On the path academically, Betts signs with Huskers
Bellevue West's talented wide receiver Zavier Betts has carried his on-field momentum to the classroom, enough so that he's on a path where Nebraska coaches extended an opportunity for Betts to sign in the early period this week.
The four-star talent Betts took the Nebraska coaches up on that offer, and became a Husker by signing his letter of intent on Thursday. There will be a signing ceremony at Bellevue West at 7:30 on Friday morning.
"We've been very upfront with the guys at Nebraska. We feel very comfortable about the path that Zavier's on," Bellevue West coach Michael Huffman told Husker247. "It's kind of funny because these little things, going from a C to a B or a B to an A, actually makes a huge difference in GPA. And Zavier in a couple classes has really surprised us. So that made a nice jump for him. He's just been doing a really, really good job."
Husker head coach Scott Frost was at Bellevue West in October, and hung out at the school for about 90 minutes, and was talking to everyone he could. And Nebraska staffers have kept a close eye since on the progress Betts was making toward reaching the marks he needed.
"Coach Frost, or someone in the football offices, called our guidance counselor after the latest grades – because we're in our finals today and tomorrow – and asked what they were. And they obviously liked what they heard, so they called Zavier and asked him if he would sign this week to be a part of this special class. I mean, they knocked it out of the park yesterday, and I think they want to keep rolling with that momentum."
Betts is coming off being part of a state championship team at Bellevue West, in which he contributed 1,185 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns on 64 catches. One of the best local wide receiver talents to come out of Nebraska in some time, he's No. 107 on the 247Sports composite rankings, and represents the 10th four-star in the class of 23 to sign early for Frost's program.
The 6-2, 195-pound Betts totaled 3,330 receiving yards in his career, and dazzled at camps like the Friday Night Lights event in Lincoln this summer, highlighting himself as someone the Huskers needed to have. He'll join a promising recruiting class of receivers that includes ballyhooed JUCO star Omar Manning, as well as Will Nixon, Alante Brown and Marcus Fleming from the high school ranks.
It has been known for a while that Betts had some ground to cover academically to be able to sign with Nebraska. The recruit has been meeting the challenge so far.
"I'm just so proud of him, man," Huffman said. "Early in his career, it was always an excuse this, an excuse that. Well now, if something doesn't quite go the way we want it to go, he's owning it. I've been working with kids for 22 years and when they start owning it themselves rather than placing blame, that's when real change happens."
The work isn't done. By signing, it's only heightening the stakes.
"He still has to stay the path. If he signs and he slips second semester, then it's all for naught. We have too much pride for that here as competitors, both Zavier Betts and Bellevue West. We're going to be all over it. I actually like this move. I know it's a risk. But I like this move because man, what Coach Frost and that staff just did, it shows from them that they believe in him. And the power of belief in a lot of these young men is what they need."
Huffman could see the sadness Betts had that he probably wasn't going to be able to sign on Wednesday when most did. Betts understood why the situation was that way, but it still stung. Betts would often text his coach along the way, "Where am I at?"
This time, with this news, he met his coach with a sheepish grin.
"It made my heart melt," Huffman said. "I'm not just a football coach. I'm a dad too, and I have my own children. Your heart hurts when you see them sad and your heart is awesome when you see them happy. I'm glad I have an awesome heart right now."
https://www.google.com/amp/s/247spo...ing-with-Nebraska-early-period-140859038/Amp/
- by Brian Christopherson
- Dec 19, 1:42 PM
Bellevue West's talented wide receiver Zavier Betts has carried his on-field momentum to the classroom, enough so that he's on a path where Nebraska coaches extended an opportunity for Betts to sign in the early period this week.
The four-star talent Betts took the Nebraska coaches up on that offer, and became a Husker by signing his letter of intent on Thursday. There will be a signing ceremony at Bellevue West at 7:30 on Friday morning.
"We've been very upfront with the guys at Nebraska. We feel very comfortable about the path that Zavier's on," Bellevue West coach Michael Huffman told Husker247. "It's kind of funny because these little things, going from a C to a B or a B to an A, actually makes a huge difference in GPA. And Zavier in a couple classes has really surprised us. So that made a nice jump for him. He's just been doing a really, really good job."
Husker head coach Scott Frost was at Bellevue West in October, and hung out at the school for about 90 minutes, and was talking to everyone he could. And Nebraska staffers have kept a close eye since on the progress Betts was making toward reaching the marks he needed.
"Coach Frost, or someone in the football offices, called our guidance counselor after the latest grades – because we're in our finals today and tomorrow – and asked what they were. And they obviously liked what they heard, so they called Zavier and asked him if he would sign this week to be a part of this special class. I mean, they knocked it out of the park yesterday, and I think they want to keep rolling with that momentum."
Betts is coming off being part of a state championship team at Bellevue West, in which he contributed 1,185 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns on 64 catches. One of the best local wide receiver talents to come out of Nebraska in some time, he's No. 107 on the 247Sports composite rankings, and represents the 10th four-star in the class of 23 to sign early for Frost's program.
The 6-2, 195-pound Betts totaled 3,330 receiving yards in his career, and dazzled at camps like the Friday Night Lights event in Lincoln this summer, highlighting himself as someone the Huskers needed to have. He'll join a promising recruiting class of receivers that includes ballyhooed JUCO star Omar Manning, as well as Will Nixon, Alante Brown and Marcus Fleming from the high school ranks.
It has been known for a while that Betts had some ground to cover academically to be able to sign with Nebraska. The recruit has been meeting the challenge so far.
"I'm just so proud of him, man," Huffman said. "Early in his career, it was always an excuse this, an excuse that. Well now, if something doesn't quite go the way we want it to go, he's owning it. I've been working with kids for 22 years and when they start owning it themselves rather than placing blame, that's when real change happens."
The work isn't done. By signing, it's only heightening the stakes.
"He still has to stay the path. If he signs and he slips second semester, then it's all for naught. We have too much pride for that here as competitors, both Zavier Betts and Bellevue West. We're going to be all over it. I actually like this move. I know it's a risk. But I like this move because man, what Coach Frost and that staff just did, it shows from them that they believe in him. And the power of belief in a lot of these young men is what they need."
Huffman could see the sadness Betts had that he probably wasn't going to be able to sign on Wednesday when most did. Betts understood why the situation was that way, but it still stung. Betts would often text his coach along the way, "Where am I at?"
This time, with this news, he met his coach with a sheepish grin.
"It made my heart melt," Huffman said. "I'm not just a football coach. I'm a dad too, and I have my own children. Your heart hurts when you see them sad and your heart is awesome when you see them happy. I'm glad I have an awesome heart right now."
https://www.google.com/amp/s/247spo...ing-with-Nebraska-early-period-140859038/Amp/
