football is it even possible for a team with the geography and demographics of Nebraska to reach that level of play again? And let's be real here and not just spout the usual "si se puede" bullshit. Every team that is in the playoff comes from a part of the country that is rich in recruits. There are probably more D1 caliber players in Seattle alone than in the entire state of Nebraska in any given year. Of course, that did not stop Devaney or Osborne from getting recruits but that was a different era of college football. Callahan I guess proved that you could recruit to Lincoln, but he was at Nebraska when the Nebraska brand still meant a lot.

Can we do it? I am pessimistic. We have great facilities. We have great fans. We have money for NIL. We are in the premier conference. But in a conference with Washington, Oregon, USC, OSU, Michigan and PSU, how in the hell do we avoid being a perennial middle of the pack team in the B1G? How do we compete against that kind of recruiting firepower?

We were lucky that Raiola was a legacy recruit. For once we got a break. But had he not been a legacy guy he would not be coming here and we would be looking down the barrel of another year of shit QB play. Here is to hoping that our luck in landing him pans out...

Penix was at Washington because Deboer was at Indiana with him. Sometimes luck is what it takes.

 

[PeliniTheCrutch]

Penix was at Washington because Deboer was at Indiana with him. Sometimes luck is what it takes.

Yes!! Or maybe hire someone’s uncle.

 

[Huskers123456]

Yes!! Or maybe hire someone’s uncle.

Georgia doesn't apologize for being lucky enough to be located near Atlanta. UT doesn't apologize for being in Texas. We caught a break. Good for us. Not a big deal.

 

[huskerfan66]

Pennsy I wish I had a crystal ball. 🔮 What I do believe is undefeated seasons just got harder so I will say the answer to the 93-97 run record is going to be extremely hard to replicate.

That said I do say making playoffs is very a very attainable goal and hoping to go deep into it.

 

[ckriley]

per 24/7, there are no 5* recruits from Washington and only six 4* recruits, so i'm not buying that they're full of top-tier recruits. Washington is good because they got the coach right.

In the landscape of NIL/transfer portal, I don't think geography is as important as branding. Look at Oregon, they have hovered at good to great for years because they make intelligent use of branding themselves as the fashionable school with cool uniforms.

Washington and Oregon are good because of California, so the OP's point still stands. I played high school football here in SoCal and the kids that couldn't get into USC or UCLA went to Washington or Arizona State. Oregon came on later.

You are right about Oregon's branding though. That's another huge factor: they had Phil Knight, the CEO of freaking Nike giving them lots of money and exposure.

So, Washington and Oregon are similar to Oklahoma in that their states don't have a lot of homegrown talent, but they directly benefit by bordering or being in close proximity to a state that does.

Nebraska does not have that benefit. What it does have is history and name recognition. Even though kids today don't know anything about Nebraska's storied past, their fathers most likely do, and that can make a difference.

The other thing Nebraska has is a name coach in Matt Rhule, and is in the premiere conference in college football. I can't tell you how lucky NU was to get plucked out of the Big 12 when they did just before the bottom fell out of the program.

There are lots of B1G haters on this board, but realistically the B1G is what's keeping Nebraska football alive right now. Matt Rhule does not go to NU if they are still in the Big 12.

 

[thall__]

Washington and Oregon are good because of California, so the OP's point still stands. I played high school football here in SoCal and the kids that couldn't get into USC or UCLA went to Washington or Arizona State. Oregon came on later.

You are right about Oregon's branding though. That's another huge factor: they had Phil Knight, the CEO of freaking Nike giving them lots of money and exposure.

So, Washington and Oregon are similar to Oklahoma in that their states don't have a lot of homegrown talent, but they directly benefit by bordering or being in close proximity to a state that does.

Nebraska does not have that benefit. What it does have is history and name recognition. Even though kids today don't know anything about Nebraska's storied past, their fathers most likely do, and that can make a difference.

The other thing Nebraska has is a name coach in Matt Rhule, and is in the premiere conference in college football. I can't tell you how lucky NU was to get plucked out of the Big 12 when they did just before the bottom fell out of the program.

There are lots of B1G haters on this board, but realistically the B1G is what's keeping Nebraska football alive right now. Matt Rhule does not go to NU if they are still in the Big 12.

i wouldn't say its all because of California. why is Cal bad? why didn't UCLA go to a NY6?

