Maybe the juiciest story to return out of faculty soccer’s Nationwide Signing Day centered not on a recruit however an ESPN analyst. In keeping with Dominic Raiola, father of high three QB recruit Dylan Raiola, Kirk Herbstriet reached out to him to endorse Dylan flipping from Georgia to Nebraska.
Right here’s what the elder Raiola told Rivals:
“When this was taking place, I’ll carry up one man’s identify. His identify’s Kirk Herbstreit. When he noticed the smoke about Dylan entertaining Nebraska, he known as me. He mentioned, ‘Dude, is that this true? [Dylan] received to do it. He received to do it.’ [Herbstreit’s] affinity for Nebraska, for a man like that to inform me and get behind me. Like, I knew, I knew [Dylan] wanted to do it. However I wasn’t going to take a seat right here and say, ‘It is advisable to go change that place or be part of the change of that place.’ So when Kirk informed me that, man. I had different coaches attain out to me and say, ‘The place is particular. Coach (Matt) Rhule is a particular chief.’ It simply snowballed into one thing actually lovely on the finish of the day, and we’re actually pleased with the choice [Dylan] made,” Raiola mentioned.
For individuals who don’t know, Dominic was an All-American at Nebraska, and it’s clear he nonetheless loves the Large Purple. Whereas it’s good to listen to that he wished to remain hands-off together with his son’s resolution, passing alongside favorable anecdotes about Rhule from Herbstreit and different coaches clearly helped sway Dylan’s option to turn out to be a Cornhusker.
That is the place issues get dicey as a result of nothing stays a secret in faculty soccer anymore. There are too many retailers, too many Twitter sleuths, and an excessive amount of protection. For Herbstreit to allegedly name a recruit’s dad, unsolicited, and shill for Rhule, solely as a result of he likes him, is silly to the nth diploma. When you’re essentially the most seen faculty soccer analyst within the nation, perhaps ship a textual content, or have your alter ego, Kirk Henry, attain out with an atta boy.
You’d suppose ESPN’s latest Sports Emmy embarrassment would’ve prompted a bit extra discretion and self-preservation. I assume while you get that Thursday Evening Soccer cash, one thing in your DNA modifications and also you’re in a position to levitate above journalistic ethics and customary sense.
Whatever the validity of the report, Georgia followers are going to run with this and tout it as gospel. And why wouldn’t they? The Huskers misplaced extra video games final season than the Bulldogs have since 2019. UGA is objectively the higher program proper now and possibly can be after Dylan graduates or turns professional.
I don’t know if Dawgs followers will ever settle for Raiola’s resolution, however given his household ties to Nebraska, they could’ve at the very least understood it. Nonetheless, they may by no means get previous their dislike for Herbstreit and now maintain a heavy disdain for an impressionable 18-year-old child simply attempting to do what’s in his greatest pursuits.
This additionally comes after ESPN acquired the rights to SEC soccer, so along with pissing off UGA, Herbstreit probably upset his employer for guiding expertise to the rival convention and community. I don’t know when Faculty Gameday can be in Athens subsequent, but it surely’ll probably come earlier than they return to Lincoln, and I can assure you Herby can be violently booed each time it’s his flip to speak. I might say simply wait and see what the indicators maintain in retailer, however my guess is most will violate FCC requirements/not make it on air.
It is a horrible search for a man who performed within the Large Ten, and made even worse as a result of Herbstreit will presumably name a whole lot of video games between the hedges going ahead. Faculty soccer followers maintain grudges for generations, love an excellent conspiracy concept, and, writ massive, is likely to be the nastiest sect of sports activities followers within the nation. (Soccer supporters take the cake internationally.) We’re speaking about individuals who actively comply with and tweet at excessive schoolers, so, yeah, collude at your individual threat, Kirk.