Is the 2008 recruiting class falling apart?

Soon we will find out if it Bill Callahan and his staff were good recruiters but not so good as coaches, because as Nebraska’s recruiting class for 2008 dwindles the classes of Colorado, Missouri, and Kansas State grow in direct proportion.

It appears that over the next four to five years the Bo Pelini-led Huskers will be facing many of the players the program formerly had commitments from.

Rivals.com five-star quarterback Blaine Gabbert from the St. Louis, Mo. area was the pivot point to Nebraska’s recruiting class late last summer and into the season. Prospects wanted to play with the kid who was named MVP of the prestigious Elite 11 Quarterback Academy.

Gabbert was personally recruiting other prospects, and seemed to be as solid in his commitment as he could be. He once said on an Omaha radio station “I will not pull a Josh Freeman”, in reference to the Kansas State quarterback’s last-minute flip from the Huskers to the Wildcats.

Then uncertainty arose about Callahan and his staff due to the team’s performance on the field and Gabbert was gone to Missouri shortly thereafter.

Now four-star linebacker Will Compton of Bonne Terre, Mo. – committed to Nebraska since late July – has decommitted from NU and has narrowed his final two choices to the Tigers and Illinois.

Adrian Hilburn – a 6-foot-2, 190-pound wide receiver from City College of San Francisco – decommitted from Nebraska and committed to Kansas State the following weekend.

The biggest beneficiary of the Huskers’ rash of decommitments is Colorado. The Buffaloes have picked off four previously-committed NU prospects.

Four-star and Rivals100 offensive tackle Bryce Givens (6-6/257/5.1) of Denver, Colo. is the biggest fish the Buffs have hooked. He had committed to Nebraska in late June, but after Callahan was fired he opened up his recruitment and December 18 he chose the home-state school.

He was joined by Trotwood, Ohio linebacker Doug Rippy (6-2/218) and Denton, Texas defensive end Josh Williams (6-4/220/4.8), both three-star prospects according to Rivals.

Those three followed four-star junior college linebacker Shaun Mohler (6-3/225/4.6) of Costa Mesa, Calif. who flipped to Colorado Dec. 9.

There may be more leaving soon as well. Four-star offensive lineman Dan Hoch (6-6/302/5.21) of Harlan, Iowa, three-star defensive end Reilly Reiff (6-6/250/4.8) of Parkston, SD, and three-star running back Collins Okafor (6-1/210/4.54) of Omaha are all looking around. The trio visited Iowa together the weekend of Dec. 14.

What does all of this mean? Why is it happening?

There are many reasons in my opinion:

• The former NU recruits had developed a relationship with the former staff at Nebraska. Once those coaches – minus Shawn Watson and Ted Gilmore – were released by the University they felt no connection to the school. They committed to the coaching staff, not the University.
• During the uncertain times when Callahan’s staff was in limbo, they were honest with recruits and told them they didn’t know if they’d be around in 2008. In effect they encouraged the commitments to have a ‘backup plan’ in place, so those kids started taking visits to other schools. College coaches are always looking for an advantage in recruiting, and the Husker staff’s status gave them quite an edge.
• Many prospects to sign with NU in the last four years came because of the lure of playing for a former NFL head coach in Callahan. They came to play “at” Nebraska, hoping to get to the League. Pelini is looking for players who want to play “for” Nebraska. It’s a different mentality now, and some players are not looking for that type of environment. Call it selfish if you want, but it’s reality.
• There are rumors that Callahan and staff promised recruits playing time as freshman. If true, that could explain why you saw many highly-touted freshmen playing on the kickoff and kick return teams but rarely seeing offensive or defensive playing time. Pelini has stated that redshirts will be used, but if a player is capable they will play as a freshman. Nothing is being promised, however. Again, it’s a bit of selfishness on the recruits’ parts.
• Prospects don’t fit Pelini and staff’s system and are being encouraged to look elsewhere.
  
  What’s going to happen now?
  
  Nebraska is now working on recruits who were not previously on the Huskers’ radar or were just on the edge of view. Players like four-star running back LaMichael James (5-9/1804.4) of Texarkana, Texas and unrated defensive back Greg Burns (6-1/200/4.5) of Houston visited Lincoln Dec. 14 and gave the trip very high marks.
  
  Three-star Louisiana wide receivers Laron Byrd (6-4/205/4.46) of Boutte and Khiry Cooper (6-2/175/4.5) of Shreveport are both considering January visits to Lincoln.
  
  Byrd, who has offers from schools such as Miami, Auburn, and Florida, has his visit to Lincoln scheduled for Jan. 11.
  
  Cooper lists Arkansas and Tulsa as offers. He has yet to set a date for his official visit, but I would expect it to come that same weekend as Byrd’s.
  
  Another Elite 11 quarterback, three-star Sean Renfree (6-3/201/4.5) of Scottsdale, Ariz. is back on the market after decommitting from Georgia Tech following the Yellow Jackets coaching change. He said recently that hometown Arizona State and Nebraska are his top two schools, with Duke also making a late move after the hire of David Cutcliffe as head coach.
  
  Renfree plans to visit NU in January, but could make a commitment to ASU before then given that they were his No. 2 school when he originally committed to Georgia Tech.
  
  Greenwood, Ark. three-star quarterback Tyler Wilson (6-3/183/4.75) is committed to Tulsa, but has been visited by NU offensive coordinator Shawn Watson and is interested in the Huskers.
  
  Redlands, Calif. three-star defensive tackle Quentin Toailoa (6-5/275/5.2) sounds ready to commit to the Big Red as well.
  
  "I've thought about committing (to Nebraska)." Toailoa told HuskersIllustrated.com, "but I'm going to wait until January 26 and announce my choice at the Southern California Bowl. It's an all-star game I'll be playing in."
  
  "I'll likely take a couple of official visits in January but Nebraska is definitely my leader. I still have to pin down some of the other schools I want to see. I know I'll visit Fresno State."
  
  Pelini will coach the LSU defense in the Jan. 7 BCS Title Game and then will have two visit weekends remaining before the dead period resumes up to Signing Day. The coaching staff has their work cut out for them, but this recruiting class can still be saved.

Pelini's staff taking shape

UPDATING ONE THING: Shaun Prater was indeed offered a scholarship today by coaches Pelini and Osborne. Shaun is currently committed to Iowa, but said that he's interested in Nebraska and will take a visit.

For you not in Omaha, here's KETV's sportscast from last night which talks about some of the comings and goings in Lincoln since Sunday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIm9BZAlO1c&feature=user

From what I can gather from talking to people these coaches are confirmed to be on Bo's staff.

Bo Pelini
Shawn Watson OC
Ted Gilmore WR
Barney Cotton OL
Ron Brown TE
Marvin Sanders DB
Carl Pelini LB or DL
Mike Ekeler LB or DL (was an asst strength coach at LSU - not sure what his role will be)
John Papuchis LB/DL/Special Teams (was a defensive intern at LSU sounds like he will be a staff member also, probably on defense)

I'm told that Scott Frost, Randy Jordan, and Joe Rudolph are still being considered for coaching spots, but it appears to me there is only one opening at RB coach.

It's possible that Jordan could be coaching RBs again, or maybe Brown switches to RBs and Rudolph is retained. Frost most recently coached LBs at Northern Iowa.

Rumors still abound about Bradley Dale Peveto, LSU's current cornerbacks and special teams coach, possibly joining the staff as well.

RECRUITING NEWS:

Ekeler and Papuchis are already on the road recruiting for NU today.

Pelini and Osborne were in Omaha today at Central and Westside for sure, and I saw a report that they were at Millard North again as well. No new offers were extended, however they did meet with Collins Okafor and Tim Biere at Westside and Ronnell Grixby and the Prater twins (Shane and Shaun) at Central.

Ben Cotton (Barney's son) has decommitted from Louisville and committed to Nebraska. Cotton is a TE who was committed to Louisville after receiving offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Wisconsin, and Kansas as well. He's the #2 player in Iowa according to Rivals, behind fellow Husker commitment Dan Hoch. He's 6-foot-6, 217-pounds. I watched his videos and I see good hands and a very solid run blocker. He locks on and doesn't let go. I guess having a former NFL OL and college line coach as a father helps there, huh? ;-) His speed isn't listed on his Rivals profile, but I would estimate it at 4.7 to 4.8 seconds for the 40 based on the video I watched and comparative players' videos. Of course that's junior year film, so he may have improved his speed as a senior.