Both Oregon and Washington were led by transfer portal QB's, both of whom grew up thousands of miles from California.

they both have the coach, it's what it all comes down to.

 

[SomedayHusker]

per 24/7, there are no 5* recruits from Washington and only six 4* recruits, so i'm not buying that they're full of top-tier recruits. Washington is good because they got the coach right.

In the landscape of NIL/transfer portal, I don't think geography is as important as branding. Look at Oregon, they have hovered at good to great for years because they make intelligent use of branding themselves as the fashionable school with cool uniforms.

If it were all about proximity to recruiting, Texas A&M and Florida wouldn't have looked like shit this year.

I have no delusions of Nebraska going on an Alabama/Georgia type run in my lifetime, though i'd welcome being wrong. That said, there's no reason to not expect success on the same level as Utah; occasionally winning the conference and putting together tough teams that could hang with anyone.

Yea, pretty much this. Washington is definitely not full of high rated recruits. All you really need is to get the head coach right and any team can be consistently good. Look at the FCS level. Why are the best teams in the LOWEST populated areas of the country?? Fun side note: Washington’s HC is from about an hour north of the FCS team that will be playing for a 2nd straight title out of South Dakota.

I think Nebraska is also setup better than most with NIL entering the picture. It allows our massive and loyal fan base to benefit the program even more than before. I am buying low on Nebraska football. We will be on that national stage again.

 

[ckriley]

i wouldn't say its all because of California. why is Cal bad? why didn't UCLA go to a NY6?

Both Oregon and Washington were led by transfer portal QB's, both of whom grew up thousands of miles from California.

they both have the coach, it's what it all comes down to.

Yes, coaching matters. That's sort of the key ingredient. Same reason Texas A&M and Florida suck. I'm just saying historically, Oregon and Washington have been good because of Cali (and good coaching.)

 

[TruHusker]

I watched the two playoff games and thought they were great examples of why college football is so much fun. But it also left me depressed. I was depressed as I watched the quality of the athletes all the teams had on the field and the programs that made their appearance in the playoffs possible. It depressed me because we once had that many, many years ago.

It led to a question that has been rattling around in my head for months now. Given the nature of modern day college football is it even possible for a team with the geography and demographics of Nebraska to reach that level of play again? And let's be real here and not just spout the usual "si se puede" bullshit. Every team that is in the playoff comes from a part of the country that is rich in recruits. There are probably more D1 caliber players in Seattle alone than in the entire state of Nebraska in any given year. Of course, that did not stop Devaney or Osborne from getting recruits but that was a different era of college football. Callahan I guess proved that you could recruit to Lincoln, but he was at Nebraska when the Nebraska brand still meant a lot.

Can we do it? I am pessimistic. We have great facilities. We have great fans. We have money for NIL. We are in the premier conference. But in a conference with Washington, Oregon, USC, OSU, Michigan and PSU, how in the hell do we avoid being a perennial middle of the pack team in the B1G? How do we compete against that kind of recruiting firepower?

We were lucky that Raiola was a legacy recruit. For once we got a break. But had he not been a legacy guy he would not be coming here and we would be looking down the barrel of another year of shit QB play. Here is to hoping that our luck in landing him pans out...

While I was watching I was thinking the same thoughts. The bottom line right now is we are light years behind those top tier teams. We are NOT close by any stretch.

When I watch the teams play I don't see glaring weaknesses in position groups. Players had to make great plays. Sure there were the usual flubs on special teams and fumbles and INTs but we are talking the best against the best with a very small margin of difference.

The QB play obviously impresses, teams don't get to the top four without a very good QB who is cool, finds the open guy and doesn't fold under the pressure. But the group that impresses me more and more across the board are the receivers who can find open spots, understand coverages and outjump the DB's for the ball and come down with it. How many times did we see the QB throw it up seemingly for grab s but his guy came down with it? The second group that impressed me the most were the OL who were constantly pulling from the backside and got around the corners to level people and cut off backside pursuit. I often do not watch the ball, I am watching the trenches and the D seeing where they are lining up and flowing to. My favorite thing to do is see if I can guess where the QB is going to go based on the D set.

No doubt our D is much improved but the reality is it is still a long ways away from being a championship caliber D. Kickers were unreal, solid kicks, field goals and punts, just strong across the board. Michigan looked like an athletic juggernaut last night especially in the first half. Regardless of what your bias is, they were impressive and totally dominated Nebraska in every area of the game.

