Lately, World-Herald and Journal Star writers have been pushing the idea that Nebraska needs to model itself after Wisconsin's and Iowa's programs. We need to become more of a physical team, and to accomplish this, we need to recruit more local Nebraska kids - presumably because they are tougher and "have more heart" than kids from California and Texas.
Let's examine, shall we?
Wisconsin had eight players named to the first-, second-, and third-team All-Big Ten squads this past year. Six of them were walkons and/or from the state of Wisconsin:
First team All-Big Ten:
Offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk - Transferred after two years at Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point (so he's a walkon, for all intents and purposes)
Linebacker T.J. Watt - was a 3-star, 5.6 RR tight end out of a Milwaukee area high school
Second team All-Big Ten:
Offensive Guard Beau Benzschawel - was a 3-star, 5.5 RR tight end out of a Wisconsin high school
Tight End Troy Fumagalli - a walk on out of the Chicago area, Fumagalli was a 3-star, 5.5 RR TE in high school
Linebacker Vince Biegel - was a 4-star, 5.9 RR outside linebacker out of Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Third team All-Big Ten:
Defensive Lineman Conor Sheehy - was a 3-star, 5.7 RR strongside defensive end out of Milwaukee
That makes six (6) All-Big Ten players from Wisconsin high schools or from UW's walkon program. The Badgers had eight (8) All-Big Ten players total - Corey Clement from Glassboro, New Jersey and Sojourn Shelton from Ft. Lauderdale were the other two.
Compare and contrast: Nebraska had two (2) All-Big Ten players; neither were walkons or were from the state of Nebraska.
See, the whole "we should model our program after Wisconsin's" argument only works if/when high schools in the state of Nebraska resume producing P5 football talent.
How long has it been since Nebraska high schools were regularly churning out talent like Eric Crouch, pre-injury Matt Herian, Ahman Green, and all-conference linemen? Other than Spencer Long, it's been quite the drought lately.
Are we to believe that there are a half dozen guys currently bagging groceries at Baker's who would be All-Big Ten players if only they'd been offered schollies by Nebraska?
Contrary to Tom Shatel's and others' opining, building a physical, "ferocious" team made up of a large dose of Nebraska kids is an invalid premise.
Until Nebraska high schools start producing better talent, the only recipe for success at Nebraska is to continue recruiting talented out-of-state kids. The "5-star heart" bullspit has been officially debunked.
Let's examine, shall we?
Wisconsin had eight players named to the first-, second-, and third-team All-Big Ten squads this past year. Six of them were walkons and/or from the state of Wisconsin:
First team All-Big Ten:
Offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk - Transferred after two years at Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point (so he's a walkon, for all intents and purposes)
Linebacker T.J. Watt - was a 3-star, 5.6 RR tight end out of a Milwaukee area high school
Second team All-Big Ten:
Offensive Guard Beau Benzschawel - was a 3-star, 5.5 RR tight end out of a Wisconsin high school
Tight End Troy Fumagalli - a walk on out of the Chicago area, Fumagalli was a 3-star, 5.5 RR TE in high school
Linebacker Vince Biegel - was a 4-star, 5.9 RR outside linebacker out of Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Third team All-Big Ten:
Defensive Lineman Conor Sheehy - was a 3-star, 5.7 RR strongside defensive end out of Milwaukee
That makes six (6) All-Big Ten players from Wisconsin high schools or from UW's walkon program. The Badgers had eight (8) All-Big Ten players total - Corey Clement from Glassboro, New Jersey and Sojourn Shelton from Ft. Lauderdale were the other two.
Compare and contrast: Nebraska had two (2) All-Big Ten players; neither were walkons or were from the state of Nebraska.
See, the whole "we should model our program after Wisconsin's" argument only works if/when high schools in the state of Nebraska resume producing P5 football talent.
How long has it been since Nebraska high schools were regularly churning out talent like Eric Crouch, pre-injury Matt Herian, Ahman Green, and all-conference linemen? Other than Spencer Long, it's been quite the drought lately.
Are we to believe that there are a half dozen guys currently bagging groceries at Baker's who would be All-Big Ten players if only they'd been offered schollies by Nebraska?
Contrary to Tom Shatel's and others' opining, building a physical, "ferocious" team made up of a large dose of Nebraska kids is an invalid premise.
Until Nebraska high schools start producing better talent, the only recipe for success at Nebraska is to continue recruiting talented out-of-state kids. The "5-star heart" bullspit has been officially debunked.
