2019 Current Roster

[dand84]

Since there are a lot of threads on what kinds of players we have, I'd thought it would be nice just to have some numbers. I used https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?path=football, https://www.ourlads.com/ncaa-football-depth-charts/depth-chart/nebraska/91303, and Rivals (for all the recruiting stars and such) to compile my numbers. Of course they could be off, I ain't getting paid for this

Looks like we have 154 total players broken out the following way.

• 78 Freshman, 28 Sophomores, 24 Junior, 24 Seniors
• 64 Walkons (11 are on the 2 deep, 4 are Special Teams), 10 Transfers (5 are on the 2 deep), 9 JUCOs (5 are on the 2 deep)

So 1/2 of our roster is composed of walkons and transferring players and 2/3 of our players are underclassmen.

For the seniors, there are 10 players left that were recruited as 2, 3 or 4 star players. 9 of the 10 are D players and Gaylord is injured for the only O player. 2 of them don't play or limited to Special Teams that I can see: Avery Anderson and Daishon Neal. The rest are on the 2-deep.

For the juniors, there are 13 players left that were recruited as 3 or 4 stars (6 O and 7 D). Most of them contribute to more or less degrees and are all on the 2-deep except Pernell Jefferson.

For the sophomores, there are 13 2, 3 or 4 star players. They guys are all either Redshirt Riley recruits or 2nd year true Sophmores like AM and Mo. All of them are on the 2-deep except Jaylin Bradley and Chris Walker who is injured. The rest play more or less.

For the freshman (both redshirt and true), there are 35 3 and 4 star guys. 7 of them contribute heavily to the 2-deep or are subs. 2 are suspended, 1 in injured (Barret P), and most of the rest are all redshirted (22 or so) or are playing in limited games this year to possibly preserve redshirts (Luke, Quinton Newsome, possibly Rahmir).

In that reshirt pipeline, we have 7 4 stars in the wings playing limited this year. 1 DL, 1 DB, 1 WR, 1 RB, 2 ILB, 1 OL. 1 4-star redshirt Freshman I don't see playing is Tate Wildeman.

For 2020, we currently have 14 verbal commits.

• 4 stars: 1 QB, 1 RB, 1 WR, 1 OL.
• 3 stars: 3 DL, 1 OL, 1 DB, 1 LB, 2 RB, 1 WR
• 2 stars: 1 DB

 

[dand84]

From my perspective, I believe the roster is about as flipped as it is going to get. There really isn't a lot of dead weight left.

 

[TheBeav815]

Since there are a lot of threads on what kinds of players we have, I'd thought it would be nice just to have some numbers. I used https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?path=football, https://www.ourlads.com/ncaa-football-depth-charts/depth-chart/nebraska/91303, and Rivals (for all the recruiting stars and such) to compile my numbers. Of course they could be off, I ain't getting paid for this

Looks like we have 154 total players broken out the following way.

• 78 Freshman, 28 Sophomores, 24 Junior, 24 Seniors
• 64 Walkons (12 are on the 2 deep), 10 Transfers (5 are on the 2 deep), 9 JUCOs (5 are on the 2 deep)

So 1/2 of our roster is composed of walkons and transferring players and 2/3 of our players are underclassmen.

For the seniors, there are 10 players left that were recruited as 2, 3 or 4 star players. 9 of the 10 are D players and Gaylord is injured for the only O player. 2 of them don't play or limited to Special Teams that I can see: Avery Anderson and Daishon Neal. The rest are on the 2-deep.

For the juniors, there are 13 players left that were recruited as 3 or 4 stars (6 O and 7 D). Most of them contribute to more or less degrees and are all on the 2-deep except Pernell Jefferson.

For the sophomores, there are 13 2, 3 or 4 star players. They guys are all either Redshirt Riley recruits or 2nd year true Sophmores like AM and Mo. All of them are on the 2-deep except Jaylin Bradley and Chris Walker who is injured. The rest play more or less.

For the freshman (both redshirt and true), there are 35 3 and 4 star guys. 7 of them contribute heavily to the 2-deep or are subs. 2 are suspended, 1 in injured (Barret P), and most of the rest are all redshirted (22 or so) or are playing in limited games this year to possibly preserve redshirts (Luke, Quinton Newsome, possibly Rahmir).

In that reshirt pipeline, we have 7 4 stars in the wings playing limited this year. 1 DL, 1 DB, 1 WR, 1 RB, 2 ILB, 1 OL. 1 4-star redshirt Freshman I don't see playing is Tate Wildeman.

For 2020, we currently have 14 verbal commits.

• 4 stars: 1 QB, 1 RB, 1 WR, 1 OL.
• 3 stars: 3 DL, 1 OL, 1 DB, 1 LB, 2 RB, 1 WR
• 2 stars: 1 DB

That's 68.9% of you roster being underclassmen. And several of the older guys are JUCOs or GTs they've taken desperate swings on because they need all the help they can get.

