By Michael O’Neal

Bill Callahan (2004-2007) recruited the following players: Ndamukong Suh, Zach Potter, Phillip Dillard, Zackary Bowman, Maurice Purify, Rickey Thenarse, Prince Amukamara, Jared Crick, Eric Hagg, Roy Helu, Niles Paul. Many of these players were key in Nebraska’s closest Conference Championship; a loss vs Texas 12-13. Many of these players are successful in the NFL. They are not Bo Pelini’s recruits.

Recruiting

Why does Alabama win championships? Why is Nebraska mediocre? Look to recruiting. (I will use rivals.com for my recruiting analysis.) Nebraska wants to be the best. Alabama, as far as I am concerned, has the best football program presently. How do they recruit? Let’s look at their past 6 years. 2009 was their first of 3 National Championships in 4 years. 2009 # 1 recruiting class, 2010 # 5 recruiting class, 2011 # 1 recruiting class, 2012 # 1 recruiting class, 2013 # 1 recruiting class, 2014 #1 recruiting class. Think of it this way, if Alabama was a NFL team, not only do they win the Super Bowl, they also get the first 5 picks in the draft. How does Nebraska compare over the same time frame? 2009 # 28 recruiting class, 2010 # 22 recruiting class, 2011 # 15 recruiting class, 2012 # 25 Recruiting class, 2013 # 17 recruiting class, 2014 # 32 ranked recruiting class. Recruits win championships. Nebraska does not have the recruits to compete on the national stage; regardless of the coach.

Recruiting Class Rank Final Rank Recruiting Class Rank Final Rank 2009 1 1 28 14 2010 5 11 22 19 2011 1 1 15 24 2012 1 1 25 24 2013 1 8 17 25 2014 1 1* (Currently) 32 25* (Currently)

If you look back at the last five national championship teams. You see the same trend.

Recruiting Class Rank 2009 Alabama 2010 Auburn 2011 Alabama 2012 Alabama 2013 FSU Year of Championship 1 4 1 1 10 1 year before 1 19 5 1 6 2 years before 10 20 1 5 2 3 years before 11 7 1 1 10 Average Rank 5.75 12.5 2 2 7

There is not a single recruiting class, in any championship team, in the past 5 years, that is ranked below 20th. Over the past 6 years Nebraska has finished outside the top 20 in recruiting 4 times. We don’t have the athletes to compete nationally.

However, do we have the athletes to compete for a B1G title? Yes! Let’s look at the data.

Recruiting Class 2014 32 22 33 52 59 3 2013 17 40 57 61 53 2 2012 25 41 57 73 43 4 2011 15 31 40 52 30 11 Average 22.25 33.5 46.75 59.5 46.25 5

This is why Bo should be and was fired. While we do not have a nationally competitive team. We should be beating these B1G teams. Not giving up the most rushing yards to a running back in FBS history and losing to Minnesota at home. Our recruits under perform. It is inexcusable to get blown out at # 23 Wisconsin the way we did this year. More examples include: getting blown out a home to #16 UCLA (21-41) last year, blown out (38-63) at #12 Ohio St (2012), blown out at the B1G Championship 31-70 against unranked (7-5) Wisconsin in 2012, blown out at #7 Wisconsin 17-48 (2011), blown out at # 20 Michigan 17-45 (2011).

Side note: Which B1G team has the best shot at the playoff and is undefeated in B1G play over the past 2 years? Ohio State. Look at their recruiting.

Since 2011, when Callahan’s recruits are all but gone, Pelini has gone a combined 4-9 against ranked teams, has zero national championships, zero conference championships, and has yet to put together one nationally competitive season.

Bo is gone. Recruiting is not the only reason for this failure. However, it is an important one.

Unless Nebraska can recruit in the top 10 nationally again, a new coach will not solve our drought of national championships. However, a new coach can give this team a shot to compete for a B1G title each year. We have the recruits for that.

(All data for recruiting comes from Rivals)