Cross Adds Depth at Running Back

Welcome to N Mr cross!

It looks like this class is coming together nicely for those who were worried about our recruiting. Last two updated rankings have us at 30. And with a few guys left we should only go up from there!

Go big red!

I don’t think it really had anything to do with Okafor or Ward leaving.  Neither were really contributing anyway, and I had read about Cross’ recruiting for awhile.  We need a big back.  We have Morrow, but I think he’s a Jr.  So this is proactive recruiting, which I am glad to see.  The recruiting pitch to the public all season has been, we’ve only got a few spots, we’re going after the one’s we want.  Of course they won’t get 100% of the top of list, but the approach does seem to be paying off.

Ballfield78

I agree with you that I think the coaching staff wanted a big back all along but I think they had more pressing needs. Those two guys opened up more scholarships which probably made it easier to justify adding another player regardless of position. And apparently the y really like this back

This is great news.  I can’t remember the last time we saw big backs at Nebraska.  So excited to see this change of pace.  Can you imagine the diamond formation with burkhead morrow and one of our little speedy guys? Three completely different backs that can all make things happen in different ways!  Congrats Mr.cross welcome to the greatest school in the land.

GBR

Looks like a good get and likely an area of need down the road.  Meanwhile, Patrick Witt is blowing up on the national news media front…

I was hoping we’d land Imani Cross because we need bigger backs for the Big10, but doesn’t it take up another spot with signing day still ahead? We only have so many spots I’m thinking, and from what I’ve heard we only have 15 or 16, so aren’t we about full? I’m glad he’s here, and welcome Imani, but we seem to be filling whatever spots with have left with 3 star guys instead of the 4 star guys we’re really after. Anybody else feel this way?
Also, how does everybody feel about the three smaller guys we recruited last year for the Big 12 - Heard, Green, and of course Ameer. Only Ameer seemed to be able to do anything…does their smaller size make them irrelevant in the Big10?

PE - The trio from last year are all still learning. Heard and Green are both coming along and Ameer is just a great athlete but still hit the wall mid way through the season. I expect we will see all three get more time this year. Word is Cross has A LOT to learn as he was so much bigger than most he primarily just went off tackle. Im betting red shirt to give him a year to really develop since Morrow is going to be able to help right away. And don’t get too caught up in all the 2/3/4 star hoopla. Not much difference between a mid 3 to 4. If they are gamers and want to hustle, sign em up. GBR!

PE

The 15 or 16 recruit maximum was kind of the thought before.. Now we should easily be able to get 18-19 with the possibility of a few more.. Lester Ward and Collins Okafor opened up scholarships after the graduate and decided to prepare for their futures( Congrats to them) .JT Kerr also left and opened up a scholie, as well as one or two more defections from the previous seasons team../you also have the scholarship they were keeping open for Charles Jackson.. ( Sounds like hes still going to have to go juco route)  I wouldnt be suprised to see us at the 19 mark maybe 20 before its all said and done.. That would leave at minimum 4 or 5 spots..

PE:  We do need a bigger FB like Cross but we also need to have a lot of speed on both O and D.  We need that speed to be able to keep up with Michigan, Ohio State, etc, without that speed it would hurt us during the season.  I don’t think that our 3 freshman RB’s will be irrelevant in the B1G but will only add a new dimension for our
OC to use.

I’ll be happy when all this recruiting madness is over with.

Jersey Husker I kinda disagree with you about not getting caught up in the 2,3, or 4 star thing…you want as high a score and as high a star ranking as possible with players you recruit…it’s playing the odds. The odds are that a team with an average of, lets say a 92 score players will beat a team with an average of players that have 82 scores every time if the turnover margin is roughly the same. But then again, you can never count out the diamonds in the rough either…
Isn’t it funny that some of the schools that always have huge recruiting classes…in star ranking and overall numbers, that it doesn’t always equate out to top ranked teams. Take Florida, Florida State and Miami for example. They’re not playing for NC’s, either is Texas. Maybe Jersey Husker is right. That actually lends credibility to the theory of trying to find the guys that want to play for YOUR school. Michael Rose types.
Where did you hear the Cross has a LOT to learn? He’s really not that big btw…only 10 lbs bigger than Burkhead. Still though, you can’t have too many running backs. Can’t wait to see what he can do. It’s funny, you never know what a guy is going to be able to do until he’s in an actual game. You never know what’s inside a guy until he has a chance to show up on the field or not. He may not either. Can’t predict future performance I guess. That’s why recruiting is so hard and such an inexact science…lots of guys get looked over that end up having great careers in college and the NFL. Walter Payton didn’t get that highly recruited out of high school I was just reading. That’s the fun of college football I guess…seeing who “has it” and who doesn’t and who steps up and who tries but just can’t. Who would have thought that a guy by the name of Lavonte David would be so huge? Wasn’t Suh a 3 star coming out of high school or was he a 4 star highly recruited guy?
Oh, and I also read somewhere that Quanzell Lambert might be looking at us again too! There is a chance we could end getting him as well as Devon Fuller (who announces tomorrow btw)...wouldn’t that be something! Fuller, Lambert, and Peat! Wow. That would shape up this class just a bit wouldn’t it! He went to Rutgers over us because it was close to home…a New Jersey guy. Now with the coach moving on to the NFL, who knows? You hear anything about that Jersey Husker?
I have a feeling we’re going to be very happy next Wednesday. It might be hopeful thinking on my part, but I think something big happens. If Peat announces he’s a Nebraska guy, the whole state will be on fire! Lets hope so, for the future of Big Red Football! When does that damn season start!!!