The number of sophs contributing heavily is eye-popping. You want some sophs making their way into the 2-deep, but Jesus not that many.

Gaylord being the only non-transfer senior on the offense stands out. Hard to imagine he wouldn't have been playing if he didn't tear an ACL. Hopefully he can come back and contribute next year.

 

[oldjar07]

Our overall roster is always going to be underclassmen heavy because it's this staff's strategy to bring in a bunch of freshman walkon players and see who will stick. It's not an excuse for the performance on the field.

 

[NikkiSixx_rivals269993]

Our overall roster is always going to be underclassmen heavy because it's this staff's strategy to bring in a bunch of freshman walkon players and see who will stick. It's not an excuse for the performance on the field.

agree.. even with just the way it works, you bring in 20 guys, some make it, some don't, and by year 4/5, you have probably lost 40% or more, and this happens each year, with each class.. Jucos & transfers can help, but not in large enough numbers to keep things balanced across classes.

 

[dand84]

It also looks like we have 79 total scholarships according to this:
https://dataomaha.com/documents/husker-scholarship-distribution

How do walk-ons getting scholarships work? I could have swore Mazour and some others got one last year? Looking at my data, I think Hixson is the only walk-on with a scholarship. Do the walk-ons only get year-to-year?

 

[Mack In Motion]

12 walk-ons on the 2 deep?

 

[dand84]

12 walk-ons on the 2 deep?

My numbers also include special teams for PK, P, LS. 5 of the 12. The rest are Kade Warner, Eli Sullivan, Isaiah Stalbird, Wyatt Mazour, Reid Karel, Jo Johnson, Trent Hixson. Some are on the 2-deep but mainly play special teams as well.

 

[WoodRiverJennings]

12 walk-ons on the 2 deep?

No way we can compete against the good teams in the conference with #s like that.

 

[TheBeav815]

I see maybe 2-3 guys who are Jr and Soph that you could "process out" without really noticing their absence to get to around 18 scholarships you're able to give. Even still, not going to be a gigantic class this year.

How does it work with Gaylord getting a medical, does that mean you can't take a kid in this class because he's holding that scholarship?

They can likely get a medical for Deontai Williams, dunno if he has a RS to use or not.

 

[dand84]

I believe Gaylord is also applying for a medical so he can play next year, but yes, he has a scholarship now.

 

[huskernorm]

I keep track of this because it's usually a good barometer of the talent from recruiting. Here are the number of guys we recruited each year rated on rivals as a 5.7 three star (highest 3 star rating, lots of past contributors were rated at this level) or above:

2015: 9
2016: 9
2017: 9
2018: 15 (frost transition class)
2019: 20
2020: 6 so far

The talent level, on paper, is rising. The question will be if Frost can continue to improve recruiting if we don't start seeing on field results.

 

[Mack In Motion]

My numbers also include special teams for PK, P, LS. 5 of the 12. The rest are Kade Warner, Eli Sullivan, Isaiah Stalbird, Wyatt Mazour, Reid Karel, Jo Johnson, Trent Hixson. Some are on the 2-deep but mainly play special teams as well.

Sweet Moses. I like walk ons as much as the next guy but that's got to change.

 

[dand84]

We have no scholarship players at Redshirt Freshman or Sophmore at DT or ILB or Safety except Damion Daniels. In fact, Daniels is the only DT listed on scholarship that is not a senior. Either more GT or JUCOs inbound I'd assume unless they are going to convert some of the DE?

 

[dand84]

Sweet Moses. I like walk ons as much as the next guy but that's got to change.

One often-heard thing I hear around here at work and sometimes on the boards is to get rid of all those non-performers and play more walk-ons that really want it. We already are.

 

[redfanusa]

One often-heard thing I hear is to get rid of all those non-performers and play more walk-ons that really want it. We already are.

Yeah, "The Rudy Argument." Frank Solich and Craig Bohl already tried that. They benched highly-rated guys in favor of 5'7" tall walk-ons who tried really, really hard in practice. Unfortunately, a star on the practice field, and a star on game day, are not always the same thing. Natural talent, and talentless effort, are two very different things. So does the best player play, or does Ms. Congeniality play?

One a coach makes effort in practice the only determining factor, he's painted himself into a corner. Because a star player who just hates practicing is either going to play, causing resentment because of special treatment, or he isn't going to play. Which then takes one of your best players off the field.

 

[Anon1727835823]

I'd be curious to see our average ranking by position group over the last several years. Were several classes made to look better overall by brining in talent at specific spots as opposed to others.

 

[oldjar07]

12 walk-ons on the 2 deep?

Why not use a walk on instead of a true freshman for those backup spots? The walk on will be just as good and it preserves a redshirt.

