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.

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.