It appears that Trev Alberts will be working in the athletic department in some capacity, possibly taking Tim Cassidy's spot as director of football operations?

That is what I know for now.

The latest on NU coaching search

Callahan is gone and Osborne has been in Atlanta meeting with the search firm he's using to try and identify a new head coach for Nebraska football.

The flight tracking going on among message board members is hilarious! If you want to see what flights are leaving Lincoln, go to http://flightaware.com/live/airport/KLNK.

Here's what we know at this point...

1. Sources tell me that Bo Pelini was interviewed in Baton Rouge while Osborne (and reportedly Harvey Perlman) were on their way to Atlanta. That interview reportedly went "very well", but my source told me this morning that Pelini has not been offered the job yet per a conversation late last night.
2. Sources also tell me that Buffalo head coach Turner Gill will not be hired to be Pelini's offensive coordinator. That makes sense to me. Even though it would likely be a pay bump, going from head coach to offensive coordinator is not a good move unless it's necessitated by a dismissal situation. Whether Gill has actually interviewed with Osborne for the head coaching position is something I have not confirmed yet, but an interview was reported by Tom Deinert of the Sporting News.
3. Sources also say that Wake Forest head coach Jim Grobe was interviewed by Osborne recently. This was also reported by Deinert. I have no word on the evaluation of the interview. Per Deinert, 'Grobe has nine years left on his Wake deal, which pays him $1.5 million annually. He has a $2 million buyout.'
4. Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly is also rumored to be interviewing with Osborne today. I have not confirmed this. Early morning word came from Channel 8 in Lincoln that the University had scheduled a flight to Cincinnati today, but I have not been able to find a flight on FlightTracker with those end points.

That's the latest.

In Defense of Callahan

Now there's a controversial title, given how little defense we've seen on the field this fall from the Huskers (I refuse to call them Blackshirts).

With all of the talking heads and upset fans rushing to crucify Bill Callahan on his way out the door, I thought it might be appropriate to look at some of the positive developments during his four years in Lincoln. Maybe I can convince some fans that he is in fact NOT the Spawn of Satan.

• Callahan and his wife Valerie have created and expanded Coach Callahan Charities, Inc. Coach Callahan Charities, Inc. is a non-profit organization established by Coach Callahan and his wife, Valerie, to provide financial support to non-profit organizations to fight breast cancer and diabetes and to assist economically disadvantaged and at-risk youth and families in the area. The organization hosts events such as a charity fashion show, a 5K fun run, and Football 101 (an informational course for women who want to learn more about the sport).
• Callahan helped develop and lead the Husker Youth Experience where hundreds of youngsters get to meet their NU football heroes and spend a morning working out with them and learning the sport.
• The Nebraska Elite Quarterback Academy was developed under Callahan, who is considered an offensive guru. This summer academy has helped the coaching staff identify future prospects such as Josh Freeman, Ryan Mallett, and Blaine Gabbert early in their high school careers.
• The Husker Football Schools (summer camps) have grown and developed significantly since Callahan took over the program.

You may not believe Callahan is a great coach, and I sometimes question his ability to make the tough decisions a head coach has to make (such as firing his defensive coordinator), but you have to admit that there are some positives that he's been a big part of building into the Nebraska program.

Unfortunately with all of the upheaval within the Nebraska football program, there are bound to be committed prospects who change their minds. In fact, highly-ranked running back Jonas Gray has already told NU that he's officially looking around again.

Who will follow him? What are the chances that each NU recruit stays committed? Here are my thoughts. (Thanks to Rivals.com for the list of committed prospects).

Prospect Name	Pos	Ht	Wt	40	RR	Hometown	Sean's Take
Blaine Gabbert	QB	6-4	226	4.65	6.1	Ballwin, MO	Gabbert will leave if Watson goes when Callahan is removed. I think 35% he stays with NU.
Baker Steinkuhler	OL	6-6	290	4.88	6.1	Lincoln, NE	Husker legacy will be a big part of the Blackshirt turnaround next fall. 100%
Jonas Gray	RB	5-10	213	4.44	6.0	Detroit, MI	It's unlikely that Jonas signs with NU. He has decommitted to take visits, but could come back depending on other NU recruits such as Gabbert, Woods, Rippy, and Compton. 20%
Bryce Givens	OL	6-6	257	5.1	5.9	Denver, CO	Givens is similar to Gray. If Trevor Robinson commits to NU, Givens might stay. 40% chance to stay IMO.
Shaun Mohler	LB	6-3	225	4.6	5.9	Costa Mesa, CA	Mohler is taking visits in Pac Ten country now, but I believe he sticks with the Big Red in the end. 50% chance.
Will Compton	LB	6-2	214	4.5	5.8	Bonne Terre, MO	I think if NU gets a defensive coach (a la Pelini) that Compton will stay put. The wild card is childhood favorite Notre Dame offering him this week. 60% chance.
Dan Hoch	OL	6-6	302	5.21	5.8	Harlan, IA	Hoch is a Husker 100%
Sean Fisher	LB	6-5	210	4.6	5.7	Omaha, NE	Fisher is a Husker 100%
Adrian Hilburn	WR	6-2	190	4.4	5.7	San Francisco, CA	I think if Zac Lee is still in Lincoln, Hilburn will be as well. 70% Husker
Cameron Meredith	DE	6-4	222	4.6	5.7	Santa Ana, CA	I think Meredith remains with NU. He committed for the program history and tradition, and with Osborne that will only get better. 65%
Collins Okafor	RB	6-1	210	4.54	5.7	Omaha, NE	Okafor is a Husker 100%
Riley Reiff	DE	6-6	235	4.8	5.7	Parkston, SD	I think Reiff sticks with NU after changing from Iowa once already. 80%.
David Whitmore	DB	6-2	190	4.5	5.7	Port Arthur, TX	Whitmore says he's a Husker, but I'm not sure I believe him. 50% at best.
Josh Williams	DE	6-4	220	4.8	5.7	Denton, TX	Williams is with the Compton, Gabbert, Woods, Gray, etc. group. I think he goes whichever way most of those guys go. 40%
D.J. Woods	WR	6-0	169	4.35	5.7	Strongsville, OH	Woods is close with Gabbert, Compton, Gray, Williams, etc. Each of those individuals will impact the others with his decision. 35%
Eric Harper	DE	6-4	220	4.62	5.6	Marrero, LA	I think Harper remains a Husker. 80%.
Tyson Hetzer	TE	6-7	265	4.75	5.6	Glendora, CA	No one's talked with Hetzer, so I don't know what to think. I'd say 50%.
Kyler Reed	ATH	6-3	204	4.5	5.6	Overland Park, KS	I think Reed stays with NU. He's a Husker fan from way back. 70%.
Doug Rippy	LB	6-2	218	-	5.6	Trotwood, OH	Rippy, Compton, Gray, Gabbert, Woods, Williams... all waiting on each other in my opinion. 40%
Ricky Henry	OL	6-4	300	5.2	5.5	Wahpeton, ND	Henry will be a Husker provided his academics are in order. 100%
Keelan Johnson	DB	6-0	195	4.5	5.5	Mesa, AZ	Johnson should remain a Husker, especially if Bill Busch is part of the new staff. 80%.
Darius Parish	DT	6-3	325	5.08	5.5	Wichita, KS	I think Parish is gone, but then I've always thought he was tenuous at best. 25%.
Brandon Thompson	OL	6-6	280	-	5.5	The Woodlands, TX	I think Thompson stays with NU, but it's not a given. 50%.
John Levorson	ATH	6-4	185	4.55	5.4	Crete, NE	Levorson is a Husker 100%.

That warm fuzzy feeling

I've got to admit that I was drinking gallons of the red kool-aid these past four years. I was certain that Steve Pederson and Bill Callahan had Nebraska football on the right track, and that the restoration of "the order" was nearly complete in Lincoln.

Then I watched seniors stop trying, sophomores and freshmen not getting on the field, and a general feeling of quitting by the team. This 2007 season, which began with so much promise, has now disintegrated into utter despair.

Well that despair has all been washed away in a red tide of nostalgia today. Just seeing Tom Osborne behind a podium on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln today made it seem like all is right with the world again.