 

[oldjar07]

No way we can compete against the good teams in the conference with #s like that.

We have scholarship guys but the walk ons are better. What's the point in having a walk on program if you're not going to use them?

 

[WoodRiverJennings]

We have scholarship guys but the walk ons are better. What's the point in having a walk on program if you're not going to use them?

That's kind of the point. Real programs have enough scholly guys that are worth a damn, so there's fewer walkons on the 2 deep (if any at all)

 

[Mack In Motion]

We have scholarship guys but the walk ons are better. What's the point in having a walk on program if you're not going to use them?

There are 64 walk-ons in the program currently.

That's all 22 starters on both sides, 2 deep, plus almost enough for special teams.

The program might be wasting sick $$$$ on recruiting and scholarships.

 

[huskerhooligansdotcom]

Yeah, "The Rudy Argument." Frank Solich and Craig Bohl already tried that. They benched highly-rated guys in favor of 5'7" tall walk-ons who tried really, really hard in practice. Unfortunately, a star on the practice field, and a star on game day, are not always the same thing. Natural talent, and talentless effort, are two very different things. So does the best player play, or does Ms. Congeniality play?

One a coach makes effort in practice the only determining factor, he's painted himself into a corner. Because a star player who just hates practicing is either going to play, causing resentment because of special treatment, or he isn't going to play. Which then takes one of your best players off the field.

Then everyone decided to pass on the best 5'7 football player in the history of the state and he had to go to chadron st (and to the jets, patriots, chargers, ravens)

 

[dinglefritz]

Our overall roster is always going to be underclassmen heavy because it's this staff's strategy to bring in a bunch of freshman walkon players and see who will stick. It's not an excuse for the performance on the field.

The telling thing IMO is that there are so many walk ons in the 2 deep. That's not a recipe for great success normally.

 

[Sporty]

There are not 12 walk-ons in the two deep on offense and defense! This is very misleading!

 

[dand84]

There are not 12 walk-ons in the two deep on offense and defense! This is very misleading!

I've updated the original post. Originally, I didn't distinguish between Special Teams or not, so I've called it out. I also made a mistake with Damien Jackson. These are the players I had on the 2-deep above (using the website I listed up there). I want to make sure I have accurate data but it looks like 7 are on the offense or defense 2-deep.

• Damien Jackson - shouldn't be on the list. Think I had him as LS for some reason.
• Joseph Johnson (ILB) - he is on the 2 deep
• Cade Mueller (LS) - 2 deep
• Chase Urbach (LS) - 2 deep
• Trent Hixson (OL) - 2 deep
• Isaac Armstrong (P) - 2 deep
• Dylan Jorgensen (PK) - injured. I believe he was on the 2-deep at the start of the year
• Wyatt Mazour (RB) - 2 deep
• Isaiah Stalbird (S) - 2 deep
• Eli Sullivan (S) - 2 deep
• Reid Karel (S) - 2 deep
• Kade Warner (WR) - 2 deep (but also injured at times)

 

[oldjar07]

I've updated the original post. Originally, I didn't distinguish between Special Teams or not, so I've called it out. I also made a mistake with Damien Jackson. These are the players I had on the 2-deep above (using the website I listed up there). I want to make sure I have accurate data but it looks like 7 are on the offense or defense 2-deep.

• Damien Jackson - shouldn't be on the list. Think I had him as LS for some reason.
• Joseph Johnson (ILB) - he is on the 2 deep
• Cade Mueller (LS) - 2 deep
• Chase Urbach (LS) - 2 deep
• Trent Hixson (OL) - 2 deep
• Isaac Armstrong (P) - 2 deep
• Dylan Jorgensen (PK) - injured. I believe he was on the 2-deep at the start of the year
• Wyatt Mazour (RB) - 2 deep
• Isaiah Stalbird (S) - 2 deep
• Eli Sullivan (S) - 2 deep
• Reid Karel (S) - 2 deep
• Kade Warner (WR) - 2 deep (but also injured at times)

A few of those guys have earned scholarships so I don't even know why you would count them as walk ons. We've had some injuries that have moved some walk ons into the 2 deep as well as this staff trying to preserve redshirts for what otherwise would be capable freshman players. I honestly have no idea why we're trying to redshirt Rahmir Johnson, we need him right now. Special teams players are usually going to be walk on players. Out of the 7 walk on players on offense or defense, I believe 6 of them have earned scholarships at some point and some of them are only in the 2 deep due to injuries. Doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me.

 

[dand84]

My spreadsheet has how the players come into the program, not just what their current status is. I believe Hixson is the only one on a scholarship right now. Mazour had one last year, but not this year, for example. I don't bother with all that, just how they arrived (recruited, walk-on, JUCO, Transfer, etc). And as I said in the OP, mistakes have probably been made.