
With the game clock ticking down, Nebraska quarterback Luke McCaffrey gets a play called in the fourth quarter against Iowa at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 29, 2019.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star file photo
There’ll be a variety of reactions to quarterback Luke McCaffrey’s decision to enter the transfer portal.
Some Husker fans will use it as further evidence that Scott Frost’s program is spiraling quickly.
They’ll couple it with high-profile slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson’s decision earlier this month to enter the portal.
As losses mount, everything becomes a crisis.
I’m not getting caught in that trap. Not this time.
Every time a student-athlete decides to enter the transfer portal, or opt out or do whatever best suits him individually, I’m not going to make a lot of assumptions about what the head coach is or isn’t doing right with his program at large. Making those sorts of assumptions is ignoring what’s going on in the world.
Here’s what’s going on in the world: A transfer portal was created to help facilitate the process of players leaving programs for other programs. A portal — tell me you don’t love that word — needed to be created because players are leaving programs across the country in increasingly large numbers. The last I heard, there were more than 1,400 players in the portal, including 130 from Big Ten programs, or 9.3 per school.
Here’s what else is going on in the world: The NCAA at some point is likely to enact a one-time transfer exception, meaning transferring student-athletes can play immediately at their new school. That’ll only increase the number of departures.
Someday soon, perhaps someone will explain to me how a transfer portal (and eventually a one-time transfer exception) are helping college football. Think about it. How is it really helping? I’ll wait for your response.
I do know that a transfer portal and one-time transfer exception give players an easy “out” if their coaches actually are requiring them to compete for a starting job, or pushing them hard to be their best. Heaven forbid.
This is not necessarily to suggest McCaffrey jumped in the portal because he was averse to competition with 27-game starter Adrian Martinez and freshman Logan Smothers and whoever else. McCaffrey, a redshirt freshman, perhaps has perfectly legitimate reasons to bolt. You have to respect that.
There’s awkwardness in this story, though. By waiting for the spring semester to begin Monday before making his exit official, McCaffrey ensured he’ll receive his full grant in aid, including a stipend of around $1,600 per month, even though he’s not even in Lincoln. Frost will bite his tongue on that part. The McCaffrey family is royalty in American football. It probably would be unwise to make life difficult for them.
Man, this stuff can be messy if you overthink it. So I’m not overthinking it.
I’m also making it a practice to judge these matters on an individual basis.
Kade Warner fell far down the Nebraska receiver depth chart, and Will Farniok takes a deep back seat at center. They’ll search for better situations elsewhere.
This is the world we’re in. Robinson had his own reasons for leaving, reasons that had absolutely nothing to do with playing time. In transferring to Kentucky, Robinson can be closer to his mother, who has health issues. What’s more, Robinson wanted to find a program that better highlighted his skillset and therefore improve his NFL Draft stock.
If McCaffrey’s making decisions based on his future NFL Draft stock as a quarterback, then he’s getting bad advice from someone. With development, he perhaps can become a good college quarterback somewhere, perhaps even a starter, but at this point, McCaffrey becoming an NFL quarterback seems a far-flung notion.
He completed 48 of 76 passes this season (63.2%) for 466 yards and a touchdown, with six interceptions.
He started twice, helping lead Nebraska to a 30-23 win against Penn State — a triumph that required a gigantic lift from the defense.
He also started Nebraska’s 41-23 loss to Illinois, a debilitating defeat in which he was 15 for 26 passing for 134 yards, with three picks.
Martinez started the remaining four games. If McCaffrey was going to re-win the job, he was going to have to earn it throughout the offseason. He likely would’ve again pushed Martinez, and perhaps NU coaches eventually would’ve had to make a decision. That sort of competition can be beneficial to the principals as well as the entire team.
Such competition also might require a redshirt freshman to be patient and wait his turn. Nobody’s saying McCaffrey lacks patience or didn’t want to compete. But you wonder because, well, he bolted.
You also wonder because his brother, Dylan McCaffrey, opted out of the 2020 season in mid-September while remaining enrolled at the University of Michigan until late last week, when he finally entered the portal. A 6-5, 220-pound senior, Dylan McCaffrey had been competing for the starting job in the preseason with Joe Milton and Cade McNamara but reportedly fell behind in that competition.
It’s difficult to know exactly why two McCaffreys each chose a similar path. You can make all the assumptions you want. You can even use it as evidence against Frost (and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh) if you choose.
You won’t catch this college football fan doing that, though. In this day and age, with players leaving programs frequently, it seems irresponsible to lay blame on and/or judge coaches every time a high-profile player makes an individual decision.
Let’s face it, the notion of “team” often takes a back seat in these discussions.