Will T.O. make the right choices? Time will tell, but the man rarely fails at anything he does.

The 2008 class: From Stars to Reaches

There’s a lot of buzz about the early rankings for the 2008 Nebraska recruiting class. Rivals.com currently ranks the Huskers with the No. 7 class nationally. Those rankings are subjective, based on the (somewhat expert) opinions of analysts with many years of experience evaluating prospects. I tend to lend some credence to those rankings, but I lend more weight to what other schools players have scholarship offers from. This can be somewhat inaccurate though, because often a player will commit early in the recruiting process and schools will never get the opportunity to offer a scholarship.

So how is Nebraska really doing in recruiting this year? Here’s my best effort at breaking down the kids already committed based on stars and offers.

Nebraska has two commitments ranked by Rivals.com with five-stars, the highest ranking the recruiting service gives out.

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert (6-4/224/4.65) of Ballwin, Mo. won the Elite 11 quarterback camp’s MVP award this past summer. He committed to Nebraska over offers from schools such as Oregon, Tennessee, Alabama, Iowa, and Missouri. It was generally accepted that Gabbert would not leave the Midwest for college, so schools in the SEC and Pac Ten did not recruit him strongly. I think he will be a star in Lincoln.

Offensive lineman Baker Steinkuhler (6-6/290/4.88) of Lincoln Southwest shows only one scholarship offer on his list – Nebraska. That’s because Steinkuhler committed to the Huskers only two days after he received his scholarship offer. He is an NU legacy, with both his father (Dean) and brother (Ty) playing for the Huskers. That legacy, more than anything, kept other schools from “wasting their time” recruiting Steinkuhler. He will play in the NFL someday after a stellar college career. Star

The five-star players are likely to be stars in college and have excellent potential to play in the NFL someday.

Four-star players frequently turn into all-conference players and many go on to play professionally, whether it’s in the NFL, CFL, or Arena League.

NU has four-stars in offensive lineman Bryce Givens (6-6/257/5.1) from Denver, Colo., running back Jonas Gray (5-10/213/4.44) of Detroit, Mich., linebacker Shaun Mohler (6-3/225/4.6) of Orange Coast (Calif.) Community College, linebacker Will Compton (6-2/214/4.5) of Bonne Terre, Mo. and offensive lineman Dan Hoch (6-6/302/5.21) of Harlan, Iowa.

Givens chose NU over Texas, Florida, UCLA, Colorado, Michigan, and Louisville. That is a strong contingent of suitors, which would indicate that he is expected to be a very strong college player. Contributor

Gray, the top player in Michigan according to Rivals, decided on the Huskers over the home-state Wolverines, Florida, Louisville, and Wisconsin among others. When the defending national champion Gators head out of Florida to recruit running backs that’s high praise. Gray should be a good player at NU. Contributor

Mohler, a junior college player ranked among the top 15 players nationally by Rivals.com, chose NU primarily over California and Colorado. JUCO players are easier to project because they have a year or two of higher-level competition out of high school. However, they are recruited based on filling needs. Many of the top programs nationally have great depth coming up at linebacker. Nebraska has a bit of a gap between four seniors graduating this year and the next level of freshmen and sophomores, so Mohler fills a need. Expect him to see the field next year. Contributor

Compton had offers from around the Big Ten and Big Twelve. He picked the Huskers over Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois among others. He also had strong interest from Notre Dame, but no written offer. It would seem that many colleges felt that Compton can play BCS-level football. Contributor

Hoch was the least sought-after player among the four-stars, garnering offers from just Iowa State and Kansas State. Rivals ranks him as the top prospect in Iowa, but it’s widely-acknowledged to be a less-than-stellar year in the Hawkeye State for college-level talent. Hoch committed before his junior year ended, which means that schools couldn’t evaluate his senior year film and offer based on his senior play. Still, he is somewhat of a question mark to me. He may be a contributor, but the level of other schools recruiting him doesn’t elicit excitement from me. I see Hoch as a reach.

Where evaluations get into more of a gray area is when we look at the three-star and two-star prospects. Currently Nebraska has 15 of their 22 commitments at these two levels.

Atop the list is Sean Fisher (6-5/210/4.6) of Millard North. Fisher chose NU over suitors such as Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Arizona State, and Colorado. He had 16 written offers when he committed to Nebraska, and most of them were BCS-level schools. He projects to the college level as an outside linebacker very well. I was told that Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables was very disappointed to not get Fisher’s pledge. Star

JUCO wide receiver Adrian Hilburn (6-2/190/4.4) of City College of San Francisco picked NU over Tennessee and Texas A&M. There was a time when Tennessee was known as “Wide Receiver University”, so the fact that the Vols went after Hilburn from the other side of the nation is impressive. However, none of the Pac Ten schools recruited him hard so I’m less inclined to declare him a future star. Time will tell on Hilburn. Contributor

Defensive end Cameron Meredith (6-4/222/4.6) of Santa Ana, Calif. was being recruited heavily by schools around the Big Twelve and Pac Ten. He held offers from Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Arizona State, and others when he pledged to the Huskers. Meredith’s films show that he plays to the whistle on every snap, indicating the type of mentality that should serve him well in college. I expect him to be a star at Nebraska.

Running back Collins Okafor (6-1/210/4.54) of Omaha Westside received his Nebraska offer in early October of 2006 and committed late that month. Despite leading Class A in rushing as a junior, Okafor had no additional offers. Did NU find diamond that no one else noticed? Time will tell, but the level of recruitment Okafor received sets off some alarms for me. Reach

Port Arthur, Texas defensive back David Whitmore (6-2/190/4.5) made his pledge to Nebraska before his junior year ended, picking the Huskers over Oklahoma State, Missouri, and Kansas State. He has not yet visited Lincoln, and is still considered somewhat of a soft commitment by recruiting gurus. His play in the Texas 7-on-7 State Championship this past summer moved him up in many analysts’ eyes. With his height and speed, Whitmore should be a very good college player. Contributor

Josh Williams (6-4/220/4.8) is a defensive end from Denton, Texas. Williams had a long list of offers, but only a few from upper-level BCS schools. Missouri, Arkansas, Arizona, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State were among his most recognizable suitors. Williams is still growing, and his early-season play has been spectacular in Texas’ biggest class. He recorded four sacks in the first game alone. I think Williams will be a solid contributor at NU, but whether he’s a star is dependent upon him putting on weight.

Wide receiver D.J. Woods (6-0/169/4.35) of Strongsville, Ohio is a great example of an underrated player by recruiting services. Despite being a mid-level three-star recruit according to Rivals, Woods held offers from Ohio State, Penn State, West Virginia, Auburn, and Iowa before choosing Nebraska. Many big-time programs believe Woods will be successful in Division I. Who am I to disagree? Star

Marrero, La. defensive end Eric Harper (6-4/220/4.62) picked NU over Texas A&M and Mississippi State. His other written offers came from smaller schools, primarily because he was lost in the shuffle after Hurricane Katrina. Harper will graduate in December and be in Lincoln for spring practice. I expect him to contribute as a redshirt freshman or true sophomore, and be a strong player for many years in Lincoln.

Tight end Tyson Hetzer (6-7/265/4.75) of Citrus Community College in California had only an offer from Nebraska, and it was based on practice film only. Hetzer played JUCO basketball in 2006. NFL players like Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates converted basketball backgrounds into football stardom. Can Hetzer do the same? With only the Nebraska offer, it would seem that other schools don’t think so. He could be a reach.

Overland Park, Kan. athlete Kyler Reed (6-3/204/4.5) picked NU over Colorado and Missouri and many lower-level Big Twelve schools such as Iowa State, Kansas, and Kansas State. His suitors are mid-level at best, which would seem to translate to solid but not spectacular contributions in college.

Linebacker Doug Rippy (6-2/218) of Trotwood, Ohio had offers from Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan State and some lower-level Division I programs. His senior year is only his second year of high school football, and first-hand reports of his play have been very positive. The offers don’t translate into college stardom, but he’s still learning the game. I think he’s a future contributor in Lincoln.