Along comes another good IB prospect, to add to future competition.
Interesting times, for the 3 frosh who backed up Burkhead. I’ve read they get along great. Which is good, because two are always going to see one play, instead of themselves. They have a mentor in perspective, in Ron Brown. They’ll also see their time quickly fall through the hour glass, the two (or more) who never establish themselves as a game to game starter.
I’d always thought at least one, would trransfer out. Spring practice will tell the tale. Not that we’ll know the inside story. Which, we don’t have to know anyway, just observe the spring exhibition.
Not that Cross is higher rated then the 3 frosh were, coming in. But he’s substantially heavier, so he won’t have to bulk up, just strengthen up athletically.
Oh, and there’s that issue of learning pass pro, which alone, can keep a back on the sidelines.

It’s interesting…Green was a 5 star, Heard was a 4 star, and Ameer Abduhla was a 3 star…and look who contributed more. The 3 star.
It’s going to be interesting how they use these guys this season. I hope they give them all a lot of playing time…that’s what they need right now is game experience. I still think they’ve got 3 great backs there and I hope we get to see some shake and bake buy those guys this year. We’ve done it in the past, albeit under different coaching staffs. It would be nice to have a 3 headed, or 4 or 5 headed monster going into this year. We’ve got the talent, now it’s just a matter of the coaching staff focusing on getting schemes that lets them shine.
Devon Fuller announced today he is going to UCLA btw.

The Devin Fuller thing wasnt a real big surprise. IT was that he went to UCLA ( Rutgers all the way until the departed coach)  but not necessarily the huskers.. I wish him the best of luck.. WE got one great scholarship QB in Tommy Armstrong, and also brought inthe Fyke kid as a walk-on.. that should help with depth until next year.. Also hopefully Alonzo Moore will still come to NU.. Hes a player alot like Jamal Turner, could play a lot of different positions.. The big need here is a DT or two , and an OT that can push for playing time.. We also need to try and add that extra DB or two yet as well.. Corey Thompson would be a huge steal if we could get him away from AM and LSU.. Shelton or Ford would also be huge gets. Heres to last three days !! GO BIG RED!!

I agree…I think it is most important to bolster the O line, the D line, and the DB’s. That’s where the greatest needs are in my opinion. We need to dominate on teh lines…so many things hinge off that. They did a real good job of lining up linebackers and filling those holes with what looks like some real studs, and at least one what seems like real good linemen, but Peat would be the icing on the cake to this recruiting class. Remember, we brought in 4, 4 star offensive linemen last year so their building it. I do hope Valentime and Curry come too. We need them. What position does Alonzo Moore play? What did you mean “will still come to NU”...was he supposed to? I thought he was deciding between us and Miss. State? I have seen film on Tommy Armstrong and the dude can flat out play. So can Westerkamp, so we might be looking really good on offense this season and beyond. These next 3 days are going to be killer. I still think we get really good news come Wednesday. But you never know with these kids.

Just read on another blog that Abdullah is moving to corner.

HuskerFan4life

I cant imagine our best backup moving positions but if thats as big as a concern as that were probably in trouble.. Abdullah is a great back but would be a small corner.. As long as hes back to return Im game though..

What blog did you read that on and what kind of credibility does it have? Was it a fan or someone that would actually know?

I cant believe theres much to that , or that they would even talk about that until spring training if they were… Im sure its some one that was upset with his fumble in the bowl game that said that..

Posted by: TheNUorder on January 29, 2012 5:55PM CST
For those predicting that last year would be Braylon Heard’s last year as a running back for Nebraska, you might have nailed it.

He told friends in Lincoln today that he is go to be playing CB next year and is really excited about it.

Hopes to start. Good for him.

Who knows…copied this post for LJS.

Well there goes my credibility….I was reading one thing and thinking something else.  Thanks for making me re check, I apologize.

Ht: 5-10 Wt: 180 40: 4.45
Position:    CB, RB
Year:    Class of 2010
High School:    Cardinal Mooney HS
(Youngstown, OH)
College:    Nebraska

Since he played CB at CM, should be a more natural switch.

To me Braylon Heard going to CB seems more plausable.. Do I think he could still be a great back , yes but he was probably number 3 in the running back rotation last year between the freshman.. Makes a lot more sense then the guy that was number two on the depth chart.. Either way hes an athlete and I could see that position change working out for him,, GBR , and thanks for the info..

PE - I heard it through a family member who works on campus. Coaches love Cross for his size and power. He’s pretty fast but because he is so big he mostly ran off tackle, very very rarely did he catch the ball out of the backfield. Very important in the Huskers O. And I still don’t buy much into the star rankings. I just meant there is really not much difference between 3/4 star players. 1/5 star yes but most at this level are 3/4 star and need development. We’ve seen our share of super stud 5 stars who just don’t pan out and some 2/3 star walk ons who do very well. WINNING breeds WINNING! Good Lord I wish it were spring!! But waiting till Wednesday will have to do for now. GBR.