It’s all about relationships for Omaha Westside junior Caleb Benning. The 6-foot 184-pound athlete will be one of over two dozen prospects to visit Nebraska Saturday.
The comfortability with the staff in Lincoln and the football acumen of the first-year NU staff has stood out in a short time.
“I’m pretty comfortable with them,” Benning said of Nebraska. “Coach (Matt) Rhule is interesting to talk to because he’s really smart. Coach (Omar) Hales is a good guy and coach (Evan) Cooper is young and that connects us even more.”
Benning is a game changer, just look at his first game back last season after missing nine games due to injury. In the Class A State Championship game he had two interceptions in his more natural position of safety and 14 catches for 103 yards receiving.
“My sophomore year I posted my film every week and it sparked a lot of interest. Coming back and having the name I did, I feel like it would be different,” he said regarding his recruitment. “It is what it is and I have to deal with that but I feel like this offseason is pretty important to me. I certainly have extra motivation.”
Nebraska has a clear plan for him even though he hasn’t met with defensive coordinator Tony White.
“Coach Rhule has talked to me about playing field safety in their system,” he said. “I haven’t been able to connect yet with coach White but I’m meeting him this weekend.”
After he visits Nebraska Saturday, Benning is planning on being at Kansas State Tuesday.
“They see me as a defensive back,” he said of K-State. “They really like me the few times I’ve talked to them. They said they only offer after players visit them so they know it is a two-way street.”
He has a handful of visits planned in the coming weeks.
“I will be visiting Wisconsin and Iowa State the first week of April,” he said. “I want to get to Minnesota sometime soon.”
Duke, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Minnesota, Vanderbilt and Wisconsin have previously offered Benning. Stanford is a school that has been in contact but is yet to offer a scholarship.