Ricky Henry (6-4/300/5.2) picked NU over Colorado and Houston. The center from North Dakota College of Science must do some work academically to make it to Lincoln before spring practice. If he can do that, he will be given an opportunity to replace Brett Byford next fall. Personally I don't think he will make it to Lincoln. Reach

Wichita, Kan. defensive tackle Darius Parish (6-3/325/5.08) has stunning athleticism for his size, yet only received scholarship offers from Kansas and Colorado State along with NU. He didn’t receive offers, but he had strong interest from Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Arkansas and Missouri as well. Parish can be a space-eater on the defensive line for NU for many years, and I would not be surprised to see him playing as a true freshman. Star

Two-star safety Keelan Johnson (6-0/195/4.5) of Mesa, Ariz. picked NU over the home-state Arizona Wildcats. He also had interest from Nevada, Oregon and Arizona State despite being “only” a two-star prospect. He arrived at NU’s summer camp without an offer, but two days after leaving Lincoln the Husker coaches tendered and one month later he accepted. After a couple of years to get faster and stronger, Johnson should contribute in NU’s defensive backfield.

John Levorson (6-4/185/4.55) of Crete chose NU over Wyoming and Ohio. Those offers don’t translate to Division I stardom, but NU offered him only after his performance at their summer camp. They’ve seen what he can do in person, and they believe he can contribute. That’s good enough for me.

The final tally shows more stars and contributors than reaches in this class.

Future Stars: 8
4-stars – 2
3-stars – 2
2-stars – 4

Future Contributors: 10
4-stars – 2
3-stars – 6
2-stars – 2

Reaches: 4
4-stars – 1
3-stars – 3

pre-season predictions

It's that time of year - FOOTBALL SEASON!! Every pre-season magazine has been on the newsstands for a couple of months now, and ESPN and Fox Sports have been hammering us with their opinions. I guess it's time to add mine...

Let's talk about BCS conference predictions first. I'll pick the following schools to win their respective league championships:

• ACC Va Tech over Florida State
• Big 10(11) Wisconsin - Michigan will find a way to screw it up - they always do.
• Big East West Virginia - Louisville w/o Petrino can't hang, and neither can Rutgers.
• Pac 10 USC should run away. Only Cal can really challenge them.
• SEC LSU over Florida - I'm not sold on the Gators getting here, but who else? Georgia is too young, Tennessee is like Michigan (talented but poorly coached) and who knows if South Carolina will step up this year?

Before we discuss the Big 12, let's look at Nebraska's schedule and my predictions for their season.

• Nevada This is a good team that played Miami close in a bowl last December. They've lost some really good players to pre-season injury and suspension, however. I'll say NU 38-17 (1-0)
• @ Wake Not quite the same team that won the ACC last year. They won't sneak up on anyone, and they didn't blow out anyone last year anyway. NU wins a close road game in front of a stadium at least 30% filled with NU fans 31-23 (2-0)
• USC This defense is ridiculously fast and talented, and John David Booty can sling it with the best in the nation. The RBs and WRs are the question, and NU will have two games under their belts. Still... I don't know... I guess I'll go with the homer pick, but I'm not sold. Maybe after I see Keller and the offense in action the first two weeks I'll feel better. I'll go with NU 23-20 (3-0)
• Ball State This will be either a bounce-back game after USC, or a possible trap after USC. Either way it'll be closer than people think. NU wins 38-20 (4-0)
• Iowa State Conference opener should be pretty easy win, although Brett Meyer is still around in Ames. NU 41-17 (5-0)
• @ Mizzou Biggest game in Columbia in years... possibly decades. I still think Mizzou will screw things up before the end of the year, but I think they win this game. NU falls to 5-1, Mizzou 38-34 (5-1)
• Okie Lite Second game of the toughest stretch in a long time for the Huskers. OSU has a solid, really spectacular offense. I think Coz has figured out how to stop Bobby Reid, though. Their defense is (shall we say) suspect. I think NU bounces back at home, winning 34-21 (6-1)
• Texas A&M The Aggies have a tremendous running game, and Stephen McGee doesn't make many mistakes. Plus their band is ridiculous. I can't wait to see them in Lincoln again! On the field though, it will be tough. I'll go with NU in a squeaker 28-27. (7-1)
• @ Texas NU just can't beat UT in the regular season. I can't figure it out, but it's not likely. This time they get it done, however. NU "upsets" UT 27-23. (8-1)
• @ KU Watch out! This could be much closer than people expect. They're not as talented, but you have to understand how well Mangino the Hutt can coach. I'll say NU wins, but it's close. 31-27 (9-1)
• K.State First chance to see Josh Freeman in Lincoln - that's if he can pass the physical and complete a pass. Otherwise we might see that Alfred E Neuman look-alike Carson Coffman. Either way this is a blowout. NU 45-17 (10-1)
• @ Colorado Always a struggle. NU could be ahead 24 points half way through the fourth quarter and still have to win in OT (see 1999). I think they'll still get it done, however. NU wins 27-21 (11-1)
• Big 12 title game... I think it will come down to Nebraska and Oklahoma again, this time in San Antonio. NU's quarterback play is better, but OU has better skill position guys. The matchup with OU's WRs and NU's DBs should be much closer than in 2006, due to Bowman being back, Jones a year wiser, Murillo added. Can NU stop their run game, though? I'm not sure... I'm a homer, though, so I go with NU 30-24 (12-1)
• That will put NU in a BCS game, and possibly a matchup with LSU for the title. Let's go with that possibilty. Given how often NU beats SEC schools in bowl games (see Florida, Tennessee, etc.) one would think that NU has a good shot. I'm not so sure. Unfortunately I don't see Sam Keller throwing 5 touchdowns against LSU's 2007 version. LSU wins 31-17.

Now... I'm an optimist. But even I can't really see NU going 12-1 in the regular season. Realistically they could lose to USC, Mizzou, A&M, Okie Lite and Texas. If they lost them all, it would put them at 7-5 on the regular season and into a lower-tier bowl.

I don't expect them to lose all of those 5 games, and I think Callahan will finally get a breakthrough top-10 win against either USC or UT.

Mizzou has to overcome the "Pinkel factor" to win the North title.... can they do that?

I'll go with a 10-2 regular season (losses to USC and A&M) and a Big 12 title over OU. They go to the Orange Bowl 11-2 and lose to Virginia Tech 35-27 and finish 11-3.

USC loses to LSU for the National title.

BOOK IT!

Zack Bowman - to play or not to play?

So Nebraska senior cornerback Zackary Bowman is rumored to be healing with miraculous speed. His ruptured patella tendon in his right knee which followed up the torn ACL in his left knee is supposedly strong enough that he's running and cutting full-speed. This all begs the question, "Do you risk losing Bowman for the conference season by playing him in the out-of-conference games?"

We all know that NU will absolutely need Bowman against USC, and my personal thought is that he needs to play in at least one game before USC to "shake off the rust" of not playing in nearly two years.

Rumors I've heard are that Bowman could see 30-35 plays against Nevada in the season opener, followed by 40-45 on the road against Wake Forest. That would allow him to play almost the full game against USC.

Is that a good plan, however?

Will too much stress on Bowman's knee before he's fully healed cause the knee to break down later in the year?

Does NU need him more in the conference season than against USC?

Which is more important - beating USC in a "program-making" game for Bill Callahan or winning the Big 12 North and playing in the conference title game with a chance to make the BCS?

My personal thought is that although it would be great for national perception to beat USC early in the year, the 2008 recruiting class is nearly complete already. Anything gained from a USC victory would be minimal when compared to a Big 12 title and a BCS game. Who knows? that could possibly net the Huskers another shot at USC in the BCS title game if they can win their other games.

If you hurt Bowman before the conference schedule even starts, the chances of winning the North - let alone the conference - diminish significantly.

I say limit him early to 10-15 against Nevada, 15-20 against Wake, and maybe 30 maximum against USC.

That's my thought anyway.

More Husker recruiting...

Nebraska's commitment list for the 2008 recruiting class continues to grow at an astounding rate. The list is now at 18 members.

As a point of comparison:

• In 2007 that count was only at SIX at the end of July
• In 2006 there were FOUR
• In 2005 there were FIVE

So there are more early commitments in 2008 (18) than in the prior three years combined (15)!

