The Nebraska football program has been damaged, and it hasn’t been able to recover for a very long time. Nebraska’s last major bowl appearance was in the 2002 Rose Bowl, more than 20 years ago. The program’s last conference championship came in 1999.
As we learn more about the Big Ten programs USC will soon join, Nebraska is a particularly fascinating case study. This was a very proud program which fell on hard times, much like USC at various points over the past 40 years. However, USC has been able to restore itself after years of suffering — formerly under Pete Carroll, now again under Lincoln Riley. Nebraska still hasn’t regained the level of quality it had in the late 1990s and into the first few years of the 21st century.
How will coach Matt Rhule try to change the equation in Lincoln? It has to start with recruiting. We asked Cornhuskers Wire editor Evan Bredeson about Rhule’s recruiting plan. One state (other than Nebraska) stands out:
“Rebuild the pipeline into Texas — and it’s not just because he had success at Baylor,” Bredeson said. “When Nebraska was at its best in that run from 1992 through 2001, that 10-year run when they were competing for the national championship almost every season, they were one of the best recruiters in the state of Texas. They had a direct pipeline into the state. Nebraska has never been able to rebuild that pipeline” since Frank Solich was fired (in 2003) and was replaced by Bill Callahan.
Lincoln Riley has a number of assistant coaches with ties to the state of Texas. Riley is a Texas native himself and someone who played college football at Texas Tech under Mike Leach. It will be fascinating to see if USC and Nebraska get involved in some recruiting battles in Texas in the coming years.
Get more Nebraska news, analysis and opinions at Cornhuskers Wire.
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