NU gets commitment from Texas running back

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BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star

Marcus Mendoza sensed a degree of urgency Monday from Nebraska running backs coach Randy Jordan. “He came down here (to Houston) and said they had one more opening at running back, and that I was the one they wanted,” said Mendoza, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound speedster from Spring Woods High School.

Jordan also made it clear that openings in Nebraska’s 2007 recruiting class were filling fast. For instance, the Huskers had already attracted an oral commitment from one running back (Roy Helu of Danville, Calif.), and apparently sought just one more.

Mendoza decided Monday he would be the one lest he miss out on a prime opportunity.

“If that spot eventually would’ve been taken by someone else, I’d probably have a big ol’ hole in my stomach for the rest of my life,” said Mendoza, who became the 19th prospect known to have pledged to Nebraska’s 2007 recruiting class.

“I think Lincoln’s a real good football town,” said Mendoza, who visited NU the weekend of the Huskers’ Sept. 30 victory over Kansas. “Nebraska graduates students, and my mom wants me to graduate.”

Mendoza, who reportedly runs a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and has a 37-inch vertical leap, drew a four-star rating (on a five-star scale) from Scout.com and a three-star ranking from Rivals.com. He’s ranked as the No. 28 running back nationally by Scout.com and is No. 43 overall on Scout.com’s Texas Hot 100, which includes all positions.

In choosing Nebraska, Mendoza turned down scholarship offers from Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Texas Christian. He is set to graduate from Spring Woods next month and enroll at Nebraska for the second semester, meaning he will be on hand for spring drills.

“In the spring, things will be a little slower in practice,” he said. “I want to get used to (the speed in drills) before jumping right into it in August, when everything is moving so fast because they’re getting ready for the season.”

Although Jordan helped close the deal on Mendoza, Nebraska recruiting coordinator Shawn Watson played the lead role in the player’s recruitment. Mendoza is the eighth Texas player in NU’s 2007 recruiting class.

Briefly

Nebraska defensive end Barry Turner was named Big 12 special- teams player of the week for his role in the Huskers’ victory against Colorado on Friday. He caught a touchdown pass off a fake field goal and also downed a punt inside CU’s 1-yard line, leading to a safety.

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.