Winter Conditioning Ramping Up, Recruiting Winding Down

With the first month of 2008 coming to an end that means only one thing, signing day for college football programs across the country. It's the time of year where all the calling, in home visits, late nights assessing talent and official and unofficial visits pay off for the schools that young players sign with.

For the Huskers, the class of 2008 started off very promising through last spring up until the nightmare that was the season of 2007. The class hit even more uncertainty when it appeared that former head coach Bill Callahan was going to be fired at the end his second losing season in four years. As soon as the news came out of Lincoln that newly named interim athletic director and Nebraska legend Tom Osborne threw down a sizable gauntlet on the embattled coach, young players reopened their calendar to accommodate other schools.

At this site, I attempted to keep up with recruits that had solid commitments to Nebraska. Some flamed out (Blaine Gabbert, Simi Kuli) and some stuck like glue (Baker Steinkuhler). Live and learn I suppose. Have I mentioned that the day I found out Gabbert decommitted and then committed to Missouri that I left work early?

What I plan to do in the short future here is put up profiles on kids that look as solid as solid gets up until signing day. After February 6th I'll be sure to let you know who is in and who is out and where they went. Thanks for sticking with me during the slow period! If recruiting isn't your thing, that is.

Short 'n Sweet

Word is out of Omaha, Nebraska that heavily sought after recruit Collins Okafor has just decided in a press conference at 3:30pm this afternoon that he is going to be a Husker. Okafor received offers from Kansas, Iowa and Stanford and after this past weekend's official visit things are looking more solid for him. Collins jokingly picked up the Stanford hat off the table before picking up the Nebraska one and putting it on.

Collins is a 6'1" 210 pound running back out of Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska. Keeping Okafor inside state lines was a major priority for Bo Pelini and his new staff. Word is that amid this season's best crop of kids to come out of the state in a long time, and with many of them jumping state lines, Nebraska brass was none too pleased. This may help to ease some worried minds.

Okafor is an athletic pickup and will bolster the already solid core of running backs in the Husker stable. He runs a 4.54 40 yard dash and has a 33 inch vertical. He is expected to join the team after spring ball. I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but hopefully I'll be able to get up to Lincoln on February 7th for the Touchdown Club's (a booster club which I'm a member of) dinner and recruit presentation at the Cornhusker Hotel ( Stop laughing, it's a Marriott) to see a presentation on all the signees and future Huskers.

End 'O Year Spectacular

Sit down, relax, and prepare for my longest entry yet. Hope you’re ready…It's like six entries rolled into one! It's a New Year's steal!

So, the 2007 college football season is now history. Finally, for some like me. The season was a blessing and curse at the same time, Nebraska fans had to endure embarrassment in order to get what they wanted but didn’t even know it at the beginning of the season.

You’re going to hear about the crazy season that was college football for a few years, maybe less, until it happens again. Schools that are not traditional powers will become more competitive and the will catch the Oklahoma’s, the Michigan’s and yes, even the USC’s of the world. It will become more like the NFL, not exactly, but similar.

Look at USC, for example, they have a couple of injuries to key players and end up dropping games to Oregon and (gulp!) Stanford. It’s hard to call yourself a juggernaut if you lose to Stanford. At home. I’m also just about sick hearing the media talking heads say “well, if USC has all their players healthy…” Well, come on now. If any team has all their key players healthy of course they have a better shot to win. They got injured, they lost, better luck next year.

Big 12 North Emerges

Ok, so you’re bummed about the second losing season at Nebraska in 45 years. We all are and we have been, but we’ve had some time to heal and get over it. It’s time to be optimistic and look towards the future. We all saw on Monday night that Bo Pelini can coach, no worries there. Now we’ll get to see if he can run a program. Having Osborne as the final word until 2010 won’t hurt, but I’m sure he’ll give Bo some room to breath and run the program his way.

Pelini will have a challenge in front of him with the emergence of teams like Missouri and Kansas. To top it off, a familiar rival is starting to come back around with Dan Hawkins running the show in Boulder, Colorado. I’m not sure what Kansas State is trying to accomplish in Manhattan, but with the talent they get each year you still have to be mindful of their team as well. Dare I say that the Big 12 North is starting to become as competitive as the South? We’re not there quite yet, give me a few years of both Missouri and Kansas repeating what they did this year and maybe I’ll be willing to proclaim the greatness of the North.

