Mitch Sherman

Flipping Suh, getting Lucky, snubbing Sanchez: Tales from Nebraska’s banner 2005 recruiting class Two decades ago, Bill Callahan assembled a star-studded recruiting class that included 15 future starters and 14 future pros.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/620...

But interviews with Suh, Taylor and many others shed light on a fascinating time at Nebraska, uncovering stories untold, long forgotten and viewed in a new light after two decades of checkered history.

How the group came together, though, is a story unto itself. At the center was the late John Blake, a remarkable recruiter — and, of course, Callahan, who has never talked publicly about his time in Lincoln. He declined for this project.

And it was supposed to represent the new way of business for Nebraska football. Perhaps that 2005 recruiting class did — high on hyperbole, drama and individual talent while falling short of expectations set by the state and the program.

A recruiting analyst who took a liking 25 years earlier to Bill Callahan rated the group No. 1 nationally, unprecedented for Nebraska — even during its dominant run in the 1990s. By consensus, it was a top-five class.

Taylor was an afterthought in the 2005 class. It was filled with blue chips like Marlon Lucky, some like Matt Slauson who traveled unorthodox paths, and unpredictable characters like Harrison Beck.

I’ve been thinking about this project since Ndamukong Suh and Zac Taylor first distinguished themselves in the NFL.

Finally decided to tackle it on the 20-year anniversary of the winter and spring that Taylor walked in and took the Nebraska QB job out of junior college.

Georgia’s Carson Beck to enter transfer portal: Source Beck previously announced he would enter the 2025 NFL Draft on Dec. 28.

Story on Carson Beck changing his mind and deciding to enter the transfer portal, from @brucefeldmancfb.bsky.social and me:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/605...

Turning off the TV until the selection show. This conversation is annoying. SMU should be in over Alabama. And it’s not a difficult decision.

- The sport is so different from when Frost had success as a head coach. Like any coach, he will need good people around him to manage NIL and the portal.

- One thing remains that bodes well for him: His access to skilled talent at UCF. And the Big 12 is wide open. He could make it work.

- Will be fascinating to see if he can just revert to the coach who left Orlando in 2017 -- and equally interesting to see if there's anyone on his next staff with connections to the old staffs. Many bridges were burned…

A couple thoughts on Scott Frost's return to college football:

- His time at Nebraska failed in part for reasons that don't exist UCF: The pressures and influences of coaching at home for his alma mater…

BREAKING: Former Nebraska and UCF head coach Scott Frost is being targeted for UCF head coaching job, per sources. The Orlando Sentinel first reported that Frost is expected to the guy there again.

Edit: A first-year coach in Cignetti and a second-year coach in Dillingham.

Not quite as snappy.

Well… damn. That’s been incorrect in my head all season. Still doing a great job.

Welcome to the CFP, Arizona State.

What does it say that Kenny Dillingham and Curt Cignetti, first-year coaches whose teams won a total of four games last year, will be coaching in the main event with a path to the national championship?

Paid close attention to the Big 12 championship game. Watched one Iowa State drive. Obvious DPI against Arizona State at the goal line. No flag. Led to a missed FG and empty possession.

Why does this happen in seemingly every game?

First-round/play-in games of the expanded CFP tournament are here today. We’ve been waiting decades for this. I am irrationally happy to watch it all — even the games that only provide a bye in the next round to the winner.

Emmett Johnson to the portal. Ouch. Nebraska will need to find a RB.

Johnson gave some consideration last offseason to going in. He’s headed there this year after the Huskers again leaned on him late in the season. He was a good fit with Dana Holgorsen. But their time together looks done.

I’ll give it a shot.

Hello from Hollywood. An iconic setting for Nebraska-USC.