I don't know if Nebraska can ever get this turned around or not. Right now I am not convinced they can nor am I convinced the Rhule and his assistants can do it. But turn around I mean playing in playoffs, not just the Breakfast Burrito Bowl.

 

[Wasker77]

per 24/7, there are no 5* recruits from Washington and only six 4* recruits, so i'm not buying that they're full of top-tier recruits. Washington is good because they got the coach right.

In the landscape of NIL/transfer portal, I don't think geography is as important as branding. Look at Oregon, they have hovered at good to great for years because they make intelligent use of branding themselves as the fashionable school with cool uniforms.

If it were all about proximity to recruiting, Texas A&M and Florida wouldn't have looked like shit this year.

I have no delusions of Nebraska going on an Alabama/Georgia type run in my lifetime, though i'd welcome being wrong. That said, there's no reason to not expect success on the same level as Utah; occasionally winning the conference and putting together tough teams that could hang with anyone.

Come to Washington and watch 4A high school football and the top 3A schools and then tell me there is no talent. The football played in the Seattle suburbs is at a very high level. Throw in the Vancouver area (across the river from Portland) and Spokane region and there are a lot of players to choose from. I would not rate an area on some Recruiting Service handing out stars to players. where do these companies originate out of, the South or the East.

Here is where I would disagree with the OP. What made Nebraska great in the last 40 years of the 20th Century was coaching, not geography. If Rhule coaches well and Nebraska is competitive with NIL money the players will come. Have people forgotten how bad Alabama was after Bear left. Bama is Bama only because of Saban. (Who would you rather have Saban or Harbaugh? I would take Saban every day of the week and twice on Sunday). I know everyone in the SEC thinks Bama will just keep on rolling after Saban finally retires, but I do not believe it will happen with no hiccups. Washington floundered after Don James until they got Petersen and then they took a momentary step back before they hired Deboer. I think Sark has a lot of flaws and although Texas only lost the one game to OU before last night, I am not sure he is a good enough coach to have sustainability with the Horns. Look how many great players come out of Texas. The key is good coaching.

The last item on my rant. ALL the teams that were in The Big Ten West better get their collective offensive schemes out of the stone age and into the modern world. I did not watch one second of Division Champ Iowa getting humiliated by a just a good Tennessee team, but 35-0 clearly shows to me how inept the offenses have become in the West.

 

[Rocky Mtn Husker]

I watched the two playoff games and thought they were great examples of why college football is so much fun. But it also left me depressed. I was depressed as I watched the quality of the athletes all the teams had on the field and the programs that made their appearance in the playoffs possible. It depressed me because we once had that many, many years ago.

It led to a question that has been rattling around in my head for months now. Given the nature of modern day college football is it even possible for a team with the geography and demographics of Nebraska to reach that level of play again? And let's be real here and not just spout the usual "si se puede" bullshit. Every team that is in the playoff comes from a part of the country that is rich in recruits. There are probably more D1 caliber players in Seattle alone than in the entire state of Nebraska in any given year. Of course, that did not stop Devaney or Osborne from getting recruits but that was a different era of college football. Callahan I guess proved that you could recruit to Lincoln, but he was at Nebraska when the Nebraska brand still meant a lot.

Can we do it? I am pessimistic. We have great facilities. We have great fans. We have money for NIL. We are in the premier conference. But in a conference with Washington, Oregon, USC, OSU, Michigan and PSU, how in the hell do we avoid being a perennial middle of the pack team in the B1G? How do we compete against that kind of recruiting firepower?

We were lucky that Raiola was a legacy recruit. For once we got a break. But had he not been a legacy guy he would not be coming here and we would be looking down the barrel of another year of shit QB play. Here is to hoping that our luck in landing him pans out...

Tom Osborne was able to win consistently with overall talent that was not as good as schools like Florida State, USC, Michigan, Texas, and probably many others back then. This was primarily due to the offense that he mastered—it was just very difficult to defend and they controlled the ball and clock. Yes, he needed certain offensive weapons to plug in and he was able to recruit them because of his record of success. Of course, Charlie McBride was part of that equation too.

