Recruiting Roundup - Simi Kuli

It’s that time of year. For programs not fortunate or mediocre enough to find their way into college football’s expansive post-season, the focus shifts to recruiting.

Of the two posts of recruits I have written about, one of them has defected to the Missouri Tigers. This unfortunately was one of the most promising quarterback recruits in Nebraska history. Next to maybe Turner Gil. Blaine Gabbert of Baldwin, Missouri has changed his tune after the seasons of Missouri and Nebraska went in opposite directions and with the uncertainty of former coach Bill Callahan’s job at the time of his decision.

Gabbert was primarily coming to Nebraska because of Callahan’s history of grooming NFL style quarterbacks. After Callahan was on his way to being deported, or more accurately, when former athletic director Steve Pederson was fired, Gabbert decided it would be in his best interest to stay in-state with the pass-happy Tigers.

But we’re not here to focus on Gabbert, we’re here to focus on what is the surprise of the recruiting world in the past couple of months. Simi Kuli, the 6-foot-4, 270 pound defensive end from El Camino Community College decided it would be a good idea to call Nebraska and give a solid verbal. Out of the blue. Stuff like this happens between 'not that often' and 'never,' especially when this caliber of player is being courted by the likes of Oklahoma, LSU and Tennessee.

The five-star athlete put up some impressive numbers in 2006 as a freshman with 56 tackles, 15 of them coming for a loss. He racked up five sacks as well as 20 quarterback hurries and one forced fumble recovery in 10 games.

Rivals.com publishes a Top 50 Junior College Recruits and Kuli is on top of that list. After a visit to LSU on October 6^th, it seemed to the rest of the world that Kuli was on a one way trip to Baton Rouge. However, on October 23^rd Kuli retracted his previous statement regarding LSU and gave his word to Nebraska. Hopefully now that sort of former LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini will be the Husker head coach next year, it should solidify what seems to be set in stone.

The soon-to-be-transfer said he has a lot of respect for the Cornhusker program and has been quoted as saying that the coaching change isn’t a concern. He said that now it is up to interim athletic director Tom Osborne if he’s worthy enough to come to Lincoln. My guess is Osborne has made his decision that Kuli is worthy.

I’m not going to say anything, considering the major burn put on by Gabbert, but this is a direct quote when interviewed by Duane ‘Roz’ Rossiter of HuskersIllustraited.com

"I'm not going to take anymore visits. I am done. I have no concerns, sir. The decision is up to Coach Osborne whether he makes the decision or not. I know he would not have anyone that would not get the job done at coaching."

100 percent sure?

"Yes sir."

Let’s hope.