Still, you can’t discount what transpired this year. Kansas won the Orange Bowl, Missouri embarrassed an SEC opponent in the Cotton Bowl and Oklahoma won another Big 12 title and looked unmotivated and uninspired while losing the Fiesta Bowl yet again. Negative for the Big 12, fun and awesome for me.

Bo Looks Solid

Now Tom Osborne looks like a genius. People on a national level always doubt him, from going for two to letting the new head coach finish what he started in Baton Rouge. Somehow Osborne always comes through and makes himself and his decisions look wise and calculated. Having Pelini winning a national championship on the sideline on Monday was excellent PR for Nebraska.

You could tell his team loves him, they rallied around him and didn’t waiver when Ohio State came out swinging in the first quarter. He kept his confidence in the defensive backs to pin down Buckeye receivers and allowed his physical front seven to tee off against OSU QB Todd Boeckman.

Monday night's game was also a great statement for coaches that honor agreements and stay loyal to their players in college football with the likes of Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino dominating the coaching headlines as of late. It shows not only great character in Pelini but in both schools as well. As far as recruiting goes, if we can get the talent expect to see the same brand of defense in Lincoln in the next couple years. Repeat, that’s if we can get the talent.

Bo will be back in Lincoln on Thursday to resume his duties as head coach now that the recruiting dead period is over. With classes resuming at Nebraska on the 14^th, he’ll address the team regarding winter conditioning and get back on the recruiting trail Sunday. Just to let you know, it’s 101 days until the Red-White Spring Game.

Tim Beck Named Running Backs Coach

This is couple days old, so if you’ve heard it you skip this section. Pelini announced that the final piece of the coaching staff was put in place with the hiring of Tim Beck. Beck is coming over from the Kansas Jayhawks after spending this year helping shape one the nation’s most prolific offenses as receivers coach. At the beginning of the year he was also named pass game coordinator. Beck is recognized as one of the minds that helped the Jayhawk attack form over his three year run for head coach Mark Mangino.

With the addition of Beck to the staff this makes the combination of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks Coach Shawn Watson and receivers coach Ted Gilmore even more potent. The Huskers improved radically at the end of the year while shifting focus from West Coast to Spread/Option Read offensive schemes. With Beck now on board he should be able to bolster the already potentially potent core of Husker running backs while contributing to the offense overall.

Before his past three seasons with the Jayhawks, Beck was a highly decorated high school coach in Texas. He won 2003 District Coach of the Year while leading the Summit High Jaguars to their first playoff appearance and district championship after only opening the school’s doors in the fall of 2002. He was also head coach at R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton, Texas from 1999 to 2001.

A bit of interesting Husker trivia you can wow your friends with the next time you’re at the bar. Ask them if they know who coached Nebraska All-American safety Mike Brown in high school. You can tell them the Husker’s new running backs coach of course, Tim Beck. You’re friends will be in awe of your Husker knowledge. It’s also a great way to pick up chicks.

Just an added note for trivia lovers, Beck attended the same high school (Cardinal Mooney) in Youngstown, Ohio as the Pelini brothers.

R.I.P Bill Callahan

With the end of the season comes the final word on the Callahan era. Not so much the era, but more the man and how it that translated to and affected his reign in Lincoln. Maybe you’ve heard some of the darker comments from Callahan, maybe you haven’t. My favorite was when the local media was criticizing him and he was quoted as saying, “I don’t read the local papers, in fact I’m going to get me a real newspaper, I’m going to read the New York Times.” Maybe he was checking the classifieds for a new career, who knows.

This was not even as close to as bad as his alleged comments he made about Osborne which I picked up from my new issue of Sports Illustrated this past week. During this season after a phone conversation not long after Osborne replaced Steve Pederson, an unidentified trainer alleged that Callahan referred to Osborne as a “crusty, old f*ck.