As the years go by, the history of our past successes and our brand is fading away somewhat. So yes, our geography is a detriment, especially when we are trying to run a similar offense as the elite schools today. Having said that, it’s entirely possible to recruit a kid (I.e, Dylan Raiola) that could make the program very successful for the time that he’s there. Also, if we had a marquee head coach in Lincoln (not knocking Rhule), sure we could recruit stud players to Lincoln and put a perennial winning team on the field.

I think the likelihood is NU is a middle-of-the-pack program for the foreseeable future, occasionally rising to the top with certain players, especially with the new teams coming in to the conference. But hey, Trev and Matt could prove me wrong—and I’m all for it. GBR

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

Ahhh The annual discussion begins.

 

[thall__]

Come to Washington and watch 4A high school football and the top 3A schools and then tell me there is no talent. The football played in the Seattle suburbs is at a very high level. Throw in the Vancouver area (across the river from Portland) and Spokane region and there are a lot of players to choose from. I would not rate an area on some Recruiting Service handing out stars to players. where do these companies originate out of, the South or the East.

sorry i'm just not buying that.

i played football in both the PNW as well as Oklahoma, and the difference in talent was monumental and Oklahoma doesn't even come close to Texas, Florida, or California.

there's a reason there is no Washington HS football ranked in the top 100, it's just not the same level.

 

[Pennsyhusker]

While I was watching I was thinking the same thoughts. The bottom line right now is we are light years behind those top tier teams. We are NOT close by any stretch.

When I watch the teams play I don't see glaring weaknesses in position groups. Players had to make great plays. Sure there were the usual flubs on special teams and fumbles and INTs but we are talking the best against the best with a very small margin of difference.

The QB play obviously impresses, teams don't get to the top four without a very good QB who is cool, finds the open guy and doesn't fold under the pressure. But the group that impresses me more and more across the board are the receivers who can find open spots, understand coverages and outjump the DB's for the ball and come down with it. How many times did we see the QB throw it up seemingly for grab s but his guy came down with it? The second group that impressed me the most were the OL who were constantly pulling from the backside and got around the corners to level people and cut off backside pursuit. I often do not watch the ball, I am watching the trenches and the D seeing where they are lining up and flowing to. My favorite thing to do is see if I can guess where the QB is going to go based on the D set.

No doubt our D is much improved but the reality is it is still a long ways away from being a championship caliber D. Kickers were unreal, solid kicks, field goals and punts, just strong across the board. Michigan looked like an athletic juggernaut last night especially in the first half. Regardless of what your bias is, they were impressive and totally dominated Nebraska in every area of the game.

I don't know if Nebraska can ever get this turned around or not. Right now I am not convinced they can nor am I convinced the Rhule and his assistants can do it. But turn around I mean playing in playoffs, not just the Breakfast Burrito Bowl.

With all of the hoopla over the skill position recruits we forget that our past greatness was grounded in absolutely dominant line play on both sides of the ball. This is what differentiates Nebraska today from the elite programs. Our defense was vastly improved this year. Why? Because had two or three defensive lineman who could play for anybody. But our offensive line was awful. Raiola may be changing that. I don't know. But until we can be dominant again on both lines we will continue to be a mediocre team.

 

[Pennsyhusker]

Ahhh The annual discussion begins.

It is an annual discussion because we continue to flounder as a program. And that inevitably leads to the question of whether our current status as a garbage program is something likely to continue or if there is hope for something far more impressive. It is a legit conversation to have.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

It is an annual discussion because we continue to flounder as a program. And that inevitably leads to the question of whether our current status as a garbage program is something likely to continue or if there is hope for something far more impressive. It is a legit conversation to have.

I'm talking about the annual discussion on whether location and weather are the reason why we can't recruit.

The annual discussion about how Oregon and Washington are able to get players from the neighboring state of California. Lincoln is only 300 miles further from LA than Seattle is. Either way, no one is taking a weekend drive from LA to Eugene or Seattle.

 

[SLOHusker]

I watched the two playoff games and thought they were great examples of why college football is so much fun. But it also left me depressed. I was depressed as I watched the quality of the athletes all the teams had on the field and the programs that made their appearance in the playoffs possible. It depressed me because we once had that many, many years ago.

