Christmas Husker Thoughts

[Tsakoi]

FOA Merry Christmas, guys. The majority of you make this place fun to follow the Huskers and provide me a nice distraction from boring work breaks so you have my thanks.

1. I really don't think we will see any more transfers unless we are doing something creative with NIL and walk-on spots. We are currently at 92 scholarships and need to purge 7 guys. Add that Cameron Lenhardt is strongly believed to be a part of the High School class then that means even more attrition needed eventually.

2. I like what Rhule has done in his short time to really recruit and attract talent. Although there will always be reaches in transition classes the one thing that has me a little bit skeptical is that we are adding so many track guys it looks a little like.....(gasp)....some of Frost's first recruits at some positions. We were told that we were going with speed, speed, speed and took guys like Demaryion Houston, Miles Jones and Jamie Nance. The only thing those dudes did speedily was transfer out because they didn't belong in the Big 10. I'll put some faith in Rhule being better than Frost but I really don't want to see us make the same mistake.

3. The fact that Rhule did not emphasize JUCO athletes in this transition class tells me that the transfer portal has replaced JUCOs as his primary source of players he believes he needs to add to shake things up in '23. We really do need dudes with mature bodies that JUCO could usually provide but with NIL giving you the ability to attract athletes from power 5 or group of 5 conferences or even one level down then it seems like the JUCO kids are being left behind and will have fewer options with the bigger programs.

 

[Lionsfan93]

1. I would be pretty surprised if we are done with transfers. I really hope that they continue to pursue Hornsby. I also think we will want a TE and probably another OL. I, personally, would like another WR too. Sure, our 92 number seems a little high, but we will have no problem getting there after spring. Purdy, Smothers, Lynum, Pola-Gates, Clark, Johnson, Miller, and Carnie - and these are just some of the guys that we want gone. We will lose guys to the portal that we want to keep.

2. I agree that Rhule has taken some reaches. But the biggest difference is that Rhule has already developed P5 players. Sure, it wasn't the Big 10, but it was P5. I'll trust him until he gives me reason not to.

3. Interesting thought on JUCOs. The portal definitely helps take the place of some JUCOs, but I'd imagine that we will almost always take 1-2. I also wouldn't be shocked if we end up with another late JUCO addition. No inside info...that just seems to happen relatively often...

 

[Tsakoi]

1. I would be pretty surprised if we are done with transfers. I really hope that they continue to pursue Hornsby. I also think we will want a TE and probably another OL. I, personally, would like another WR too. Sure, our 92 number seems a little high, but we will have no problem getting there after spring. Purdy, Smothers, Lynum, Pola-Gates, Clark, Johnson, Miller, and Carnie - and these are just some of the guys that we want gone. We will lose guys to the portal that we want to keep.

2. I agree that Rhule has taken some reaches. But the biggest difference is that Rhule has already developed P5 players. Sure, it wasn't the Big 10, but it was P5. I'll trust him until he gives me reason not to.

3. Interesting thought on JUCOs. The portal definitely helps take the place of some JUCOs, but I'd imagine that we will almost always take 1-2. I also wouldn't be shocked if we end up with another late JUCO addition. No inside info...that just seems to happen relatively often...

If you are right about #1 then we will need to see at least a 2 to 1 ratio of players leaving vs. incoming transfers.

If we added a TE, WR and OL then that would put us at 96. So like this.....

Incoming TE..Hickman, Carnie out
Incoming OL....Lynn, Benhart out
Incoming WR.....Hardy, Jones out

Then we would still need to purge another 8!

Thompson doesn't come back.
Tyreke Johnson, Braxton Clark leave.
One RB moves on.
Purdy and Hunter Heinrich Helmsley see the writing on the wall.
Tagaloa and Tommi Hill just seem like misfits.

That is a major overhaul but leaves us pretty thin at TE (Borkircher covers a bit) and WR. (True freshmen would probably have to play)

 

[vailhusker]

Here's Deans Chart, looks like he took Lynn off setting at 91.

 

[Baron Winnebago]

1. I would be pretty surprised if we are done with transfers. I really hope that they continue to pursue Hornsby. I also think we will want a TE and probably another OL. I, personally, would like another WR too. Sure, our 92 number seems a little high, but we will have no problem getting there after spring. Purdy, Smothers, Lynum, Pola-Gates, Clark, Johnson, Miller, and Carnie - and these are just some of the guys that we want gone. We will lose guys to the portal that we want to keep.

2. I agree that Rhule has taken some reaches. But the biggest difference is that Rhule has already developed P5 players. Sure, it wasn't the Big 10, but it was P5. I'll trust him until he gives me reason not to.

3. Interesting thought on JUCOs. The portal definitely helps take the place of some JUCOs, but I'd imagine that we will almost always take 1-2. I also wouldn't be shocked if we end up with another late JUCO addition. No inside info...that just seems to happen relatively often...

Wouldn't mind seeing a guy with serious JUCO connections on staff (support or otherwise). I think there will be an opportunity to get some really good players who get overlooked cause the portal

 

[Baron Winnebago]

If you are right about #1 then we will need to see at least a 2 to 1 ratio of players leaving vs. incoming transfers.

If we added a TE, WR and OL then that would put us at 96. So like this.....

Incoming TE..Hickman, Carnie out
Incoming OL....Lynn, Benhart out
Incoming WR.....Hardy, Jones out

Then we would still need to purge another 8!

Thompson doesn't come back.
Tyreke Johnson, Braxton Clark leave.
One RB moves on.
Purdy and Hunter Heinrich Helmsley see the writing on the wall.
Tagaloa and Tommi Hill just seem like misfits.

That is a major overhaul but leaves us pretty thin at TE (Borkircher covers a bit) and WR. (True freshmen would probably have to play)

I want Jones to stay, but they could clear out the tight end position and I wouldn't miss a single player

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

FOA Merry Christmas, guys. The majority of you make this place fun to follow the Huskers and provide me a nice distraction from boring work breaks so you have my thanks.

1. I really don't think we will see any more transfers unless we are doing something creative with NIL and walk-on spots. We are currently at 92 scholarships and need to purge 7 guys. Add that Cameron Lenhardt is strongly believed to be a part of the High School class then that means even more attrition needed eventually.

2. I like what Rhule has done in his short time to really recruit and attract talent. Although there will always be reaches in transition classes the one thing that has me a little bit skeptical is that we are adding so many track guys it looks a little like.....(gasp)....some of Frost's first recruits at some positions. We were told that we were going with speed, speed, speed and took guys like Demaryion Houston, Miles Jones and Jamie Nance. The only thing those dudes did speedily was transfer out because they didn't belong in the Big 10. I'll put some faith in Rhule being better than Frost but I really don't want to see us make the same mistake.

3. The fact that Rhule did not emphasize JUCO athletes in this transition class tells me that the transfer portal has replaced JUCOs as his primary source of players he believes he needs to add to shake things up in '23. We really do need dudes with mature bodies that JUCO could usually provide but with NIL giving you the ability to attract athletes from power 5 or group of 5 conferences or even one level down then it seems like the JUCO kids are being left behind and will have fewer options with the bigger programs.

I’d say we still have 45-55 players to cut by fall