Callahan was also one delusional crackpot from the sound of this next quote. Despite hacking and wheezing to a 5-and-7 record Callahan was still claiming that the program was headed in the right direction saying “I have done an excellent job in every area.” This was quoted the week of his final game when he lost 65-51 at Colorado.

This week the Tampa Bay Buccaneers relieved their offensive coordinator of his position after a dismal performance in their Wild Card game against the New York Football Giants. Callahan is one of the candidates to replace him as offensive coordinator in 2008 rejoining head coach Jon Gruden from their Raider days. Full circle indeed.

Wrapping It Up

A lot of talk is surfacing who is the dominate conference in the country. I’m not a huge fan of this but I’m willing to rate the “BCS Six” for now to close out the season. Below this are the final AP and USA Today/Coaches Polls. Here we go in order from top to bottom.

1. Southeastern Conference (SEC)

Why? – LSU wins National Title, Georgia shellacs Hawaii in Sugar Bowl, Tebow wins greatest citizen of the world award along with Heisman. Kentucky starting to look good, Darren McFadden is the best college football player (sorry Gator Nation).

Why not? – LSU did lose two games to conference opponents and needed miracles to win others, Georgia didn’t even play for the conference championship, Tennessee’s stunning road loss to a bad Cal team, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss.

2. Big 12

Why? – The rise of the Big 12 North with Mizzou and KU leading the way. Oklahoma and Texas could still rule the world when properly motivated and programs like Colorado and Oklahoma State on the rise.

Why not? – Baylor, Iowa State and even Nebraska this year even with a 3-1 non conference record. Oklahoma loses four BCS games in a row and Texas wound up in the Holiday Bowl again after a few years of BCS glory. Mark Mangino’s ticker. Sorry, couldn’t help it.

3. Pacific 10 (Pac-10)

Why? – USC. Period. It’s the only reason this conference is on the map at all. Arizona State was clearly overrated. So was Cal. And Oregon without Dennis Dixon.

Why not? – When injured they’re awful. No JD Booty, lose to Stanford; No Dennis Dixon, choke at Arizona. UCLA is a debacle, Washington is underachieving. Where is Washington State?

4. Big 10

Why? – The constant BCS Title Game meddling of Ohio State, at least they get there. However I'm starting an online petition to ban them from the title game for at least three seasons. Michigan still potential sleeping giant and cross-state rival Spartans looking better. Penn State always a player and Wisconsin looking like they’re coming back. Indiana improving.

Why not? – Northwestern, Minnesota (North Dakota State and Florida Atlantic? At home??) and underachieving Iowa. What is Kirk Ferentz doing?? Inability to win BCS games (or even match up, Illinois) or have consistent winning record in bowl games. Stop playing so many softies in pre-conference play!

5. Big East

Why? – West Virginia, when they aren’t losing to Pitt. South Florida and Rutgers on the rise. Cincinnati too. UConn coming out of nowhere.

Why not? – Syracuse and Pitt, Dave Wannstedt can recruit but can’t coach himself out of a wet paper bag. Sound familiar? Louisville underachieving with one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

6.Atlantic Coast Conference

Why? – Boston College looked like a team that was emerging this season, Virginia as well. Clemson looked good and so did Virginia Tech winning the conference. Georgia Tech and North Carolina State on the rise with new coaches?

Why not? – No FSU, no Miami, no national appeal. Without the Florida schools in the top 10 (or 25 for that matter) no one will care about this conference. North Carolina with Butch Davis is a bust (give him more time?)

Final Coaches/USA Today Poll

1. LSU

2. USC

3. Georgia

4. Ohio State

5. Missouri

6. West Virginia

7. Kansas

8. Oklahoma

9. Virginia Tech

10. Texas

11. Boston College

12. Tennessee

13. Arizona State

14. Auburn

15. BYU

16. Florida

17. Hawaii

18. Illinois

19. Michigan

20. Cincinnati

21. Wisconsin

22. Clemson

23. Texas Tech

24. Oregon

25. Penn State

Final AP Poll

1. LSU

2. Georgia

3. USC

4. Missouri

5. Ohio State

6. West Virginia

7. Kansas

8. Oklahoma

9. Virginia Tech

10. Texas (tie)

10. Boston College (tie)

12. Tennessee

13. Florida

14. BYU

15. Auburn

16. Arizona State

17. Cincinnati

18. Michigan

19. Hawaii

20. Illinois

21. Clemson

22. Texas Tech

23. Oregon

24. Wisconsin

25. Oregon State

Solid News...Finally

Hopefully you're looking at the new quarterback of the future at Nebraska. This young gentleman's name is Kody Spano, and after his official visit to Nebraska this weekend and weeks after his de-commit from Oklahoma State, Spano is moving up to Lincoln next weekend.