It led to a question that has been rattling around in my head for months now. Given the nature of modern day college football is it even possible for a team with the geography and demographics of Nebraska to reach that level of play again? And let's be real here and not just spout the usual "si se puede" bullshit. Every team that is in the playoff comes from a part of the country that is rich in recruits. There are probably more D1 caliber players in Seattle alone than in the entire state of Nebraska in any given year. Of course, that did not stop Devaney or Osborne from getting recruits but that was a different era of college football. Callahan I guess proved that you could recruit to Lincoln, but he was at Nebraska when the Nebraska brand still meant a lot.

Can we do it? I am pessimistic. We have great facilities. We have great fans. We have money for NIL. We are in the premier conference. But in a conference with Washington, Oregon, USC, OSU, Michigan and PSU, how in the hell do we avoid being a perennial middle of the pack team in the B1G? How do we compete against that kind of recruiting firepower?

We were lucky that Raiola was a legacy recruit. For once we got a break. But had he not been a legacy guy he would not be coming here and we would be looking down the barrel of another year of shit QB play. Here is to hoping that our luck in landing him pans out...

Population doesn't equate with success. Build a good program that develops talent and the talent will come.

 

[dinglefritz]

i wouldn't say its all because of California. why is Cal bad? why didn't UCLA go to a NY6?

Both Oregon and Washington were led by transfer portal QB's, both of whom grew up thousands of miles from California.

they both have the coach, it's what it all comes down to.

Have you seen Cal’s facilities? They’re a disgrace. I’ve been in high school stadiums that are WAY nicer. Cal isn’t committed to trying to field winning sports teams.

 

[Pennsyhusker]

I'm talking about the annual discussion on whether location and weather are the reason why we can't recruit.

The annual discussion about how Oregon and Washington are able to get players from the neighboring state of California. Lincoln is only 300 miles further from LA than Seattle is. Either way, no one is taking a weekend drive from LA to Eugene or Seattle.

Sorry I misunderstood. I would add that distance from the main source of your talent is not the primary issue when it comes to Nebraska. It is the fact that for most people who live outside of the Great Plains, and that is MOST people by a long ways, Nebraska represents boredom and drabness. It represents a thousand miles of dead corn stalks covered with snow punctuate by a couple of cities in the eastern part of the State that have some marginal potential for something interesting. I know a couple who once lived in Washington State who now live near me who drive across country back to Washington once a year. The wife, a very hip earth momma type, refers to Nebraska, based on her experience of driving across it, as "the land of no surprises." We may bristle at this kind of shit but it is how most people, including most recruits, think of us.

The biggest challenge to our recruiting is not getting three star kids to visit. It is getting the high four star kids to visit in the first place. And if we do get them here it better be a visit that blows their socks off because everybody has great facilities these days and every major program has a great game day atmosphere.

In the end, it comes down to the coaches. Can the coaches get the high four star kids to visit? And, if they can get them to visit, can the coaches impress them enough to get them to sign here? But even here we are not at a huge advantage even if Rhule is the second coming of Osborne. Because a lot of schools have great coaches.

This ain't going to be easy.

 

[VandallHuskerJulie]

Sorry I misunderstood. I would add that distance from the main source of your talent is not the primary issue when it comes to Nebraska. It is the fact that for most people who live outside of the Great Plains, and that is MOST people by a long ways, Nebraska represents boredom and drabness. It represents a thousand miles of dead corn stalks covered with snow punctuate by a couple of cities in the eastern part of the State that have some marginal potential for something interesting. I know a couple who once lived in Washington State who now live near me who drive across country back to Washington once a year. The wife, a very hip earth momma type, refers to Nebraska, based on her experience of driving across it, as "the land of no surprises." We may bristle at this kind of shit but it is how most people, including most recruits, think of us.

The biggest challenge to our recruiting is not getting three star kids to visit. It is getting the high four star kids to visit in the first place. And if we do get them here it better be a visit that blows their socks off because everybody has great facilities these days and every major program has a great game day atmosphere.

In the end, it comes down to the coaches. Can the coaches get the high four star kids to visit? And, if they can get them to visit, can the coaches impress them enough to get them to sign here? But even here we are not at a huge advantage even if Rhule is the second coming of Osborne. Because a lot of schools have great coaches.

This ain't going to be easy.

I'm guessing they lived near Seattle i.e. the west side of the state. The dry side/east side is very different. Location does matter, as Wazzu is finding out now that the Pac 12 has imploded.

