Early Signing Day happenings in Nebraska

Jack-of-all-trades, master of them all

Once he received his offer from former Nebraska football coach Mike Riley, the decision for York (York, Neb.) linebacker Garrett Snodgrass on where to play football beyond high school was relatively easy.

Shortly after York claimed the 2017 state championship with a 31-0 win over Omaha Skutt Catholic, Snodgrass received the call and the offer. While it was Riley that began his recruitment, Nebraska coach Scott Frost and his staff closed the deal.

"I really couldn't see myself going anywhere else," Snodgrass said. "Its close to home. A lot of my friends go there. And I get to play in front of a lot of people at a school that has a rich tradition and the best coaching staff in the country. It was all there for me."

According to York football coach Glen Snodgrass, Garrett Snodgrass played everywhere on the football field in high school and was recruited at several positions.

The older Snodgrass said Iowa State liked Garrett at fullback, while Kansas State would have started him out at tight end. Wisconsin was looking at Snodgrass as a middle linebacker, South Dakota State at tight end and outside linebacker and Duke liked him at tight end. Snodgrass will play middle linebacker for the Huskers.

Garrett Snodgrass' advice to future recruits? Enjoy the process.

"This is the only time in your life that people will be coming after you," Snodgrass said. "For the rest of your life, you'll be filling out applications."

Trio of Huskers from York

York lineman Noah Starfursky will be joining Snodgrass at Nebraska after signing the proper paperwork to walk-on for the Huskers. The duo will join Husker redshirt freshman outside linebacker Simon Otte, who is also from York and signed his letter-of-intent a year ago.

Glen Snodgrass said that Starfursky has always been a big, raw guy. But in the fall camp of 2017, he really opened some eyes.

"As a fifth grader, Noah was too big to play with us in pee wee ball," Snodgrass said. "But, as he grew up, his body matured and he gained coordination, he became a really great football player for us.

"Going into his junior year, I wasn't sure that he'd even be a starter. But at two a days, I remember seeing him and thinking, ‘gosh he's really grown up.' Noah became one of the most dominating linemen in Nebraska as a junior and the top lineman as a senior. He's a mauler and he loves to get those pancake blocks. We ran behind him an awful lot."

Starfursky said Nebraska liked his footwork, hustle and the way he drove through the whistle. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound lineman turned down six or seven offers from Division II schools to walk-on at Nebraska.

"There are a lot of benefits," Starfursky said of being a Husker. "I can put it on my applications. Plus, the facilities, the coaching staff and the overall greatness of the program are second to none. There is a lot of pride that goes with being a Husker, especially when you're from here. There isn't a feeling like being a home grown Husker."

Reimer, Gross also ink football futures

Lincoln North Star's Luke Reimer will be joining Snodgrass and Starfursky at Nebraska, as a walk-on, while McCook's DJ Gross accepted a scholarship from South Dakota.

Reimer, who had committed to South Dakota State, said he hadn't felt right about that decision.

"I wanted something bigger," he said. "I kept putting it off, hoping for something bigger. When Nebraska offered, I jumped at it."

Reimer's 10.9-second speed enticed Nebraska as did his drive to keep going after contact. Reimer said he is willing to do whatever is asked of him in order to get on the football field. Reimer admits that he has some pretty lofty goals.

"My first year, I want to get in there and learn the ins and outs of the defense," Reimer said. "Then in the second year I'd like to play on special teams and in years three and four I want to see the field."

Gross, who grew more comfortable with his decision every time he visited Vermillion, can't wait to get on campus and begin working.

"I'd definitely like to make an impact right away," said Gross, who played for his father Jeff at McCook. "I just want to play, whether its on special teams or anywhere else on the football field."

Gross said that South Dakota loved his down hill style of play at linebacker.

"They liked the strategic part of my game," he said. "They liked how I read the play and found the play every time."

Father-Son bond

It's no secret that football coaches form special bonds with all of the athletes that come through their programs. But Glen Snodgrass and Jeff Gross got to watch their own sons sign letters-of-intent Wednesday.

"It's always special when someone you've bonded with signs the paperwork to go on and play anywhere," Glen Snodgrass said. "I've bonded with all of those boys. But with Garrett, in particular, that is real special. He's always played for me. He has worked so hard and to see him sign that paperwork to play at Nebraska is real special."

Jeff Gross has seen 60 players go through his football program and move onto the next level in his 21 years of coaching. DJ Gross is the eighth Bison football player to go on and play at the Division I level.

"Every one of those guys was special," Jeff Gross said. "But when it's your own kid, it's even more so. DJ had a lot of fun here and so we made the decision to get done early so he could concentrate on school and have one last go round in the other sports he competes in."

Nebraska's 19 Division I signees


As we pointed out earlier, Nebraska earned the signatures of 12 of the 19 Cornhusker State athletes that officially made it known where they were going to play football as either a scholarship recipient or as a walk on next fall. South Dakota State claimed four Nebraska athletes, while South Dakota received an affirmative nod from two Cornhusker State football players. The only other athlete, Lincoln High's Cedric Case, decommitted from North Dakota and signed with Texas State.

Highest ranked

Omaha Burke landed the top two football players in the state of Nebraska this year, with Henrich earning the highest ranking and Hickman following in a close second.

Henrich, who is considered to be the 141st best recruit in 2019, is said to be the eighth best inside linebacker in the class by 247sports.com. Hickman, meanwhile, is the 24th best tight end and the 565th best prospect overall.

Scottsbluff's Nelson (787th overall), Snodgrass (856th overall), Norfolk Catholic's Piper (1,441st overall) and Case (2,999th overall) round out the Top 6.