Gym Cracks By Jim February 9, 2003 RATINGS AND RECRUITING NU plummets in basketball computer ratings; NU football recruits get mixed marks By Jim (Babe) Berryman MissingNebraska.com Western Nebraska I don't know if many basketball fans follow the Sagarin college men's basketball ratings. I have heard these ratings discussed a time or two by a couple basketball fanatics I know. In the most recent ratings, the Huskers are rated 137th. The other eleven Big 12 teams are rated ahead of the Huskers. The Big 12 has four teams rated in the top 20--Texas (8), Kansas (11), Oklahoma State (12), and Oklahoma (17). With Missouri at (25), and Texas Tech (32), the top half of the conference is very competitive. Nebraska trails such teams as Valparaiso, Appalachian State, Drexel, Stephen F. Austin, Belmont, and Fairfield. Can you name the states where the above-mentioned schools are located? When Coach Collier arrived in Lincoln, he indicated he would open communications with the high school coaches throughout the state. It was well known that Danny Nee was anathema to many high school coaches in Nebraska. At least one of Nee's teams did not have a scholarship player from a Nebraska high school. The Huskers do have several Nebraska high school players on basketball scholarships this year. It appears Collier will have to depend more on out-state talent to turn the Husker basketball program around. -- Now to Husker football! The reports I have heard from eastern Nebraska media have been optimistic in regard to the football recruits Coach Solich and his staff have signed. USA TODAY may disagree to some extent. The lead-in to this article states, "Recruiting analysts Tom Lemming and Allen Wallace say Miami scored big, while Nebraska and Florida State were among the day's disappointments. Others, such as Alabama, UCLA and Michigan State, were hampered by coaching changes." The paper posed this question to the two analysts. "Nebraska had its worst season in four decades, finishing 7-7 and out of the rankings. A coaching staff shake-up followed the season, although head coach Franch Solich was retained." Lemming: "I have them 24th in the country, so it's not too bad. There's no real prime-time players, but some solid athletes. The new (coaches) hit the ground running." Wallace: "They got (linebacker) Bo Ruud, (defensive tackle) Brandon Teamer and (offensive lineman) Ryan Schuler. They're also strong junior college wise with guys like (running back) Antwon Guidry. In a lot of respects this is a typical Nebraska class. It's not so much elite, top-50 guys, but they're still fourth in the Big 12 behind Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Texas. This same newspaper publishes a SuperPrep Elite 100. Nebraska wasn't able to recruit one of the 100 players listed. Southern California was able to "ink" nine of these athletes. LSU (8) and Michigan (7) were close behind the Trojans. Florida and Notre Dame each recruited six of these athletes. Thirteen of the Elite 100 plan on playing football in the Big 12. Oklahoma leads the pack with four recruits (9-75-77-98). Two Texas school, Texas A&M and Texas signed three each. Oklahoma State had two Elite 100 sign and Missouri one. Recruiting analysts don't play the game. The real winners will be determined on football fields throughout the nation again this fall. Feedback Previous Gym Cracks: 01-31-03: Hoops Elite Gym Cracks By Jim 01-24-03: Nebraska's Super Connection Gym Cracks By Jim 01-15-03: Hometown Hits Big Time Gym Cracks By Jim 12-30-02: Count The Numbers Gym Cracks By Jim 12-18-02: Cream Of Coaching Crop Gym Cracks By Jim 11-28-02: The Big Picture Gym Cracks By Jim 11-18-02: 2 For 2 Gym Cracks By Jim 10-25-02: Sweet On Switzer Gym Cracks By Jim 10-17-02: Best Time Year Gym Cracks By Jim 10-11-02: Odds And Ends Gym Cracks By Jim 10-04-02: The Rating Game Gym Cracks By Jim 09-22-02: Fans Panned Gym Cracks By Jim 09-12-02: World Herald Calling Gym Cracks 09-05-02: Bit By Baseball Bug Gym Cracks 08-29-02: Caring Coaches Gym Cracks 08-22-02: Nebraska "Storm" Hits Colorado Gym Cracks 08-15-02: Cubs Win, Wallet Drained Gym Cracks 08-08-02: To Coors For Cubs Gym Cracks 07-25-02: Major League Madness Gym Cracks 07-18-02: Nebraskans In The Majors Gym Cracks 07-11-02: Kile Death Sheds Light Gym Cracks 07-04-02: Couch Potato Parking Gym Cracks 06-23-02: Top 10 Nebraska High School Nicknames Gym Cracks 06-06-02: Better In The 50s Gym Cracks 05-30-02: Dangerfield of Nebraska Gym Cracks 05-16-02: Baseball Sneak Aways Gym Cracks