 

[Big bo fan]

I watched the two playoff games and thought they were great examples of why college football is so much fun. But it also left me depressed. I was depressed as I watched the quality of the athletes all the teams had on the field and the programs that made their appearance in the playoffs possible. It depressed me because we once had that many, many years ago.

It led to a question that has been rattling around in my head for months now. Given the nature of modern day college football is it even possible for a team with the geography and demographics of Nebraska to reach that level of play again? And let's be real here and not just spout the usual "si se puede" bullshit. Every team that is in the playoff comes from a part of the country that is rich in recruits. There are probably more D1 caliber players in Seattle alone than in the entire state of Nebraska in any given year. Of course, that did not stop Devaney or Osborne from getting recruits but that was a different era of college football. Callahan I guess proved that you could recruit to Lincoln, but he was at Nebraska when the Nebraska brand still meant a lot.

Can we do it? I am pessimistic. We have great facilities. We have great fans. We have money for NIL. We are in the premier conference. But in a conference with Washington, Oregon, USC, OSU, Michigan and PSU, how in the hell do we avoid being a perennial middle of the pack team in the B1G? How do we compete against that kind of recruiting firepower?

We were lucky that Raiola was a legacy recruit. For once we got a break. But had he not been a legacy guy he would not be coming here and we would be looking down the barrel of another year of shit QB play. Here is to hoping that our luck in landing him pans out...

If Raiola didn’t come me here you have zero knowledge of who Rhule was going to get for QB through the portal. So that statement about another shit year of QB play has nothing to stand on

 

[HuskerDrew]

Our OC will keep us from winning anything. Mark it down.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

Sorry I misunderstood. I would add that distance from the main source of your talent is not the primary issue when it comes to Nebraska. It is the fact that for most people who live outside of the Great Plains, and that is MOST people by a long ways, Nebraska represents boredom and drabness. It represents a thousand miles of dead corn stalks covered with snow punctuate by a couple of cities in the eastern part of the State that have some marginal potential for something interesting. I know a couple who once lived in Washington State who now live near me who drive across country back to Washington once a year. The wife, a very hip earth momma type, refers to Nebraska, based on her experience of driving across it, as "the land of no surprises." We may bristle at this kind of shit but it is how most people, including most recruits, think of us.

The biggest challenge to our recruiting is not getting three star kids to visit. It is getting the high four star kids to visit in the first place. And if we do get them here it better be a visit that blows their socks off because everybody has great facilities these days and every major program has a great game day atmosphere.

In the end, it comes down to the coaches. Can the coaches get the high four star kids to visit? And, if they can get them to visit, can the coaches impress them enough to get them to sign here? But even here we are not at a huge advantage even if Rhule is the second coming of Osborne. Because a lot of schools have great coaches.

This ain't going to be easy.

99% of Nebraska is no surprises, the kids going to school in Lincoln aren't just passing by in a car on their way to Washington though. The towns of Omaha and Lincoln provide plenty of options for things to do for college kids.

I agree to a point that getting kids to visit is harder than most places. I believe there are a couple of reasons for that though. During the Osborne years, Nebraska didn't play the type of offense that was going to attract blue chip players. While they got some, many were local players. Solich was similar in philosophy, Pelini hated to recruit and it showed. Callahan proved you could get players here if you just try. Hell, Micah Parsons visited when Riley was the coach. Frost didn't know what he wanted to do offensively, and his recruiting suffered.

So much of the past and not getting top players to visit, was by choice. The coaches would rather spend their time developing the local or underrecruited players. Rhule is a bit like that, but his underrecruited players have to have speed and length to go with the desire, where some of the past players like that were based on the "heart" criteria.

 

[mgbreis]

I'm in the minority I guess, because I think present day CFB gives Nebraska a better shot than we had 10-15 years ago. The portal and NIL is clearly watering down the top teams and creating more parity. This years playoffs features weaker teams than I can remember for a long time. These are really good, not great, teams. Rhule needs to be on his game and we need to get lucky (ie Raiola) but the door is cracked open for us.

 

[oldjar07]

Washington and Oregon are good because of California, so the OP's point still stands. I played high school football here in SoCal and the kids that couldn't get into USC or UCLA went to Washington or Arizona State. Oregon came on later.

You are right about Oregon's branding though. That's another huge factor: they had Phil Knight, the CEO of freaking Nike giving them lots of money and exposure.

