STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Monday, December 18, 2006 6:00 pm
In the midst of a slew of oral commitments for its 2007 recruiting class, Nebraska picked up a pledge for the class of 2008 from a towering Iowa offensive lineman.
Dan Hoch, a 6-foot-7, 285-pound junior at Harlan (Iowa) Community Schools, informed Nebraska coaches Monday he will accept their scholarship offer.
“I just really thought Nebraska was the best place for me,” Hoch said. “I like the facilities and the coaches really well, especially (offensive line coach) Dennis Wagner. And Nebraska’s tradition is insane.”
And if Iowa puts on a full-court press to sway him?
“I’ll still be a Husker,” Hoch said.
He becomes the third high school player to pledge to Nebraska’s class of 2008, joining running back Collins Okafor of Omaha Westside and offensive lineman Baker Steinkuhler of Lincoln Southwest.
In addition to Nebraska, Hoch received scholarship offers from Iowa State and Kansas State. Although Iowa has shown interest, the Hawkeyes haven’t made an offer, he said.
Playing both sides of the ball, Hoch this past season helped lead Harlan to a 10-1 record in Iowa’s second-largest classification. He also pitches for the school’s baseball team and hurls the discus and puts the shot. This time of year, he starts at center for the basketball team and averages about 13 points and eight rebounds.
He has a 3.9 grade-point average.
“I think he got an A-minus once,” said Harlan football coach Curt Bladt. “Nebraska’s getting a player who’s very coachable, a very hard worker. Dan is going to find out that at 6-7 and 280, he’s just one of the boys at Nebraska. He’ll have to figure out what to do. But he’s smart enough to do that.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.