My first post for my "Recruiting Roundup" section went down in historic flames with the firing of Bill Callahan. Blaine Gabbert, a highly touted pro style passer (third in the entire country as a matter of fact) who originally committed to the Huskers, defected to Missouri when wind of Callahan's firing was in the works after athletic director Tom Osborne replaced the fired Steve Pederson halfway through the season. This is the most famous of recruits following Callahan and companies advice to "keep their options open." More on some disturbing Callahan news in the coming week.

Losing Gabbert was huge, especially with him jumping state lines to the rival and annual North division opponent Tigers. If Gabbert flourishes in Gary Pinkel's system it could spell trouble for the rest of the North and possibly the entire Big 12. We'll have to wait and see how a 6'5" hurler can do in a system that was put on the map by overachieving 6'0" Chase Daniel this past season.

The Huskers will counter the coup with Spano who is more Joey Ganz than Sam Keller. In an option read and spread style offense, the one new Husker coach Bo Pelini and retained offensive coordinator Shaun Watson will institute, he should be able to develop and succeed if given the proper tools to do so.

Spano was most amazed by the facilities, the sight of Memorial Stadium, the trophies and awards that lined the halls, and the "one of a kind weight room." This will no doubt ruffle the feathers of Boone Pickens, a major player in the money being pumped in to Oklahoma State to entice players like Spano to come to Stillwater and stay away from South rivals Oklahoma and Texas.

Now for some of Spano's vitals. In his final two years at Stephenville, Texas he accounted for nearly 6,000 total yards, threw for 54 touchdowns and ran for 898 yards with an additional 21 trips to the endzone. Spano stands 6'2" and is 202 pounds and runs a 4.7 forty yard dash. Spano passed up offers from not only Oklahoma State but also from TCU, Tulsa and Ole Miss. The young Texan also attracted attention from Oklahoma, Arkansas and Georgia Tech. According to Rivals.com he is ranked seventh in the country for duel threat quarterbacks.

While this isn't a home run (yet) it's definitely some welcome news after members from what was to be a historic recruiting class defected to other teams in the Big 12 and all over the rest of the country. He'll have a year to watch from the sidelines and study under Ganz while he runs the show his senior season. Hopefully in the next two to three years you'll be singing Kody Spano praises while he scores touchdown after touchdown on Saturday.

Still A Black Eye?

There is no doubt that you remember who is the the picture to the right. That's Lawrence Phillips. I know talking about him is a like standing up and swearing in the middle of church to Husker fans, but I believe it is a subject that deserves to be revisited.

Phillips was at the epicenter of controversy as a member of the 1995 Husker team that went on to dominate the college football landscape as they won their second national title in two years. Many sportswriters and fans alike have continually voted this team as the greatest college football team of the modern era. Better than any Florida State Seminole team from the 90's, better than the 2005 USC Trojans and better than the 2001 Miami Hurricanes. More dominant than the Notre Dame's, Michigan's, Penn State's, Oklahoma's and Ohio State's of the 70's and 80's.

Yet this program's best season in school history is saddled with an asterisk by some. The off the field issues that would be sign of things to come for Phillips hung around Osborne's neck like an albatross. He probably still can't shake giving his troubled I-back a second chance. Even after becoming a United States Congressman and Nebraska living legend.

For those that need a refresher course on the subject, after rushing for 204 yards and 4 touchdowns on 22 carries against Michigan State in East Lansing, Michigan in 1995 Phillips decided to go looking for his ex-girlfriend, Kate McEwen who also played on the women's basketball team at Nebraska. He found her in the same room as transfer quarterback Scott Frost. Phillips then proceeded to drag her by her hair down a staircase and choked her to unconsciousness. Frost was able to intervene after all this took place.

