Bo Pelini's "Moneyball" Recruiting Gamble

Earlier today, we linked up to an article in the World-Herald detailing the Huskers' new recruiting strategy of giving preference to recruiting athletes from traditionally strong high school programs.

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The theory goes like this: Players from dominant high school programs understand the work necessary during the season and offseason to ease the transition to college. In addition, the Huskers hope the winning ways of their recruits will infect the hallways and meeting rooms at Memorial Stadium.

“The thing you know you’re going to get with these kids is that they’re going to have great work ethic, character, probably good grades, and a lot of them will be able to handle the grind—what it means to be a college football player,” said Jaydon McCullough, coach at Plano (Texas) High School.

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The fact that the Huskers have a coordinated recruiting strategy and are accounting for character in their player evaluations is a relief after the Callahan "Tom Lemming propped-up, JuCo-loving, five-star recruit-chasing" recruiting classes where many of the major recruits never even became contributors.

Think about this: If Bo Pelini has more success in finding players who might be slightly less talented but stick it out all four or five years, the Huskers will already be a better team. That’s also why the walk-on program is so key for depth building.

This also ensures there are many players who have not been coddled and have had to face stiff competition not only in games, but in practices.

It also helps with players in clutch situations. No doubt, the Huskers have fallen short on the "clutch" scale in the last few years, but having players who have already played in big games and state championship games in Texas, Florida, and California helps the Huskers deal with pressures of college football.