Gary Pinkel fired a shot across Nebraska’s bow Friday by flying a helicopter above the field and landing nearby as Tyler Gabbert quarterbacked Parkway West High School on homecoming night.

The Missouri coach is applying the heat.

And Gabbert, whose brother Blaine will start at QB for Mizzou on Thursday against Nebraska, is listening.

Tyler Gabbert effectively is undecided on a college.

Yes, he has been committed to Nebraska since June, but he wants to consider his options.

“For now,” Gabbert says when discussing his pledge to the Huskers.

In fact, he probably doesn’t belong among Nebraska’s list of commitments as long as he talks to Missouri or any other school. At best for the Huskers, he’s an NU lean. And that’s subject to change.

For Gabbert, this looks like a commitment of convenience, and the Huskers are in a tough spot. While NU holds open a scholarship for him, the quarterback is able to shop around. All while other prospects at the position commit elsewhere.

It’s a harsh reality, but that’s recruiting.

Pinkel’s grandstanding act in the helicopter — borrowed from the Rick Neuheisel book of recruiting — serves as the most visible evidence here of all that’s wrong with recruiting.

Currently, this is an evaluation period on the NCAA recruiting calendar. It means that college coaches are permitted one phone call per week to a prospect and no in-person communication off campus.

Rest assured, Pinkel’s entrance Friday night communicated a message to the younger Gabbert.

It takes extraordinary resolve from a high school senior to shun the attention of big-time recruiters. Not everyone can be Cody Green. The Nebraska freshman, after committing early in 2008, asked recruiters from LSU and Texas A&M to back off.

They did, but Texas did not. The Longhorns sent coaches to watch Green and teammate A.J. Dugat, now a freshman receiver at Houston, at practice and in games.

“They knew not to talk to me,” Green said, “because I already told my head coach if anybody comes, tell them I don’t want to talk to them. My mind was already set.”

As for Gabbert, Nebraska cannot be pleased about the latest developments.

Coach Bo Pelini, when asked last week on his weekly radio show if the Huskers would pursue more prep quarterbacks, said no.

“Bottom line,” Pelini said, “is we’re not in the quarterback business right now.”

He said the Huskers feel good about their commitment from a player at the position. Should they?

Still, the kid is stuck in the middle here. Gabbert feels loyalty to Nebraska, with which he shares a more lengthy relationship than Mizzou. But he committed to NU in part because of offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, whose stock as a potential head coach continues to grow.

Additionally, Gabbert liked the Huskers because of the long-term situation at QB.

Since June, though, Green has emerged as the apparent future. And at Missouri, the backup situation is muddled after the August dismissal of freshman Blaine Dalton. There’s also talk, premature or not, that the elder Gabbert — a one-time NU commit — may depart early for the NFL after next season.

Wait another four months and the quarterback pictures at both schools could look different. But patience is not high on the list of priorities for either party in recruiting.

It’s why prospects like Gabbert commit eight months before signing day.

The Huskers made it clear they wanted only one quarterback in this recruiting class. He was their top choice, but others were offered scholarships. And if somebody else accepted as Gabbert weighed his options through the fall, well, that’s recruiting.

All the more reason for an early signing period. Maybe August.

Then if Gabbert was resolute in his commitment, he could sign before the season. And no one would sweat this mess during a week when conversation about the Huskers and Tigers should not involve an 18-year-old from Ballwin, Mo.

Contact the writer: 402-473-9587, mitch.sherman@owh.com

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