Nebraska QB Transfers to Big Ten Opponent Rutgers

Ed. note: It was a simple Wednesday, like any other Wednesday. Three or four good ideas for OTE articles were released into the world, then disposed in the crusty sock of “Good ideas that’ll never come to fruition.”

However, in light of a pandemic and my desire to not just make one guy keep writing history pieces to keep you guys sated, we’re reaching under the bed, grabbing the sock, and—————you know what this was a bad idea anyway here’s an old Rutgers piece we’re resurrecting —MNW

ZuzuRU: Is he good, guys?

Andrew K: He played QB for Nebraska this century, so...

Stewmonkey13: You’re used to turning the ball over a ton, so that’ll be an easy transition. But he’s also likely the best option rutger has had, uh, ever?

But do not take that as any sort of praise.

Jesse: He’s good-ish?

Stew: That’s just a comment on how laughably awful and unqualified rutger is.

Jesse: He’s probably a solid spot-starter for P5 schools and a really really good G5 starter... take that how you want?

He was also very much our 4th string...

[Ed. note, pt. II: Another 30-comment pissing match in which Stew took gratuitous shots at Rutgers and Zu responded angrily ensued. There were no winners. Least of all Rutgers. Or Stew, who tried to cite quarterbacks drafted from Rutgers to prove his point.]

We then put some structure to the “article”:

Jesse Collins: This is not an article where we hash out the relative merits of waiting your turn, playing back-up or next-man-up, or even, “when I was a kid...”

No, this article is quite simply and in as straight-forward as OTE gets, a reaction piece.

Noah Vedral, a smalltown Nebraska kid in his own right, decided to transfer from the school he always wanted to play at for a chance to play Power-5 football. With Adrian Martinez, Luke McCaffrey, and new true freshman Logan Smothers on campus for the Cornhuskers, Vedral was always going to be the odd-man out.

And look, that’s okay.

Vedral originally committed—and played—for UCF under Scott Frost, but took a gamble and transferred back to Nebraska when Frost was hired. He was immediately thrust into a leadership role as he had a better understanding of the vocabulary, culture, and offensive sets of Frost, but he was not as athletically gifted or talented as Adrian Martinez.

With McCaffrey showing off his skills in limited four game action last year, it was also apparent he was going to continue drifting down the depth chart. So, he took the leap into the transfer portal—with Frost going so far as to wish him luck and saying ‘he’s like a son to me’ on the way out—and will now play for Rutgers.

What does that mean?

Well, Rutgers QB situation is not exactly what we would call a great situation. It’s probably an indictment on Rutgers that Nebraska’s 3rd-ish string QB has a chance to come in and start straight away, but Johnny Langan nor Artur Sitkowski have set the world on fire in their time. Vedral is a real dual threat QB with good, not great accuracy and a pretty strong ‘football sense’ if you may.

Why did he choose Rutgers? Well, probably because he is—as a grad transfer who does not need to sit out—a really good prospect for 2020 Rutgers starting QB.

Anyhow, here’s what everyone has to say about this:

WhiteSpeedReceiver: Arthur Sitkowski is one of the candidates to start. Vedral can’t be too far from the top of that QB room.

Jesse: Oh, no... like, he’s an upgrade probs. And he’s a grad transfer, which is impressive on him.

WSR: I’m not trying to shit on Rutgers any more than we normally do, but there’s a huge rebuilding project ahead of Schiano. This is just an example of it.

Jesse: That roster is rough. I looked it up (I should really be doing the tasklist staring at me but here we are) and they have 3 blue chip recruits from 17 on. 4 including 16. One of those players is productive. 2 are still on roster.

Anyhow, lastly... (a) drafted QBs =/= good QBs (See: Tanner Lee), (b) If Mike Teel and Gary Nova are your statistically best all-time QBs and most decorated QBs, I uh... I just don’t think you’re good at that position, and (c) Rutgers has had a ton of success at other positions. That’s totally a real thing that can’t be disputed. QB has just been rough.

Which makes sense. Run the ball and play defense. It’s a not-bad approach.

WSR: Whatever, Grandpa. Sling the rock.

Zuzu: Oh goodie, another graduate transfer QB from a legitimate program to get my hopes up.

Just kidding, I think I’m excited? He seems eager to work with Sean Gleeson’s offense which is cool, I guess. Plus some Nebraska fans on Reddit CFB seem to now be worried about the Rutgers Nebraska match-up in light of this news and a few others lament his departure in general wishing they got to see more of him.

So... another Transfer Portal win for Greg Schiano.

Plus now Vedral can get a degree from a legitimate academic institution.