OMAHA — So many kids who grow up in this state do so in Husker-clad families.
You know the type. Odds are, you just might be part of one yourself.
Red everything. The Nebraska "N" splashed on hats and jackets, embroidered on pillows and blankets, painted on walls and driveways. Memorabilia on display in the basement or at the office. Encyclopedic knowledge of players, moments, glory and, well, non-glory. Appointment viewing at Memorial Stadium or on the big screen.
For kids who grow up in families like that and happen to have a whole lot of talent on the football field, it can make deciding where to attend college quite easy.
Especially now, with Scott Frost in charge and about 20 in-state walk-ons already in the fold for the 2018 class. It’s clear this new coaching staff is putting on the full-court press.
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If you’re from Nebraska and you can play ball, you play ball at Nebraska.
That makes the brewing two-headed recruiting battle at Omaha Burke all the more interesting.
Neither of the Bulldogs’ four-star prospects — linebacker Nick Henrich and tight end/outside linebacker Chris Hickman — has the Huskers in his blood like so many in-state prospects do.
“It is a little different, but I think it helps them have this open-mindedness toward other schools because there’s not a lot of allegiance,†said Burke head coach Paul Limongi, himself a Youngstown, Ohio, native. “They respect Nebraska and know what they’re about, but it’s not as overwhelming as I’m guessing it is with other players that have gone to games since they were 5 years old and their parents are die-hard crazies.â€
Henrich’s dad played tennis at Iowa and grew up in that state, while his mom is a Minnesota native who attended Iowa State. Hickman moved from Austin, Texas, with his mom when he was an infant, and has always had something of an affinity for the Longhorns.
But it’s important to keep one thing clear: Even if both were dyed-in-the-wool Husker fans, teams across the country would still be flocking to Omaha, trekking out Dodge Street and getting comfortable on the couch in Limongi’s small office flanking the Bulldogs’ basement weight room.
“I’ve been coaching a long time as a head coach and an assistant, and I’ve never been anywhere that had the caliber of players and the potential of what they can become at the next level as these two,†the veteran Burke coach said. “It’s been something that’s truly been unique and special.â€
Both have most of the Big Ten West in pursuit. Hickman has an offer from Ole Miss. Henrich has drawn offers from some of the biggest names in the sport, including Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas A&M and Florida. The Aggies and Gators offered this month before they even had time to get to the school to see the 6-foot-4 linebacker in person.
“It’s just really a big honor to be able to get talked to by some of these amazing, prestigious schools,†he said. “Everybody’s been really nice and really cool about it.â€
That’s what happens when you put together the kind of career that Henrich has. He was a first-team All-Super State selection by the Journal Star this fall after racking up 119 tackles (31 for loss) and 11 sacks as a junior. He’s ranked the No. 71 overall prospect by 247Sports, while Hickman is No. 115.
“It’s really cool, obviously, to be thought of that high, but at the end of the day it doesn’t help you on the football field at all,†Henrich said. “You can’t really think about that and just walk around like you’re all that and a bag of chips.â€
Added Hickman, “As you saw this year, (Burke) came out in the preseason rankings No. 1, and we didn’t really get there. Rankings, you still have to work for your spot. You can’t just have the ranking and just give up and think you don’t have to work hard. You have to go prove it yourself.â€
Typically, when these types of players grow up in-state, NU tries to lock them down early. Tight end Cameron Jurgens was committed for more than 2½ years before he signed his National Letter of Intent in December. In the 2019 class, York athlete Garrett Snodgrass verbally committed the day before Mike Riley was fired and seemingly hasn’t wavered since, while Scottsbluff’s Garrett Nelson verbally committed in June, 18 months before he can sign an NLI.
Not so fast for the Burke pair.
None of this means NU can’t or won’t land one or both. It just means that the process will be different. Needless to say, Husker coaches are making Burke a priority. Inside linebackers coach Barrett Ruud stopped by the school every week of the January open period. Both standouts have a favorable early impression of Frost.
“He’s like old-school football but he has kind of a new-school attitude about everything,†Hickman said. “He’s just hyper and ready to go get after everything.â€
Even if NU doesn’t have family history or lifelong fandom in its corner here, it does have proximity and already a track record of winning recruiting battles.
That’s exactly what it will be for Henrich and Hickman both. A battle.
“They’ve been very mature about the whole situation,†Limongi said. “They take each visit for what it’s worth and they’re looking at it as a learning experience about what’s out there for them.Â
“It’s hard to even tell what schools are favored at this point because they’re really good about treating everybody the same and really looking at the pros and cons and not coming up with a decision until a couple of months from now, until they’ve made some official visits and been to some places.â€