Lincoln Journal-Star · Jul 24, 2020
Former NU assistant Blake was arguably as strong a recruiter as the program has ever seen
Although his tenure as Oklahoma's head coach was largely a disaster, many Sooner fans to this day can tell you about John Blake's recruiting prowess.
He later spent three seasons as a Nebraska defensive line coach (2004-06) -- and yes, made a big impression as a recruiter. Make no mistake, though, he was widely respected as a position coach as well.
Known for his big personality, Blake died Thursday at age 59.
During his tenure at Nebraska, he was credited with being largely responsible for the Huskers in 2005 signing the nation's fifth-ranked recruiting class, according to Rivals.com. It remains the school's top-rated class in the modern recruiting era.