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Ron Zook An Ideal Choice For New Nebraska Football Recruiting Guru

So it's a diamond in the rough you're wantin', eh?

Jonathan Daniel

Not the greatest head coach in the world, but knows how to sell a Chevy to a Ford loyalist. An apt of a description of former Florida Gators and Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Ron Zook.

LSU and Alabama are already prepping for the future recruiting bonanza. You can expect the same from schools who can afford it.

Considering Zook was twiddling his thumbs for the majority of 2012, Nebraska might want to consider throwing a few hundred grand at the guy who helped Urban Meyer set up for a national championship run after the fine folks at FireRonZook.com finally got their wish.

Scoff if you must, but he appears to be an ideal fit for the Huskers. He has vast connections throughout one of the densest areas of recruiting talent, inroads within the Big Ten footprint and hauled in impressive classes at both head coaching stops.

During his seven-year stint at Illinois, a far more difficult sell than Florida, his staff signed 30 four-star recruits and two five-stars according to Rivals.com.

Several players from those classes are currently in the NFL including Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall and the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive line duo of Jeff Allen and Jon Asamoah.

Perhaps by no coincidence, he spent three years with the Steelers coaching special teams and one with the Chiefs as their defensive backs coach. He'd spend three more years in the NFL as the New Orleans Saints' defensive coordinator before heading back to the college game.

Another benefit of Zook's addition to the scarlet and cream would be a lightened load across the board for Nebraska's current staff.

The Huskers' best recruiters can get the job done as is, no doubt, but they don't have to be as stressed nor as stretched as they currently are.

With Zook at the wheel of the Huskers' recruiting efforts, Tim Beck may even get the opportunity to get some fresh air, catch a plane ride or two and talk up his Rose Bowl Offense with offensive playmakers.

Zook could shoot a list of the Nebraska's biggest targets in Florida to Terry Joseph, then sit back as Joseph racks up the mileage while doing what he does best off the field.

There's good money on the table that quality personnel, even the brightest interns would want to learn from him, especially if recruiting rules are reduced to rubble and it's every school for itself.

Does Ron Zook have a place on Nebraska's football field as a coach? No, but as a strategist to bring even more elite talent into Lincoln, he's invaluable and there for the taking.

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