Recruiting analyst: Nebraska football’s aggressive ‘new approach’ is making ‘noticeable difference’ | Football

At this time last year, Nebraska football had half the commits for 2022 recruiting class as it does now for the 2023 cycle. The 2023 class — and 2023 coaching staff — holds a touchdown lead.

Recruiting analysts have taken notice.

“Last year they fell off a little — going from top 25 classes to No. 41 with us last year, and that’s not exactly what you’re looking for in a year that could determine a lot,” said Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Clint Cosgrove. “It all starts with the players, and this new approach — and the guys they’ve hired to go out and get after it on the road — is definitely paying dividends. There’s a noticeable difference.”

The approach, Cosgrove said, is fueled by new assistant coaches like Mickey Joseph and Bill Busch, and new senior director of player personnel Vince Guinta, who was once roommates with Cosgrove — the son of former Husker defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove — at Nebraska. Guinta overhauled Nebraska’s recruiting operation, helped put together a robust official visit schedule in May and June, and generally organized visits in a way that one parent, who’d seen the before and after versions, applauded.

“He’s process-oriented, he’s got a vision, and while he doesn’t call all the shots, Vince does a great job of his points across to where people can get on board and implement them,” Cosgrove said. “Organizationally, he puts a lot of structure in place. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of his staff and he plays off of those.

“He has a unique ability to connect with a wide range of people, and he makes people around him feel important.”

A definite strength, at the midway point of the 2023 cycle, is Joseph, who has landed three receivers — Jaidyn Doss, Barry Jackson and Omarion Miller — while putting NU in prime position for the top-rated prospect in the state, Malachi Coleman. Miller — a consensus Top 100 prospect — is only in Nebraska’s class because Joseph is the Huskers’ receivers coach.

Busch, the special teams coordinator, has helped Nebraska better engage recruits in Kansas City. New running backs coach Bryan Applewhite hasn’t yet landed a back for this class, but he got Ajay Allen away from TCU in the 2022 class and played a role in helping Nebraska pull Riley Van Poppel and Dylan Rogers out of Texas.

For Van Poppel, Nebraska beat Michigan, Arkansas and others. For Rogers, Colorado, Houston and Texas were in the mix. Elkhorn South edge rusher Maverick Noonan had strong ties to NU, but he still picked the Huskers over a hard push from Stanford, Iowa, Minnesota and more.

“Every move they made, everything that they showed us, every visit we had was spot on,” said Danny Noonan, Maverick’s dad. “And I didn’t say anything to Maverick.”

Cosgrove lauded Nebraska’s “aggressive” mindset. A willingness to take big swings for four and five-star prospects. NU hasn’t always won — Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North offensive tackle Cayden Green picked Oklahoma on Friday — but the Huskers haven’t shied away.

Miller, Cosgrove said, is the best example. Nebraska beat out LSU, Arkansas and more for Miller.

“Physically, he’s ready right now,” Cosgrove said. “I think he can bring a different dimension — a combination of size and speed. He can be a dominant player in the Big Ten.”

A midpoint look at NU’s recruiting class thus far — the hits, the misses, the needs still remaining.

247Sports Composite: 32^nd nationally/8^th in the Big Ten

QB: 1 (William “Pop” Watson)

WR: 3 (Doss, Jackson, Miller)

OL: 3 (Gunnar Gottula, Sam Sledge, Brock Knutson)

LB: 2 (Hayden Moore, Dylan Rogers)

Nebraska: 5 (Brahmer, Gottula, Sledge, Knutson, Noonan)

Texas: 2 (Van Poppel, Rogers)

Massachusetts: 1 (Watson)

Running back Dylan Edwards: Kansas State 

Cornerback Kayin Lee: Ohio State

Cornerback Tay’Shawn Wilson: Baylor

Running back Dontavius Braswell: South Carolina

Middle linebacker Phil Picciotti: Oklahoma

Edge rusher Teitum Tuioti: Oregon

Interior offensive lineman Amir Herring: Michigan

Offensive tackle Cayden Green: Oklahoma

Nebraska didn’t seem to be serious contenders for either of the two corners, but made a strong push for Green, Herring, Picciotti and Tuioti, who likely would have picked NU if his dad, Tony, remained the defensive line coach at Nebraska instead of Oregon.

Braswell, from Georgia, ultimately chose to stay in SEC country, while Edwards, the best player in Kansas last season, could have a big career at Kansas State — similar to Deuce Vaughn or even Darren Sproles.

In addition to this list, in-state prospects Kade McIntyre (Oklahoma) and Zane Flores (Oklahoma State) chose other schools after being lightly recruited by the Huskers.

More defensive linemen and edge rushers: In the Big Ten, a team clearly can’t have enough strong, fast, physical men in the front seven. Two official visiting edge rushers — Ashley Williams of Zachary (La.) and IMG Academy’s Cameron Lenhardt — have NU high on their lists, and the Huskers will likely get Brooklyn Canarsie edge rusher Dillan Fontus on an eventual official visit. Neville (La.) defensive end Matthew Fobbs-White competed in the Pipeline camp and has offers to schools like Baylor and Memphis, but NU didn’t extend a scholarship. Two Kansas City-area four-star defensive linemen to watch are North Kansas City’s Edric Hill and Adepoju Adebawore. Iowa Western’s Anterio Thompson holds a Husker offer, as well.

Another offensive tackle: Knutson is one tackle; Gunnar Gottula and Sam Sledge project to the interior line. NU has hosted Neville four-star Zalance Heard — seems like a LSU lean — and massive Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes standout Bo Hughley, who is committed to Georgia but visited NU twice in the span of two months. Jr Sia, out of Herriman (Utah) Mountain Ridge High School, visited June 10 and would likely pick the Huskers if the spot is there for him. Nebraska may want to see if it can attract more visit interest from four stars Spencer Fano or Logan Reichert, the latter of whom plays at Raytown (Mo.) High School.   

Defensive back: The Huskers have one in Bootle and would likely take two or three more if they’re a good fit. New Orleans Edna Karr’s Ryan Robinson — who visited on June 17 — remains a priority target, and Nebraska is by far the best scholarship offer for Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Washington safety Watts McBride, but it may not be committable. NU has had success in the junior college and transfer portal ranks finding defensive backs, but the best DBs under Travis Fisher (Cam Taylor-Britt, Quinton Newsome) have been high school signees.

Running back: NU has seven scholarship backs on its roster now and doesn’t need to add one, but the school is likely to lose two or three after the season. Braswell and Edwards passed and a third, Arlington (Texas) Martin’s Sergio Snider, canceled an official visit. Snider has a

One more receiver: Lincoln East’s Malachi Coleman. Nebraska wants him in the 2023 class, and Coleman himself admitted in a June coffee shop press conference that the Huskers knocked his official visit “out of the park.”

“They showed love like no other,” Coleman said. “It’s an official and they’re still over here trying to make me feel like I’m special, and I love that. They said I’m their No. 1 guy, and they definitely showed that.”

The 6-foot-5, 180-pounder has considerable upside, and would be a strong complement to the three pass-catchers already in the class.

“He’s the key piece to all of this,” Cosgrove said of Coleman, the No. 54 player in the nation according to Rivals. “You get him, and this class is automatically a success.”