Part of the reason is the trend of recruits taking more unofficial visits and "getting recruiting out of the way" before their senior year begins. I am also convinced that a big reason for the early commitment wave is that the Internet and other instant communications devices (text messaging, instant messaging, etc.) make it easier for recruits to build relationships - nee bonds - with other recruits. The recruiting of other recruits by committed prospects has led to many of NU's 2008 commitments.

Bryce Givens (6-6/257/5.1/OL) and Blaine Gabbert (6-4/226/4.65/QB) were (early on) the most active "recruiters" for NU, with each contributing to the commitments of Sean Fisher (6-5/210/4.6/LB) and Doug Rippy (6-2/218/LB). They also played a part in Trevor Robinson's (6-6/304/5.2/OL) initial commitment, and (I believe) will be instrumental when he recommits to NU.

The real windfall of other recruits' efforts has been realized in the last month, however. The commitments of Rippy, Will Compton (6-2/214/4.5/LB), D.J. Woods (6-0/169/4.35/WR), and Josh Williams (6-2/220/4.8/DE) were all influenced by Gabbert and Givens' work. Rippy was also instrumental in Woods' decision.

Along with those four, three other highly-ranked recruits are all listing NU at or near the top of their lists.

• Kenny Demens (6-1/224/4.6/LB) and Jonas Gray (5-10/232/4.44/RB) of Detroit (Mich.) Country Day both list NU as their No. 1 school right now, and both may be making their choice public within the next week or two.
• D'Anton Lynn (6-1/177/4.48/CB) of Celina (Texas) also has NU on his short list.

All three of those prospects have mentioned the aforementioned "recruiters" in updates on Rivals.com.

• Lynn mentioned Rippy, Woods, and Compton all by name.
• Demens and Gray are old friends themselves, but each has mentioned Gabbert, Rippy, and Compton

Nebraska has 18 (19 if you count Robinson eventually coming back) commitments already, and will not take more than 28 this year. The class is well past half finished. The coaches can now concentrate on keeping the kids they have committed and can actually start working on 2009 kids.

So THIS is what it feels like to be a Texas fan during recruiting season? I like it!

NU Commit #16

Keelan Johnson (6-0/195/4.5) of Mesa (Ariz.) is the 16th verbal commitment for Nebraska in the 2008 recruiting class.

Johnson rushed for 1,100 yards and 20 TDs as a first-team all-region running back in 2006, but will start at free safety in NU's system.

Although he had offers from just NU and Arizona, the Husker staff saw him in person at the Big Red Football School this summer and thought enough of him to make a written offer.

Will Arizona be as productive in 2008 as it was in 2007 for Nebraska? Johnson is the first Grand Canyon State product, but might not be the last. Other possibilities include...

• RB Covaughn Deboskie
• RB Jamal Womble
• TE Dion Jordan
• CB Marc Anthony
• Safety Jarrell Barbour
• Ath Jake Muasau
• Ath Gerrell Robinson

It could be another banner year for the Big Red in Arizona!

The Real 'Ace in the Hole'

Most Nebraska football fans in recent years thought that John Blake was the Huskers' 'ace in the hole' in recruiting. Whenever the staff needed to pull in a highly-ranked recruit, Blake was usually put on the job. However, coach Blake's results were not exactly stellar in the past couple of years.

In fairness, coach Blake was usually recruiting highly-ranked prospects who also had offers from the 'heavyweights' in college football - USC, Oklahoma, Miami, LSU, Florida, etc. Still, his results were lacking.

In 2005 he was truly one of the best recruiters in the country, pulling in players such as 5-star Marlon Lucky, 4-stars Phillip Dillard and Ola Dagunduro, and freshman all-American 3-star Barry Turner among his eight signees.

In 2006 he slipped slightly, bringing in 5-star Andre Jones and three 3-stars who have yet to contribute to the program - one of whom (Steve Allen) did not qualify academically.

In 2007, Blake left NU for North Carolina late in the recruiting year. His recruiting efforts at NU were minimal in that season. He did sign one 5-star and one 4-star defensive tackle for the Tar Heels, however. Very similar to his year-one results in Lincoln.

Compare those results to NU Outside Linebacker Coach & Special Teams Coordinator Bill Busch. Busch gets less credit than Blake did, but his results are similar if not more impressive.

In 2005, Busch was the lead recruiter for 5-star defensive back Zackary Bowman, 4-star lineman Rodney Picou (who has left the program), four additional 3-star prospects and one 2-star guy for a total of 7 signees. Only Bowman (on a limited basis) and former NU kicker Jordan Congdon - a freshman all-American like Turner - have made a significant contribution. NU is still waiting on Nick Covey to be healthy, but Tyrell Spain, Jordan Picou, and Dontrell Moore have given little to nothing to the Huskers. Like Rodney Picou and Congdon, Spain and Moore are gone from the program. Picou's problems and Congdon's decision to transfer are not Busch's fault, however.

2006 has proven to be more productive long-term for Busch, however. He brought in 4-star Rickey Thenarse and 3-stars Major Culbert, Anthony West, and Menelik Holt. West was able to redshirt as a freshman, but Culbert and Thenarse were special teams stars.

• Thenarse has a very good chance to start at safety this fall as a true sophomore.
• Culbert would have been in the running at linebacker, but depth problems necessitated a move to running back during the spring. What will happen this fall is anyone's guess right now. Culbert could redshirt and save eligibility for a move back to defense next year, or he could be in the mix in the offensive backfield. He did look impressive against the No. 1 defense in the Red-White game with limited blocking help.
• Holt is in the mix among the top 6 or 7 receivers.
• West comes off a redshirt season and is expected to compete for time at free safety while maintaining hte ability to play corner also

2007 was another boon for Busch as he signed six players, all from Arizona. Three players were rated 4-stars (CB Armando Murillo, OL Jaivorio Burkes, and DE William Yancy) and three were rated 3-stars (Athletes Prince Amukamara and Eric Hagg and OL Marcel Jones).

• I expect Burkes, Yancy, and Jones to redshirt.
• Amukamara and Hagg could see time on special teams, at cornerback, safety, wide receiver, or running back (Amukamara), but a redshirt would not surprise me with them either. The depth on the NU roster is finally getting back to the point where the Husker staff can consider every freshman a possible redshirt!
• Murillo proved during hte spring that he belongs in the rotation at cornerback with seniors Cortney Grixby, Jones, and Bowman (when he returns from injury). That means that Busch has personally recruited 3 of the top 4 at that position on this year's depth chart.

In 2008, Bill Busch is off and running again. He already had non-binding verbal commitments from JUCO tight end Tyson Hetzer and JUCO linebacker Shaun Mohler.

• Hetzer (6-7/265) was the top tight end on the Husker staff's list after they viewed his entire spring practice tape and saw him in person. He has 4.7-second speed to go with that size, and has also played basketball at the junior college level so he knows how to use his body to position himself for a catch.
• Mohler is simply one of the top 3 JUCO linebackers and one of the top 10 players overall on a national basis. He should be able to provide immediate help at a position where 4 seniors (Bo Ruud, Corey McKeon, Steve Octavian, and Lance Brandenburgh) will graduate in 2007 leaving little experience for 2008.

Busch has also positioned himself well with a number of highly-ranked prospects from the western USA.

• In Arizona alone, 4-star prospects DB Jarrell Barbour (6-3/190/4.4), TE Dion Jordan (6-6/215/4.6) and ATH Gerrell Robinson (6-4/210/4.58) along with 3-star guys ATH Jake Muasau (6-1/210/4.49) and RB Jamal Womble (5-10/216/4.41) and 2-star ATH Keelan Johnson (6-0/195/4.5) all have the Huskers high on their lists.
• Johnson: "...Coach (Bill) Busch and I just talked a couple days ago. We keep in touch and everything through texts."
• Jordan: "Oh yeah, I just got off the phone with coach (Bill) Busch last night. He was just talking about when I'd be able to get up there for an official visit. There's a real good chance that I'll take one there. I've got to sit down with my family and talk about when I'll be heading out on my visits."
• Womble: "Nebraska and South Carolina are the schools recruiting me the hardest. I'm constantly talking to and texting the coaches of those schools and they're showing me the most interest... "With Nebraska, I just like the relationships I've been able to build with their coaches and the past tradition of their program and everything. I've heard great things about it there. I've already scheduled an official visit and I just can't wait to get out there and see it for myself."