We all know what happened for the most part, but it's something to chew on and describing the situation is probably the best way to recall the gravity of the ordeal. Osborne suspended Phillips for six games, crushing any hopes of a Heisman Trophy and more than likely millions of dollars by affecting his draft status. Many feel that he should have been kicked off the team, many feel that Osborne did the right thing by keeping him in a structured environment.

Phillips, after his suspension, looked overweight and lethargic. Freshman Ahman Green was making a name for himself while Phillips was out and took a lot of his playing time from Phillips the rest of the year. Then at the end of the year Phillips came around, especially in the Oklahoma game which would mark the end of the era with the Huskers playing the Sooners on the day after Thanksgiving.

I was at that game and I remember his direct snap touchdown and I remember telling my Grandfather that he was back to playing like his old self. I remember him looking at me like he wanted to tell me about how he shouldn't even be playing, but I'm sure he decided against it because what does a 15-year old boy know about issues like which he was involved in?

When the Huskers were set to play the Florida Gators in the Fiesta Bowl for the national title, Osborne made an announcement that would make his earlier decision to even let Phillips back on the team pale in comparison. He stated that Phillips would start. 'Gulp,' went Nebraska fans. It didn't take long for national sports writers to pile on Osborne for letting Phillips start the game. It was a black eye on the program, his legacy and the sport itself. According to some, Osborne's compassion for his player and desire to win rather than do the right thing tainted his era as coach of one of the most successful programs in college football history.

Phillips you should remember, was in a foster home in California when he was recruited by Osborne and Nebraska. It was his 11th home he had been in during his short life up to that point I believe. I know it's the same old sob story about an African-American male who is troubled and angry because of a destructive upbringing and couldn't handle the adulation and national spotlight, but if that's your thought process then you may need to examine your ability to forgive and your capacity for compassion. At that time, it was better to help than to cast out. Better to keep Phillips in the program than to let him disintegrate on his own. What we know now is that if Osborne did cut him some other team would have either picked him up or his descent would have accelerated. So criticizing Osborne is almost irrelevant at this point. We all know that in sports, if you have talent someone will give you a second or third or forth chance. Just look at Ricky Williams.

You can't blame Osborne for trying to help him out. The public wants to crucify him for allowing him to be rewarded for being a female beating jerk, but then they love to push their stories of redemption and second chances. Taking the high road doesn't always mean doing what popular opinion tells you to do. Osborne ran one of the cleanest programs by NCAA standards and the team has never been placed on any sort of probation for any violations. Meanwhile, teams like Oklahoma, Miami, Auburn, Tennessee and Alabama have been placed under sanctions more than a few times.

This of course doesn't absolve Osborne from what he did, but he couldn't predict the future and what level Phillips would degenerate into. Why don't we blame the Rams, Dolphins or the 49ers for taking chances on him after his time at Nebraska and more incidents involving his misdeeds? Oh, that's right, we can't talk bad about our precious NFL. I forgot you can't insult our country's new national pastime. Let's just vilify the man who gave Phillips his first second chance.

All Osborne did was try to help a young man who had no real father figure in his life, as I'm sure he did with other players. You can't avoid collegiate athletes being overly cocky and thinking they can do what they want because of their status. Athletes that make it to that level have heard all their life how great they are. Some buy into it and when it's blended with a self-destructive tendency you have a Lawrence Phillips.

Phillips was convicted on seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon back in 2006. He could face up to 20 years in a state prison. He almost ran over a bunch of teenagers with a car after a pickup football game. He hocked his Big 8 Championship ring for $20 at a Las Vegas pawn shop. He's made a lot of poor decisions, and maybe so did Osborne by letting him stay on, but at least he gave him another chance which is what life is all about. It was up to Phillips to do what he could with those chances and he did nothing. Now he is paying for it. The sport of college football and the NFL still go on. If Phillips had never played college ball he would have just been another troubled youth with extensive police blotter. At least someone gave him a chance, and when you are in a position to do that for another person it's all you can do. The rest is up to them.

