LINCOLN — Earnest Norman never stopped thinking about playing for Nebraska even though he made an early oral commitment to Big 12 rival Kansas. His cousin, Husker recruit Dontrayevous Robinson, who committed in May, intentionally kept him interested. The extra prodding by Robinson paid off for the Huskers as Norman capped off his weekend visit to the NU campus by orally accepting a scholarship offer from Nebraska.
"I always had it on my mind, because my cousin would talk about it," said Norman, from Euless, Texas. "I used to ask him what's up. Then I e-mailed Coach (Bo Pelini) one day."
Norman said the Nebraska coaches weren't ready to offer him a scholarship last spring, hoping to get more tangible proof that the 5-foot-11, 220-pound linebacker could move in space. So he orally committed to Kansas. But the NU staff apparently liked what it saw from Norman this season. And Norman had no complaints about what he learned about Nebraska.
"I haven't seen anything better than that," he said. "The state of Nebraska revolves around that campus. They supported every sport. That's like their NFL, their NBA. There isn't anything better than that."
Norman, like the 15 others who've made oral commitments to the Huskers, can't sign a letter of intent until February. He's the eighth recruit out of Texas and fourth from the area surrounding the Dallas and Fort Worth metros. He and Robinson both play for Trinity High School, an undefeated Class 5A squad that's near the top of every national poll. The school has won three district championships in a row. But Norman, used to winning consistently, has no problem joining up with Pelini and the rebuilding Huskers.
"When it comes to football, (Pelini) just has that passion for it," Norman said. "He's a winner. He's got passion to win. He's going to get it done."
Norman plans to bring his girlfriend and 7-month-old daughter to Lincoln when he joins the team next year. So far, he's the third prospective linebacker slated to join the Huskers. Shawn Bodtmann of West Scranton, Pa., and Chris Williams of Abilene, Texas, are the other two.
Williams actually suffered an injury during a game last weekend. He tripped over the chain attached to the down-and-distance markers and injured his left knee, according to the Abilene Reporter News. He did not return to the game.
Article Courtesy JON NYATAWA AND RICH KAIPUST of the Omaha World Herald
::The Razzi::
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