Busch is not limiting himself to the Grand Canyon State, however. NU is also very high on the lists of JUCO DE Simi Kuli (6-4/270), 3-star HS DE Cameron Meredith (6-4/222), and JUCO RB Tavares Pressley (6-1/215/4.4). Kuli and Pressley are considered strong leans to NU, and Meredith has the Huskers solidly in his top 5 right now. He has set up a 4-day unofficial trip to Lincoln in mid-August with his mother.

Coach Bill Busch - NU's 'ace in the hole' has things rolling in 2008!

In-state players... lose 1 but gain 2

Eventful week for Nebraska-born players on the Huskers' roster.

• June 12 - Sophomore cornerback Corey Young asks for and is granted release from his scholarship. Young signed with Nebraska out of Omaha (Neb.) Millard North in 2006.
• June 14 - Omaha (Neb.) Millard North linebacker prospect Sean Fisher verbally commits to play college football for Nebraska.
• June 16 - Crete (Neb.) safety John Levorson verbally commits to play college football for Nebraska.

What does this all mean for the Huskers and for in-state recruits?

Well, Young's departure doesn't really mean much except that NU now has another scholarship to offer to prospects this year. He was not among the two-deep at cornerback and would likely have been relegated to special teams and mop-up duty for the rest of his career in Lincoln. With incoming freshmen Eric Hagg, Anthony Blue, Shawn Sullivan, and Prince Amukamara along with JUCOs already in school Larry Asante and Armando Murrillo - as well as 2008 recruit David Whitmire - the writing was pretty much on the wall for Young. He will look to transfer, and early possibilities include Iowa and Washington.

What do Fisher and Levorson's commitments mean?

• Nebraska has currently wrapped up 5 of the top 6 players in Rivals.com's Nebraska top 10.
• Number four prospect (tight end) Tim Biere committed to Big Twelve rival Kansas this week after leaving Nebraska's camp without a Husker offer. Rumor is that the NU staff felt that Biere had a "low ceiling" and was therefore only a walk-on candidate. They are considering his high school teammate Damon Bechtold, however.
• Fisher is a Husker legacy and despite being rated "only" three-stars by Rivals had an offer list of 16 and growing. He chose NU over Oklahoma, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Arizona State, Colorado, and Iowa among others. Fisher will start at outside linebacker when he gets to Lincoln, but if he grows any more (he's already 6-foot-5) a move to defensive end might be imminent.
• Levorson was the star of the first day of session 2 of the Husker football camp, recording a 4.5+ second 40 on multiple watches, a 32-inch vertical jump, and a 4.33 second shuttle run. He measured in at 6-foot-3 1/2 and 186 pounds. Levorson is likely to be a safety, but don't rule out head coach Bill Callahan "stealing him" from defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove and moving him to receiver. Levorson is currently rated only two-stars by Rivals, but should move to at least three in the next ratings update this fall.

Led by five-star Baker Steinkuhler and four-star Trevor Robinson, 2008 is one of the best years in recent memory for Division I football talent in Nebraska. Nine of the top ten players in the state have earned scholarship offers from Division I schools, and the top seven all have multiple offers.

Here is Rivals.com's Nebraska top 10 and their scholarship offers of note. Please note that Steinkuhler and Okafor both committed to Nebraska in September of their junior seasons, hence they had only one official scholarship offer.

1 Baker Steinkuhler Lincoln (NE) Lincoln Southwest OL 6-6/290 Nebraska

2 Trevor Robinson Omaha (NE) Elkhorn OL 6-5/300 Nebraska, Notre Dame, Michigan, Texas A&M, Boston College, Iowa, N.C. State

3 Sean Fisher Omaha (NE) Millard North LB 6-5/210 Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Arizona State, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa

4 Tim Biere Omaha (NE) Westside TE 6-4/235 Kansas, Kansas State, Ohio, Colorado State

5 Collins Okafor Omaha (NE) Westside RB 6-1/210 Nebraska

6 John Levorson Crete (NE) ATH 6-3/186 Nebraska, Wyoming, Ohio

7 Shaun Prater Omaha (NE) Central High School DB 5-10/162 Iowa, Iowa State, Ohio

8 Brian Thorson Omaha (NE) Millard North OL 6-3/279 Buffalo

9 Shane Prater Omaha (NE) Central High School WR 5-10/161 NONE

10 Brett Maher Kearney (NE) Kearney Sr High School K 6-0/170 Ohio

Good riddance NBA finals

Finally the NBA season is over. Congratulations to the San Antonio Spurs for winning their fourth title in nine years. That's great... but what's even greater is that the NBA season is finally finished and I don't have to hear or read about it until October again!

Any by October, football will be in full swing!!!

Speaking of football, Nebraska continues to pull in a tremendous recruiting class for 2008. Yesterday saw the addition of Omaha (Neb.) Millard North safety/linebacker Sean Fisher's commitment. At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds with 4.6-second speed in the 40, Fisher is slated for outside linebacker. However, it's possible that he's not done growing yet. If he adds a couple of inches to 6-foot-7, then what do they do with him? There aren't many 6-7 linebackers out there, and no safeties of that size, so a move to DE might be imminent. We'll see how it all shakes out, but Fisher was a high priority for the Husker staff since last September. He chose NU over Oklahoma at the end, but also had offers from schools such as Iowa, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Arizona State among his 15+ suitors.

This makes four in-state prospects among the nine to verbally commit to the NU staff for 2008. Fisher - a Rivals.com 3-star player - joins 5-star OL Baker Steinkuhler, 4-star OL Trevor Robinson and 3-star RB Collins Okafor as prospects from the Cornhusker State to give their pledge to NU.

Also joining the NU class recently was WR Adrian Hilburn of San Francisco Community College. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds with legitimate 4.4 speed in the 40, Hilburn provides a downfield threat to compliment 2007 signees Niles Paul and Curenski Gilleylen. Hilburn chose the Huskers over Tennessee and Texas A&M.

I was told that Hilburn was identified by the NU staff when he was a high schooler playing on a team that ran the ball 95% of the time. He was "placed" at SFCC by the NU staff and was a near lock to sign with them.

With Hilburn joining the fold, it brings up the question of whether this gives Zach Lee the inside track to the starting quarterback job in 2008 over Joe Ganz, Patrick Witt and '08 commit Blaine Gabbert. I do not believe that to be the case.

Is Lee talented enough to start? Absolutely, but so are the other three guys. Right now if I had to put my money on a 2008 starter it would be on Patrick Witt. He should redshirt this fall, but if Sam Keller gets hurt don't be surprised if Witt's redshirt is burned and he takes over the team instead of #2 man Ganz. The coaching staff is that high on Witt!

With nine verbal commitments, NU is about half-way finished with their '08 class. Who's next?

Currently working out at the Big Red Football Camp is John Levorson, a 6-foot-3 1/2, 185-pound safety/wide receiver from Crete (Neb.). Levorson was very impressive in the first day testing at the camp, running a 4.55-second 40 (captured on multiple stop watches in the 4.5 to 4.55 range) and recording a 32-inch vertical leap. Today he gets some individual work at safety. Don't be surprised if he adds a Nebraska scholarship offer to his Wyoming and Ohio offers, and be even less surprised if he accepts it on the spot.

Levorson may be the last player from Nebraska the NU staff offers this year, unless TE Tim Biere of Omaha Westside sneaks in there. Biere has been impressive at camps and on film, winning the receiver MVP at the Columbia (Mo.) NIKE Camp. However, his 4.88-second speed in the 40 is not exactly what they're looking for. He does have a solid shuttle (4.32) however, which shows the ability to get away from linebackers at the line of scrimmage and in coverage.

Personally I would like them to take Biere and then look nationally for a "speed" tight end. I think they need to sign two at the position this year anyway, and an in-state guy with great hands and decent quickness would be a good pickup in my opinion.

All over the board

On the morning of "the matchup" between Padres future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux and Rays current Walk of Shamer Scott Kazmir, I bring you a hodge podge of thoughts.

Maddux is the epitome of consistency, while Kazmir has been maddeningly inconsistent. Kaz has outings where he beats Cy Young winner Johan Santana in Minneapolis (throwing 8 innings, giving up 2 runs while striking out 6 and walking none) and then he has a game like his last outing in Toronto (5 innings, 2 runs, walked 5 while striking out 4).