Stand Corrected

Boy oh boy, was I wrong when it came to the Fiesta Bowl last night. Oklahoma looked flat while the West Virginia Mountaineers played inspired football under interim coach Bill Stewart, who will be announced head coach at 10am central time.

If Oklahoma wins the Big 12 next year and is left out of the national championship game they may want to consider asking the BCS if they can play somewhere other than Phoenix. When you get nearly doubled up by a team that lost their coach and season ender to their rival it's bad. Really bad.

The Sooners have been a tale of two teams this season, with quaterback Sam Bradford being injured or not. Some games they looked dominate against Missouri in the Big 12 Championship Game and against Texas in the Red River Shootout, but then they looked like dogs against Colorado, Texas Tech and a close win over the Cyclones of Iowa State in Ames.

As I said yesterday, I want the conference represented well but Oklahoma taking one on the chin always makes me smile. Here is a quick fact for you that you may not have realized yet. Bob Stoops and his Sooners have zero wins in their last four BCS games. They lost two national title games to LSU and then USC, and of course the past two years in the Fiesta Bowl. Their only bowl victory in the last five years was a 17-14 squeaker against Oregon in the Holiday Bowl in 2005.

The Big 12's final hope for a bowl victory will come tonight when the Kansas Jayhawks take their 45 point per game offense against a solid Virginia Tech defense. KU is a three point dog in this game which is maybe more than they deserve. Their only game against a team that finished in the top 25 in the regular season they were drilled. The final was close, but the game wasn't. The Big 12 is now 3-3 in their bowl games this season.

I'm not expecting much because it is Kansas and it's not in Allen Fieldhouse. However, last night told me that sometimes you have to leave your expectations at the door. Everyone thought West Virginia would rollover and play dead if Oklahoma got up early and look how well that worked out.

Happy New Year and Whatnot

Welcome to 2008, the year that I've been waiting for since about the beginning of October. Bo Pelini will take over as the coach of the Huskers and will hopefully be able to turn around a defense that was abysmal and continue along with the offense that looked good by the end of the year.

As you may or may not have noticed, I was going to try and do a preview for each and every bowl game. When I figured out that it was a dumb idea, I decided to take some time off from writing about college football until the beginning of the year.

The bowl season has been fairly boring for the most part because I'm a playoff guy. Even though it will probably not happen until I'm very old, I still talk about it like the reality of having a college football postseason that makes sense is right around the corner.

Yesterday the BCS failed. If you watched either trainwreck of a game you'd know what I'm referring to. Pac-10 champ USC showed that, when healthy, they are probably the best team in the country. They gutted the second place in the Big 10 Illinois Fighting Illini 49-17 in a game that was not even close to pretty.

Illinois hung with the Trojans into the second half until SC blew the doors off of the younger, physically inferior and inexperienced Illini. How many times do I have to watch a Rose Bowl that showcases year after year where USC makes 'fill in the blank Big 10' team their personal punching bag? Hopefully the Big 10 and Pac-10 wake up soon.

Yikes, the Sugar Bowl. This game could have been 78-10 if Georgia wanted it that way. No Cinderella/Boise State-type victory this season. I think the Bulldogs are tied for the second best team in the country with Oklahoma. Colt Brennen looked positively awful last night and the Warriors looked overmatched and outclassed, similar to the way that Illinois looked against USC. The Sugar Bowl also featured my favorite name so far of the BCS games in Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno. Get used to saying it over the next two or three seasons.

The teams that lost the BCS games looked helpless. What would have been better? Besides a playoff? USC vs. Ohio State or Georgia in the Rose Bowl and anyone else but Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. If you could break all the dumb BCS rules Missouri and Georgia would have been a great matchup, especially after the 38-7 dismantling of the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Cotton Bowl.

Tonight we're looking at a similar outcome I'm thinking. A down on their luck, coachless, directionless West Virginia team squaring off against a tuned up and physically dominating Oklahoma team. I'm guessing OU wins by at least 25. But I'm not going to give the Sooners too much credit and while I want the Big 12 represented well, this still is a Huskers blog so I'm obligated to include this.