Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson enters transfer portal

The 6-foot, 195-pounder threw for 2,407 yards and 17 touchdowns last fall in 10 games. He missed several starts with a throwing-arm nerve injury, then sat out spring camp while recovering from surgery to his throwing shoulder. He posted Bible verses to his Instagram account in reference to his departure.

NU coach Matt Rhule added Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims in the offseason to battle for the starting job. Thompson’s decision paves a clear starting path for Sims, a larger, dual-threat quarterback who enjoyed a successful spring game as Thompson watched from the sideline.

The 24-year-old graduate transfer is the third Nebraska quarterback to leave the program this week. Redshirt freshman Richard Torres departed first, followed by Logan Smothers, who enters his fourth season of play. NU has three remaining scholarship QBs in Chubba Purdy and Heinrich Haarberg along with Sims.

Thompson impressed coaches and teammates throughout the spring with his dedication to off-the-field preparation. Rhule said he was “like a coach” — no one knew the progressions or depths as a passer better than the senior, who wore a headset during scrimmages and stayed engaged mentally. Sims credited Thompson for grinding even while physically limited.

“Casey’s definitely a very helpful guy,” Sims said. “For a guy who’s hurt right now and can’t really do much, he’s here every night watching film. … You can tell he has that experience and he’s been a leader for a while because he’s definitely a natural-born leader. His biggest goal is to see everybody at their best and you can definitely tell by the way he brings his self every day.”

Center Ben Scott — who joined Nebraska in the winter as a transfer — said Thompson was always asking him to meet at the indoor field to get some snaps together.

“Casey’s a really dedicated person,” Scott said. “I think he’s almost one of the first people in the building and one of the last people to leave. He’s always in here doing his throwing motions and in the rehab room and in the film room watching plays.”

Thompson spent his first four seasons at Texas before transferring to Nebraska last offseason. His deep-ball connections with speedy receiver Trey Palmer in 2022 were frequent highlights in the pass-heavy, boom-or-bust offense of coordinator Mark Whipple.

The Huskers continue to trim their roster on the way to the 85-man scholarship limit by fall camp. They are roughly five scholarship players over that number now. The portal window remains open through Sunday for college football players to enter and dialogue with other suitors.​