In 13 starts, Kaz has pitched 5 or less innings 5 times. Every time but one he's thrown over 100 pitches (and that one was 96 pitches).

IMO Kazmir's problem is not throwing strikes, it's getting cute after he gets two strikes on a hitter. I cannot count the number of 1-2 counts he's turned into walks over the last two years.

Maybe he'll learn from Maddux tonight how to be more economical with his pitches. Greg will never be considered a strikeout pitcher. Yes he's struck out over 3,200 in his career, but remember that he's pitching in his 21st season. That's under 150/year - not exactly Nolan Ryan or Roger Clemens numbers.

Maddux has made his career by painting the edges and keeping hitters off-balance. His four Cy Young awards have been earned by allowing his teammates to help him by making plays behind him.

I can recall in the mid-90's while watching the Braves on TBS seeing Maddux throw one 3 and one 4 pitch inning in the same game! Kazmir rarely throws less than 3 or 4 pitches to any one batter.

It should be a fun game to watch. The DVR is set!

If Kazmir can get deep into the game, he will be working with a revamped Rays bullpen.

• Gone are Tim Corcoran and Chad Orvella - they of the combined 9.24 ERA.
• Gone from the rotation is Jae Seo who was sent down to Triple-A Durham.
• Moved to the pen from the rotation is Casey Fossum.
• Added to the pen from Durham is Chad Hammel who was 4-5/3.42 as a starter there this year. He will provide help in long relief.
• Throwing in extended spring training today is Jay Witasick who was recently released by Oakland although he'd produced well in their pen (1-0, 3.60, 14 hits and nine walks in 15 innings). Expect Witasick to be added to the bullpen today or tomorrow and (hopefully) Shawn Camp will be sent down.
• New to the rotation are J.P. Howell (obtained in the Joey Gaithright trade last year with KC) and Andy Sonnanstine who "allowed just two runs on solo homers while striking out 10 - including a team-record seven straight from the second through the fourth - and not walking any, throwing 99 pitches." (St. Pete Times) in his last outing against the Marlins in Miami.

Things are looking up in Tampa Bay. The team is 28-33, and with just two less blown saves would be 30-31 and in second place in the AL East (and James Shields would be 8-0 instead of 6-0). Hopefully these changes to the pitching staff will allow them to close out games better and climb into wild card contention.

Rays Wi.... CRAP, not again!!

So the Devil Rays rap out 17 hits and score 11 runs. They put an "insurance run" on the board in the top of the ninth, thanks to Carl Crawford beating out a dropped third strike, stealing second, going to third on a shallow fly ball, and then scoring on a single.

With how reliever Gary Glover had sailed through the eighth inning, I headed out to check on construction of my new deck. I mean 11-6 is insurmountable, right? WRONG!

Joe Maddon didn't send Glover back out to work the ninth. Instead, with closer Al Reyes "unavailable" due to recent workload Maddon went with Chad Orvella who proceeded to go WALK-DOUBLE-DOUBLE-2 RUNS IN.

Orvella was "relieved" by Shawn Camp who went WALK-force out-DOUBLE-2 RUNS IN.

The score was now 11-10.

Former starter Casey Fossum then took over and allowed a game-tying DOUBLE.

This brought in Tim Corcoran who intentionally walked Frank Thomas, then threw a wild pitch to Troy Glaus which left first base open with only one out. So he intentionally put Glaus on base.

Finally, Corcoran walked in the winning run.

Game - Set - Match - SportsCenter highlight.

As Carl Crawford told the St. Pete Times, "I've been through it. As you can see, I don't look surprised. ... We were definitely thinking we could win it, but in the back of your mind and you've gone through this for six years, naturally you think it's going to happen again."

That's the scary part of a game like this to me. I expect the Rays bullpen to fail. It's been pretty much the norm for ten years except for the 2005 season. The problem is that young stars like Crawford, B.J. Upton, and Delmon Young are having their hearts ripped out.

How long before they start causing clubhouse problems? How long before they start demanding a trade and not showing up to spring training?

There are so many young offensive stars - Crawford, Young, Upton, Iwamura, Dukes - that all they need is some help in the bullpen.

There is no way that 11 runs and 17 hits should not win a Major League baseball game - especially with a five-run lead going into the ninth inning.

I blame Maddon for not leaving Glover in after he only threw 13 pitches (10 for strikes) while striking out two in the eighth. I've got little leaguers who can throw 60 pitches, but Gary Glover can't start the ninth after throwing only 13? BS!! Put him out there, Joe!

I blame management - specifically Gerry Hunzeker for not trading for some decent middle relief to allow them to get to Al Reyes.

How about James Shields and Scott Kazmir and the number of wins they've had blown by the "bullpen" in the last two years? Think that's frustrating??

Keep Reyes and Glover, dump EVERYONE ELSE!

Give Seth McClung another shot.

Pull up some of those "promising young arms" in the minors and get them some MLB work!

DO SOMETHING!! Turn that "cow-pen" into a true bullpen.

Husker football recruiting

Nebraska's football recruiting class for 2008 is off to a strong start, and just how strong the class could be was made even more evident this past weekend as Rivals.com and Student Sports hosted the NIKE Football Training Camps in Columbia (Mo.) and Boulder (Co.).

On hand in Columbia were Husker commitments Blaine Gabbert (QB from Ballwin, Mo.), Trevor Robinson (OL from Elkhorn, Nebr.) and Dan Hoch (OL from Harlan, Iowa). Another potential Husker target, Omaha Westside tight end Tim Biere, was also in attendance.

As the camp came to a close, the Husker pledges dominated the awards handed out.

Gabbert was named the QB MVP and Robinson the lineman MVP.

Gabbert dominated the camp, and was clearly the top overall player in attendance.

NIKE Camp quarterback coach Bob Johnson said that he expects great things of Gabbert in Lincoln.

"I see him being a great fit what Nebraska does," Johnson said. "He's got every throw and he's strong and physical. When something breaks down, he can also tuck it and run. They're going to throw first there and run second and that's really what I'd like to see him do."

Robinson's footwork and strength were evident as he dominated the line drills.

Hoch was not named MVP, however his style of play is more hands-on and the NIKE camp formats don't really accomodate that style of play. I've seen opinions from people who have seen both players at the same stage of their development comparing Hoch to former Wisconsin and recent first-round draft pick offensive tackle Joe Thomas.

To top the day off in Columbia, Biere (who may receive an NU offer after attending the Husker football camp this June) was named the receiver/tight end MVP. Many recruiting analysts - self included - believe that if Biere receives a Nebraska scholarship offer he will commit on the spot. Analysts in attendance said that Biere clearly had the best hands of any receiving prospect at the camp - receiver or tight end.

NIKE moved to Boulder the following day, and Husker pledge - Bryce Givens (OL from Denver, Colo.) - was again named the lineman MVP.

At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds Givens has room to grow. His footwork and quickness reminded some analysts more of a skill position player than an offensive lineman.

Despite his commitment to Nebraska, other schools have not stopped recruiting Givens. In fact, he received an offer from Texas not long before the camp. He's still committed to NU, but said he will take an unofficial visit to Austin.

Givens did state that he's "99.9 percent" sure he's going to stick with Nebraska. That "0.1 percent" is enough to scare most Husker recruit-nicks who remember Reggie Smith, A.J. Wallace, and Travis Lewis flipping on or near Signing Day in recent years after professing their love for the Big Red.

Givens' teammate Jimmy Miller (6-3, 290 OL) also showed well as the runner up for lineman MVP honors. Miller - like Biere - is hoping for a Husker scholarship offer following his upcoming camp trip. He grew up a Husker fan, and his mother is from the Lincoln bedroom community of Waverly. With Aaron Schulte not qualifying academically the Husker staff could take another lineman for '08, and Miller could fill the bill.

The 2008 recruiting class is off to an amazing start for Nebraska. They have a good shot at finishing with a top ten and possibly a top five-ranked class when all is said and done.

Mo Purify pre-trial diversion

from the Omaha World Herald:

LINCOLN - Nebraska receiver Maurice Purify has been authorized to
participate in a pre-trial diversion program, which would make it unlikely that
formal charges would be filed against him in Lancaster County court for his
arrest nearly four weeks ago.

