Huskers TV Schedule Plays Huge Role in 2008

Bo Pelini should be hoping for ABC/ESPN to pick up the Virginia Tech at Nebraska game as soon as possible. The exposure will be an immediate boon to his recruiting efforts for next year.

Whatever may be said about the coaching staff’s abilities at this point, nothing helps recruits make decisions more than seeing the boys in red as much as possible. Win or lose, our spotlight time needs to show Nebraska in the most positive light possible.

Unfortunately for Husker fans, I think 2008 will be the year of laying low. Our exposure will be limited if we lose half of our first six games. We would fade into national obscurity if we continue the “perceived” tumble that Callahan started.  I don’t foresee losing continuing into 2009, but the national media will “perceive” a spiraling program as a non-story.  This is exactly why we need a strong start out of the gate. No Ball State/Appalachian State type mishaps can occur.

It may be amazing to think about, but just winning one more game to go 4-2 in the first six may be the difference in luring the type of recruits needed to fight for more than just a North Division Championship.

In this digital world we live in, typing college teams names into a favorite search engine may be how most fans, players, recruits get their information. Colleges may have to be worried about their search engine placement as much as how long they are on ESPN!

Since it’s been 10 years since I was trying to decide which college to go to, I can’t tell you how much things have changed. I can say that I have family members and friends who have gone through the process in this last year.  If a person wants to go to Nebraska, no amount of exposure for Kansas and Missouri or against Nebraska will change that. Tradition still has a little pull for those who have got Huskers on the brain.

The goal, however, is to maintain enough pull so that the tradition does not fade, but instead can grow back to glory days. Everything is a cycle in this world—Pelini and company should make sure that we swing back up in the right direction as soon as possible.