Illinois’ Alec McEachern (46) and Nebraska’s Niko Cooper (32) reach for a fumble on a kickoff return in the second quarter Nov. 21, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska quarterback Luke McCaffrey (7) throws an interception under pressure from Illinois’ Khalan Tolson (45) in the first quarter Nov. 21, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska safety Marquel Dismuke (9) and Cam Taylor-Britt (5) walk off the field after the Huskers’ 41-23 loss to Illinois on Nov. 21, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska quarterback Luke McCaffrey gets his helmet twisted around by Illinois’ Roderick Perry (96) in the second half Nov. 21, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez (2) is lifted up by teammate Bryce Benhart after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against Iowa on Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska coach Scott Frost leads the Huskers onto the field to take on Iowa on Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska cornerback Dicaprio Bootle (7) celebrates his second-quarter interception with teammate Cam Taylor-Britt against Iowa on Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Iowa’s Terry Roberts (22) dives on a fumbled punt return by Nebraska’s Cam Taylor-Britt (5) in the fourth quarter Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras gets off a third-quarter pass as Nebraska’s Garrett Nelson (44) and Luke Reimer (28) pressure him Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska’s Wan’Dale Robinson rushes against Iowa’s Jack Campbell (31) in the second half Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez reaches for the high snap in the first quarter against Iowa on Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska coach Scott Frost leads the Huskers out to the field against Iowa on Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez throws under pressure from Iowa’s Joe Evans (13) in the second quarter Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez and the Husker offensive line push toward the goal line on Martinez’s 1-yard touchdown run against Iowa on Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska coach Scott Frost talks with his players during a first-half timeout against Iowa on Nov. 27, 2020, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO
Penn State quarterback Will Levis (7) gets pressured by Nebraska’s Ben Stille on a fourth-down play, throwing an incomplete pass to turn it over to the Huskers in the final moments of the game Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Luke McCaffrey (7) and Wan’Dale Robinson (1) celebrate after the Huskers’ win over Penn State on Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska safety Deontai Williams (8) strips the ball from Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford. Williams recovered the fumble and returned it for a touchdown in the second quarter Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Nebraska safety Deontai Williams (8) strips the ball from Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford before recovering the fumble and returning it for a touchdown in the second quarter Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska’s Collin Miller (31) celebrates after Ben Stille (right) tackled Penn State quarterback Will Levis (left) to give the Huskers the ball on downs in the fourth quarter Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska’s Ben Stille (95) and Ty Robinson walk off the field after the Huskers’ 30-23 win over Penn State on Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska kicker Connor Culp sends a ball through the uprights for a fourth-quarter field goal against Penn State on Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Nebraska’s Will Honas (3) tackles Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth (87) in the fourth quarter on Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost instructs the team during a timeout on Nov. 14, 2020, against Penn State at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Nebraska quarterback Luke McCaffrey (7) gets the snap from center Cameron Jurgens (51) as running back Ronald Thompkins (25) and Ethan Piper look to block against Penn State on Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska’s Cam Taylor-Britt (5) runs back a punt as he avoids the tackle of Penn State’s Daequan Hardy in the first half Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska safety Deontai Williams (8) strips the ball from Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford in the second quarter Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium. Williams recovered the fumble and scored.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska’s Noa Pola-Gates (facing) hugs senior Marquel Dismuke (9) after the Huskers’ 24-17 loss to Minnesota on Dec. 12, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska senior Dicaprio Bootle (7) hugs fellow senior Marquel Dismuke (left) as JoJo Domann looks on after the Huskers’ 24-17 loss to Minnesota on Dec. 12, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
A third-quarter pass from Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez (2) is batted by Minnesota’s Rashad Cheney on Dec. 12, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Protected by the offensive line, Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez (2) has the time to throw in the second quarter against Minnesota on Dec. 12, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Husker fan cutouts fill the North Stadium stands before the team takes on Penn State on Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost leads the Huskers out onto a nearly empty stadium before taking on Penn State on Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska’s Cam Taylor-Britt (left) defends a pass intended for Penn State’s Jahan Dotson in the fourth quarter on Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska’s Collin Miller (31) celebrates after Ben Stille (95) tackled Penn State quarterback Will Levis (7) on Nov. 14, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska fan cutouts are a backdrop for the consecutive sellout sign on Saturday at Memorial Stadium during a Nov. 14, 2020, game against Penn State.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska safety Myles Farmer (left) is flagged for a facemask call against Illinois’ Donny Navarro (86) in the third quarter Nov. 21, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
A worker waits to release balloons after the first Nebraska touchdown against Illinois on Nov. 21, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska coach Scott Frost talks with junior quarterback Adrian Martinez (2) on the sideline in the third quarter against Illinois on Nov. 21, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
A security guard watches the field among snow-covered cardboard cutouts before a Nebraska-Minnesota football game on Dec. 12, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska family members look for their seats before the Huskers host Minnesota on Dec. 12, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska tight end Austin Allen (second right) celebrates his second-quarter TD with teammates against Minnesota on Dec. 12, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska’s Austin Allen celebrates his first quarter touchdown catch with Brenden Jaimes and Ethan Piper against Minnesota on Dec. 12, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska coach Scott Frost sends quarterback Adrian Martinez back into the game against Minnesota in the second quarter Dec. 12, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star file photo
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost greets Huskers captain Matt Farniok (71) during Senior Day festivities before the Minnesota game Dec. 12, 2020, at Memorial Stadium.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Scott Frost and the Huskers run onto the field before a Dec. 12, 2020, game against Minnesota at Memorial Stadium.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star file photo
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