Chief City Prosecutor John McQuinn said his office, after reviewing police
reports, agreed to pre-trial diversion at the request of Purify's attorney, Jon
Braaten. As of Wednesday, however, McQuinn said nothing has been arranged
yet.

Purify is scheduled for a June 7 appearance in Lancaster County
court."

At the present time, we assume that he won't be going to court if he
participates in pre-trial diversion," McQuinn said. "If something should happen
and if he elects not to participate, then our office would probably reassign him
a court date."

It's unclear how pre-trial diversion might affect any team discipline
handed down by Nebraska coach Bill Callahan. In a statement after Purify's
arrest, Callahan said he was "very concerned about this current situation" but
wouldn't comment further until the matter went through the legal process.

Lincoln police charged Purify with two counts of assault, resisting arrest,
trespassing and failure to comply after a May 5 incident at a downtown Lincoln
bar. Purify allegedly threw a man over a table and hit him several times, and
allegedly also struck the victim's girlfriend.

Purify was the Huskers' second-leading receiver last season, catching 34
passes for 630 yards and seven touchdowns.

MY THOUGHTS:
I had hoped that this case would actually go to trial so that the truth could come out and Purify could be exonerated in public. With pre-trial diversion, people (both locally and nationally) will think that "another Nebraska football player got over on the justice system".

From what I've heard from people with knowledge of what really happened, the only place Mo was in the wrong was refusing to offer his hands to the police when ordered to do so. He resisted arrest in that manner, but that is all that he did wrong from the reports I've heard.

He did not start the altercation, and he did not hit the woman.

There were multiple witnesses willing to testify to those same facts also, which I'm guessing is why Lancaster County is not pressing the issue. They know they have only one charge - resisting arrest .

I guess Purify is correct to take that pre-trial diversion, because even though it's a "non-violent resisting arrest" (my term, not legal), it would still go on his pemanent record and follow him the rest of his life.

I just wish he could have been publically exonerated on the more serious charges that he was crucified on in the court of public opinion.

May 31, 2007 - Who's juicing and Griffey vs. Bonds?

As we go from May to June, we pass the 1/3 mark in the MLB season and the college baseball regionals take shape. It is officially baseball season! Predictably the Devil Rays are in last place - albeit tied with the dreaded Yawnkees.

Yes, the Yawnkees are in last place and officially "circling the drain". And despite their sitting in the basement, the biggest story today is "Stray Rod" and his stripper/hooker/"friend". This is what the Yawnkees have devolved into - they're a sideshow, not a World Series contender.

IMO, even the great (HGH-ridden) Roger Clemens can't save them this year. I have no proof that Clemens is juicing, but then MLB has no proof that Barry Bonds is cheating either. Everyone know it, though. How else can a 40-something continue to perform at that level?

Historically athletes performance level has declined as they aged. That's still the case in the NFL, NBA, and NHL - but in MLB players improve with age? Riiiiight!

It's just a coincidence, right? MLB players just take better care of their bodies than other athletes, right? That's been the case historically - look at Babe Ruth, John Kruk, Cecil Fielder, etc. (heavy sarcasm intended)

Baseball professionals spend more time on the road eating in restaurants and sleeping in hotels than any other sport's athletes. That lifestyle alone would contribute to declining health.

They have to be juicing to stay at that high level, and it's pissing me off! Look at Bonds compared to Ken Griffey, Jr. prior to the 2000 season. Keep in mind that Bonds is already older chronologically than Griffey by five years.

BONDS:

• From 1986 to 1999 - 445 homers with a high of 46 in 1993. Averaged 29.66 HR/year.
• Since then he's hit 301 with a high of 73. Averaged 43, and missed an entire season!
• When he's played a full season, he's been right at his previous career high (46 in '02, 45 in '03, and 45 in '04).
• He played only 144 games in '05 and '06 combined and hit another 31.
• This year through 46 games he has 12, which is a pace for 42.

GRIFFEY:

• From 1989 to 1999 - 398 homers with a high of 56 in both 1997 and '98. He also hit 45 ('93), 48 ('99) and 49 ('96). That's an average of 36.18 HR/yr - over 6 more than Bonds.
• Since then - after injury - he's hit only 176 with a high of 35 in 2005.
• Injuries have robbed Junior of 435 games during that span.
• At the pace he hits them when healthy since 1999, Junior would still have hit another 107 homers. That would put him at 681 total - just 65 behind Bonds.
• If he "improves" like Bonds did after 1999 and his pace increased by the same number, Junior would have been hitting 49/year (Bonds went from 29.66 to 43, an increase of over 13/year)
• That would have put Junior at 343 since 1999, and a total of 741 - only 5 behind Bonds with five years on him chronologically.

So is Bonds juicing? What about Junior?

Here is a shot of Bonds in 1992.

Here's today.

Here is a pic of a 1992 Griffey baseball card.

Compare it to what he looks like today here Numbers would seem to indicate that Bonds=Yes and Griffey=No. If Junior were juicing with HGH or steroids, don't you think he'd be able to recover from the injuries he's suffered - or avoid them altogether as Bonds seemed to do until the BALCO report came out and he missed all of '05 and most of '06?Judge for yourself.

What Barry Bonds is doing to one of MLB's most hallowed records is a sham and a shame! He's far from the greatest slugger in the history of baseball, and really not even the greatest of his generation. Junior is a better hitter and slugger, and has done it without cheating.

Want further proof? Look at how Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's numbers declined late in their careers.

SOSA

• Before 1998, Sosa hit 207 homers in 10 MLB seasons (7 full seasons and 3 shortened either by minor league call-ups or injury). He had a season high of 40 to that point.
• From 1998 to 2002, Sosa hit 292 homers with a LOW of 49!
• Since then he's hit 99 in 3 1/2 seasons with a season high of 40 in 2003.

McGWIRE

• Before 1998, McGwire hit 387 homers in 12 MLB seasons (10 full with one lost to injury and one September call-up). He had a season high of 52 with another year of 49.
• From 1998 - 2001 (the end of his career) he hit 196 for an average of 49. In '00 and '01 he played a total of 186 games - barely over a full season - due to injury.
• His numbers declined due to injury those last two years - hitting 32 and 29 respectively.

Evidence would seem to suggest that both of these guys were "enhancing" their bodies (and subsequently their games) artificially.

Look at the differences in body shape and head size - eerily similar to Bonds.

Sosa 1990

Sosa 1998

Sosa 2004

McGwire 1991

McGwire 1998

I see this as evidence of cheating. You decide.

May 29, 2007

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend and had an opportunity to reflect on why it's called "Memorial Day". I had a chance to explain things a bit to my 9 and 7-year olds, and I think (hope) they understood.

Anyway, with the Huskers making the NCAA draw and heading for Tempe (Ariz.) this week to battle for a regional championship, and with the Rays actually winning more than one game in a row, things are looking up!

That being said, I'm stealing my blog today from the poster RojoGrande from HuskersIllustrated.com's Red Sea Scrolls. This will further serve to explain just exactly how far things had fallen in Big Red Land under Frank Solich, and why Bill Callahan's nearly completed the turnaround.


The most important part of our recruiting. And a confession.

The most important part of our recruiting is how we rank compared to the rest of the Big 12-North.

National recruiting rankings lack meaning---simply because so few of those teams play one another. But you always play your conference teams.

For us…. handling the the Big 12-North is the most important part of getting to the Big 12 Championship game. Head-to-head recruiting results within the North matter.

Take a look.

Nebraska Recruiting Rank in the Big 12-North:

Callahan ’07: #1
Callahan ‘06: #1
Callahan ’05: #1
Callahan ’04: #2
--Nebraska #27---behind… #18 KSU
Solich ’03: #4
--Nebraska #42---behind... #19 Colorado, #28 Missouri, and #39 Kansas
Solich ’02: #5
--Nebraska #40---behind… #10 Colorado, #14 KSU, #29 Missouri, and #30 Iowa State.

The Bottom Line:1) “You won’t out-work Bill Callahan.” North teams feel the heat. The pressure to keep up is now relentlessly in place---year-after-year.

The productivity of Cally & Company is hard to match.

2) On Solich’s getting out-recruited by most North teams.... The hand-writing was on the wall.

Many of us chose to ignore it. We defended Frank to the end. I was among that group.

Loyalty is good….. Unless it’s blind.

Time and looking back help to clarify things...

Just some things to think about….