Accelerated recruiting trends don't worry Husker coaches

Tim Beck has a problem.

The Nebraska running backs coach is in charge of recruiting in the state of Texas, one of the team's most vital sources for talent.

And these days, the state's high school prospects are committing to colleges faster than they're picking out their first prom tuxedos.

"I recruit Texas and that state has sped up in recruiting so fast it's not even funny," Beck said. "It compares like no other."

High school juniors in the state are making their college selections as early as February and at a baffling rate.

The University of Texas has already picked up 21 committed players for its 2010 recruiting class, and each player hails from the Lone State.

Texas A&M has 16 commits and all but three of them are from Texas. Oklahoma and Texas Tech both have seven, and 12 of the 14 are from the same state.

"I know just in my area alone that I recruit in Texas, I've got like 35 guys committed already, and in the whole state of California there's nine," Beck said.

NU has already received verbal commitments from three players for its 2010 class, but due to NCAA regulations for spring recruiting, Beck has had a difficult time getting Texans to make a trip to Lincoln.

Coaches are only allowed to send letters and e-mails to recruits, and can speak to them over they phone if the recruit calls.

"The hardest thing right now I'm finding is, you're trying to recruit guys with limitations," Beck said. "I can't call them, I can't see them, I can't talk to them face-to-face. And yet, they're going on campus to these other schools. It's unfair, from my eyes, but it's the rules."

Three commitments isn't necessarily a low number at this point in the recruiting process. The average number of current commits for the schools that finished in the top 10 in Rivals.com's recruiting rankings last year is four, if Texas is excluded.

NU currently has 14 Texans on its roster and will add seven more this fall from its incoming freshman class. Texas was the largest out-of-state talent provider for the Huskers' 2008 squad with 17 representatives.

As recruiting coordinator and receivers coach Ted Gilmore put it, "It would be nice if we had that much talent in our backyard, but we don't."

But because Texas, A&M, Tech, Houston, TCU, SMU and Baylor are all short drive for high schoolers in the state, Beck said it's becoming more difficult to convince Texans to fly into Lincoln for a visit.

"To compete with Oklahoma and Texas when kids are driving three hours either way to go watch two practices on a weekend, and all I can do is write them a letter? That's hard," Beck said.

Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said he isn't worried about the trend and that it should be more of an expectation.

"Recruiting is a long haul," Watson said. "You've got to look at Texas as one of the hotbeds of recruiting, so they better be doing what they're doing. If they don't, other folks like us and Oklahoma are going to come down and try and recruit their guys."

"Texas is a great program and that's just part of what they're able to do because of where they're at. But there are a lot of really good football players out there. A lot," Watson said.

Linebackers coach Mike Ekeler was a little more blunt when asked about Texas' spring success.

"I really don't care, that's fine," Ekeler said. "We'll get the guys we need."

Ekeler agreed that the trend may require coaches to make strategic adjustments, but he isn't concerned.

"No question, the whole process is speeding up and it's going quicker," Ekeler said. "With that being said, I don't think there's any panic for us. We want to recruit every Saturday we take the field and get this thing back cranked up. Kids want to play for a winner, and that's our goal."

There are benefits of making an early decision. In most cases, recruits can have an easier time focusing on senior year of school and their final high school season without the distraction of coaches constantly calling to make their pitches.

Coaches are traditionally expected to back off a committed recruit, but Beck thinks that expectation is less and less prevalent.

"Last year I noticed in the (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area) there were a lot of guys who de-committed," Beck said. "In the past there's always been enough players that you try not to do that – once a kid committed, you just went on your way and found another one. You're starting to find that last year a lot of guys de-committed, even from schools like Oklahoma and Texas."

Many players who commit early continue to listen to offers from other schools. Ekeler said for many recruits, choosing a school early helps build leverage for more interest and scholarship offers.

"Kids play the game, too," Ekeler said. "Some kids will commit early and then will call you up. They're maybe kids you haven't offered yet and they call you up and say ‘Coach, I want to let you know, I still love the Huskers.'"

Cornerback Anterio Sloan, who is currently committed to NU's 2010 class, may be one of those recruits playing the game.

"We will see what happens down the line," Sloan told Rivals.com on April 20. "Right now, I am solid to Nebraska."

That's fine with Ekeler. As he sees it, there's nothing to worry about so long as the program continues to improve and garner more national attention.

"You win, and it takes care of itself," he said. "That's our attitude."

maxolson@dailynebraskan.com