So, Washington and Oregon are similar to Oklahoma in that their states don't have a lot of homegrown talent, but they directly benefit by bordering or being in close proximity to a state that does.

Nebraska does not have that benefit. What it does have is history and name recognition. Even though kids today don't know anything about Nebraska's storied past, their fathers most likely do, and that can make a difference.

The other thing Nebraska has is a name coach in Matt Rhule, and is in the premiere conference in college football. I can't tell you how lucky NU was to get plucked out of the Big 12 when they did just before the bottom fell out of the program.

There are lots of B1G haters on this board, but realistically the B1G is what's keeping Nebraska football alive right now. Matt Rhule does not go to NU if they are still in the Big 12.

Every team in the country tries to recruit California. It's a big state with a lot of talent. You still have to do something with those recruits and coach them up. The Calabraska movement didn't end up making us any better.

 

[Huskers123456]

Sorry I misunderstood. I would add that distance from the main source of your talent is not the primary issue when it comes to Nebraska. It is the fact that for most people who live outside of the Great Plains, and that is MOST people by a long ways, Nebraska represents boredom and drabness. It represents a thousand miles of dead corn stalks covered with snow punctuate by a couple of cities in the eastern part of the State that have some marginal potential for something interesting. I know a couple who once lived in Washington State who now live near me who drive across country back to Washington once a year. The wife, a very hip earth momma type, refers to Nebraska, based on her experience of driving across it, as "the land of no surprises." We may bristle at this kind of shit but it is how most people, including most recruits, think of us.

The biggest challenge to our recruiting is not getting three star kids to visit. It is getting the high four star kids to visit in the first place. And if we do get them here it better be a visit that blows their socks off because everybody has great facilities these days and every major program has a great game day atmosphere.

In the end, it comes down to the coaches. Can the coaches get the high four star kids to visit? And, if they can get them to visit, can the coaches impress them enough to get them to sign here? But even here we are not at a huge advantage even if Rhule is the second coming of Osborne. Because a lot of schools have great coaches.

This ain't going to be easy.

Multiple coaches have got high end recruits to visit. Multiple coaches have lost games they shouldn't have that probably cost us recruits. Visits aren't the hard part. Getting out of our way and creating momentum has been the hard part.

And people who judge states on the interstate are stupid. Idaho has a lot of boring areas of the interstate too, but that's not what the state is all about.

 

[oldjar07]

Sorry I misunderstood. I would add that distance from the main source of your talent is not the primary issue when it comes to Nebraska. It is the fact that for most people who live outside of the Great Plains, and that is MOST people by a long ways, Nebraska represents boredom and drabness. It represents a thousand miles of dead corn stalks covered with snow punctuate by a couple of cities in the eastern part of the State that have some marginal potential for something interesting. I know a couple who once lived in Washington State who now live near me who drive across country back to Washington once a year. The wife, a very hip earth momma type, refers to Nebraska, based on her experience of driving across it, as "the land of no surprises." We may bristle at this kind of shit but it is how most people, including most recruits, think of us.

The biggest challenge to our recruiting is not getting three star kids to visit. It is getting the high four star kids to visit in the first place. And if we do get them here it better be a visit that blows their socks off because everybody has great facilities these days and every major program has a great game day atmosphere.

In the end, it comes down to the coaches. Can the coaches get the high four star kids to visit? And, if they can get them to visit, can the coaches impress them enough to get them to sign here? But even here we are not at a huge advantage even if Rhule is the second coming of Osborne. Because a lot of schools have great coaches.

This ain't going to be easy.

With the transfer portal and NIL, I don't even think this is a big issue anymore. Kids don't care about location, they care about getting an opportunity to play and prepare for the NFL, and they care about getting paid their NIL market value. Everything else is secondary to this.

 

[Wasker77]

sorry i'm just not buying that.

i played football in both the PNW as well as Oklahoma, and the difference in talent was monumental and Oklahoma doesn't even come close to Texas, Florida, or California.

there's a reason there is no Washington HS football ranked in the top 100, it's just not the same level.

I call BS unless as you are comparing Washington to the three top states in Florida, Texas and California. What school did you play in the PNW? I would say Washington schools easily rank in the Top 15 or 20 states for football. Look at the rosters of kids playing college from Wyoming to California and on up. They are filled with Washington kids. Washington has almost 8 million people. My wife's nephews played football in Raleigh, NC. I would say the caliber of high school football is pretty high there as well.

