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  1. Drew
    January 11, 2010 @ 4:26 pm

    In a lot of ways, Nebraska really is the black hole of the Division I recruiting universe. With only one Div. I school in the state (A or AA), a relatively small population, and a history of kids opting to walk-on at NU rather than accept a scholarship elsewhere, it’s just not the place to be if you want to get a Div. I offer. At a time when schools are under the gun financially, they can more efficiently use their recruiting dollars to mine places like California, Texas and Florida. They obviously don’t see the benefit of trying to find the diamonds in the rough in Nebraska. Sad but true.

    If you look at the state of Oklahoma, the population is roughly twice that of Nebraska. Yet, the number of 2010 kids who have received at least one Division I offer (A or AA), according to Rivals, is 58 compared to just 10 in Nebraska. Now, having three in-state Div. I-A programs certainly helps (OU, OSU, Tulsa). And being located in proximity to Texas also helps, as there are 15 Division I programs (soon to be a 16th with UT-San Antonio and new head coach Larry Coker kicking things off in 2011) that will stray a bit outside the state to fill rosters. They just don’t feel the need to stray all the way up to Nebraska to find talent.

    The schools to the west of Nebraska are fishing in California. The schools to the south are fishing in Texas. And the schools to the east are fishing in either Texas or Florida. There’s just no need for them to look in Nebraska, especially when Nebraska doesn’t even need to offer in-state kids a scholarship to go to Lincoln. Why waste time there? Again, it’s sad…but true.