Nebraska Football: Garret McGuire made big impression on latest commit

2024 athlete Keelan Smith committed to Nebraska football on Friday afternoon. He talked to the media about why he committed to the program, and it sounds like wide receivers coach Garret McGuire made a big impression on Smith.

Smith is a legacy commitment. His father played for the program in the mid-80s. Aside from that, he liked what the program had to offer, and was offered by the previous staff in  Scott Frost and Mickey Joseph.

Smith was able to reconnect with the current staff because of assistant director of player personnel Keith Williams. Smith indicated that McGuire made a big impression on him, which is certainly notable. He talked to Will Turboff of Husker247, and relayed why McGuire made such a big impression on him.

“Last time I was in his office, (McGuire) was talking to my parents and he was just like ‘Yeah, I’m young, but I’m very determined, I have a lot to prove, this is my job and this is what I love doing, I’m the youngest coach in college, but I want to be the youngest OC in college soon,’” Smith recalled from a recent conversation with McGuire. “He just has the drive that coaches need.”

McGuire on right track for Nebraska Football

This is an interesting side of the process to see. McGuire sounds polished during his press conference, and it’s good to know that he is carrying it over with recruits. There were some concerns, and perhaps rightfully so, that he would not be able to recruit and connect with recruits due to his age and relative inexperience. It sounds like he is making a good impression on these recruits, and Smith is not the first to say this.

That “drive” will get him places, and he is one of the coaches that I feel will either stay long enough to be an offensive coordinator at Nebraska, or go somewhere else within a couple years. The statement from Smith shows that McGuire has the motor needed to be honest coaching staff.

Between what McGuire says during the press conferences and what he is relaying to recruits, this is looking like a better hire by the day. Still hoping he can continue to connect with recruits, as several major prospects begin to make their decisions.

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