 

[Champ_Kind_whammy]

2015 Michigan State Spartans football team - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

If MSU can make the playoffs, we can. And horror of horrors, if they had lost the CCG, that king of morons would've been in the CFP.

 

[ihuskcorn]

I watched the two playoff games and thought they were great examples of why college football is so much fun. But it also left me depressed. I was depressed as I watched the quality of the athletes all the teams had on the field and the programs that made their appearance in the playoffs possible. It depressed me because we once had that many, many years ago.

It led to a question that has been rattling around in my head for months now. Given the nature of modern day college football is it even possible for a team with the geography and demographics of Nebraska to reach that level of play again? And let's be real here and not just spout the usual "si se puede" bullshit. Every team that is in the playoff comes from a part of the country that is rich in recruits. There are probably more D1 caliber players in Seattle alone than in the entire state of Nebraska in any given year. Of course, that did not stop Devaney or Osborne from getting recruits but that was a different era of college football. Callahan I guess proved that you could recruit to Lincoln, but he was at Nebraska when the Nebraska brand still meant a lot.

Can we do it? I am pessimistic. We have great facilities. We have great fans. We have money for NIL. We are in the premier conference. But in a conference with Washington, Oregon, USC, OSU, Michigan and PSU, how in the hell do we avoid being a perennial middle of the pack team in the B1G? How do we compete against that kind of recruiting firepower?

We were lucky that Raiola was a legacy recruit. For once we got a break. But had he not been a legacy guy he would not be coming here and we would be looking down the barrel of another year of shit QB play. Here is to hoping that our luck in landing him pans out...

I was encouraged watching a passer like Washington’s QB. If Dylan is anything like him then that one position upgrade can keep us in games. And if he is able to attract complimentary athletes we aren’t that far off.

 

[huntered]

right now we realistically need to try and become the champions of the middle. our roster is seriously low on talent across the board. win most of those close games and recruit better players. rinse and repeat for now. reduce the hype.

 

[thall__]

I call BS unless as you are comparing Washington to the three top states in Florida, Texas and California. What school did you play in the PNW? I would say Washington schools easily rank in the Top 15 or 20 states for football. Look at the rosters of kids playing college from Wyoming to California and on up. They are filled with Washington kids. Washington has almost 8 million people. My wife's nephews played football in Raleigh, NC. I would say the caliber of high school football is pretty high there as well.

was middle school in the PNW. schools weren't connected to the point where elementary-middle-high school were the same. played at Jenks in Oklahoma, during Allan Trimble's tenure

we can both trade anecdotes, and i'm not sure how its unfair for me to bring up TX, FL, CA as that is exactly the crux of our discussion, but there is not a single Washington school in this list.

NY also has a population of 20 million, but that doesn't make them talent rich. the culture for high school football in cold-weather states just isn't the same, and you don't have anything factual to disprove that.

 

[TampaBaySkers]

I watched the two playoff games and thought they were great examples of why college football is so much fun. But it also left me depressed. I was depressed as I watched the quality of the athletes all the teams had on the field and the programs that made their appearance in the playoffs possible. It depressed me because we once had that many, many years ago.

It led to a question that has been rattling around in my head for months now. Given the nature of modern day college football is it even possible for a team with the geography and demographics of Nebraska to reach that level of play again? And let's be real here and not just spout the usual "si se puede" bullshit. Every team that is in the playoff comes from a part of the country that is rich in recruits. There are probably more D1 caliber players in Seattle alone than in the entire state of Nebraska in any given year. Of course, that did not stop Devaney or Osborne from getting recruits but that was a different era of college football. Callahan I guess proved that you could recruit to Lincoln, but he was at Nebraska when the Nebraska brand still meant a lot.

Can we do it? I am pessimistic. We have great facilities. We have great fans. We have money for NIL. We are in the premier conference. But in a conference with Washington, Oregon, USC, OSU, Michigan and PSU, how in the hell do we avoid being a perennial middle of the pack team in the B1G? How do we compete against that kind of recruiting firepower?

We were lucky that Raiola was a legacy recruit. For once we got a break. But had he not been a legacy guy he would not be coming here and we would be looking down the barrel of another year of shit QB play. Here is to hoping that our luck in landing him pans out...

We’re a dynamic qb away from being a contender.. and yes, I’m serious