Are we just going to act like this didn’t happen?
- Thread starter ClownBaby
- Start date
It’s embarrassing, and completely uncalled for. Unfortunately this day and age kids are entitled and everyone rolls over for them.
The adults laughing like it was actually clever or funny is what got me.
The school and program must be mortified.
When he decommits or is recruited over, he just burnt some bridges in the transfer portal. Totally unnecessary especially the day after he praised the staff. Illinois has some good QBs on the roster and committed for 2026 so they will be ok. This kid just guaranteed a lot more heckling than most players if he ever takes the field in Champaign for Nebraska or another school.
The odds of him actually stepping on the football field at Nebraska are probably around 50%, never burn bridges since never know when you will need one.
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Unless his NIL deal is astronomical I don't believe he goes there, I'll give it 30% and then I'll give it 100% that he doesn't finish there if he does
If this misguided young person is ever slated to line up behind center at Nebraska in a game against Illinois, he had better "watch his 6." He could even have a target on his back the rest of his HS career by an Illinois defensive recruit. Seems like he should be advised to make a public apology, late as it might be.
At least nobody is overreacting to a hat being thrown
He is a high school sophomore who can now immediately begin to collect NIL money from supporters of Nebraska football.
From what I have read about qbs, some make millions of dollars before ever stepping on a college practice field.
Just guessing but I assume Nebraska football is flush with available NIL money.
Most recent exsmple of prep qbs getting paid was the Tennessee kid who wanted an NIL raise and then left the school when he didn’t get it.
So while every one of us can hate the system, we shouldn’t hate the kid.
He made a very public signing splash that I am certain Nebraska backers were thrilled with.
In football it is now all about the money. A talented qb is a free agent available to take the best possible financial deal.
I read today Texss has 40 million dollars available for its football players.
As for disrespecting his home state school, he has 2 years of high school and a college redshirt year b4?he will ever see the field. At that time nobody but nobody will remember his flashy announcement.
This is the system. He is eligible to now be paid by Nebraska for signing footballs and pictures and urging people on X to buy cars from a Lincoln, Nebraska dealer.
I will not be surprised if he gets paid more money on his next two prep seasons by Nebraska than I earned in a lifetime of working.
This stuff obviously sucks the fun out of college football but from a financial point of view it was not a poor style choice.
The system sucks.!i hate it but I understand it.
The idea from the college team's point of view of a high school sophomore verbally committing to it is probably a waste of time given the transfer portal andNIL in current form. I agree 100 pct.
That said, it makes TOTAL SENSE for a talented prep football player at a skill position such as QB to verbally commit to whatever university offers him the best NIL situation as the kid can now begin his "pro" career collecting money for being a talented QB while still having two years of high school football to play.
If the kid does not declare, he's not going to get NIL money from any university's cash fund. So, declaring as a sophomore would seem to make total financial sense.
He can collect from the Cornhuskers' NIL fund for two years now, and then, if he so chooses, he can flip his commitment to another school for more money or for a better playing situation.
Basically, he's a professional in terms of getting paid for his skills as a football player with two years of high school football still to be played.
Take advantage of the system. even though I think the system is awful.
And in two years, as a Carmel senior, the kid can assess his playing opportunities at Nebraska and then compare future playing prospects and the amount of money he will get paid while in college, and then can decide at that point where he wants to attend as a college freshman.
This is high school football reality in 2025.
I mean if Nebraska is dumb enough to give him money now good for him. He can bail and they have no recourse to get their money back.
It's hilarious that just because it was an Illinois hat you people are losing your minds. This happens more than a few times a year when kids make verbal commitments.
And to those saying he better watch out if/when he plays against U of I, as another poster said, no one on that field or in the stands will remember this moment 3 months from now let alone 3 years from now.
And to those saying he better watch out if/when he plays against U of I, as another poster said, no one on that field or in the stands will remember this moment 3 months from now let alone 3 years from now.
Football aside, he violated the first rule of comedy. If you try too hard to be funny, you will most likely fail.
As someone who doesn't particularly like Nebraska or Rhule, I think he's perfect... but as many on here have already pointed out, he probably never plays down one for them.
It's all a big show.
It's all a big show.
Does anyone think there will be a significant change in how the NIL money works moving forward? With the Iamaleava brothers leaving Tennessee & Arkansas, it sounded like both schools NIL collectives were seeking legal ways to recoup some or all of the money they paid out to the brothers. Edgy - have you been able to see any of the NIL contracts that have been out there as far as how they’re worded and what the contracts entail?
Trust me, Illinois fans will not forget. As someone who graduated from the school, captained a team at the school, and teach at the school, I love Illinois but there is a very toxic segment of the fan base that will actively root against him forever. Those fans have been merciless towards players like EJ Liddell, Eric Gordon and others that they feel have spurned the U of I. Every fan base has that element but the Illini ones seem to be amongst the worst. They don’t care that he is a 16 year old kid because apparently they never made a mistake at that age.
I feel like basketball is different than football in that regard. Overall, this is a giant nothing burger.
Probably but this is the first time Illini football fans will get to match the basketball fans’ distaste for a player. It is a little more than a nothing burger considering the player and his mom have issues apologies. Ultimately one player doesn’t make a football team and the staff will find a suitable replacement but that won’t matter to sections of the fanbase if Nebraska comes to Champaign for a game and he is under center.
If a kid can actually get money for committing and de-committing multiple times before stepping on campus good for them.
Will be interesting to see how the kid develops and handles college ball. Daddy has picked his teams and programs from a young age. He has the talent but does he have whats between the ears? First impressions are important.
I find the “my son made a mistake” and “my son meant no disrespect” to be very comical. Where is the accountability by the father? Am I blind or aren’t mom and dad right beside him laughing in the video? Don’t they have Nebraska hat and shirt ready as well? They were in on it too. The mistake was made by the adults to let it happen. Could have put their foot down and kiboshed this. Who is to even say it was the kid’s idea..
I find it impossible to believe that, if a kid is going to put forth a big production like this, that the parents are not either
a) heavily involved in the planning to the point of basically planning it themselves
or at least
b) having long, meaningful conversations about what a blessing receiving any single offer is and that when you decline a scholarship offer you show nothing but gratitude and appreciation for those schools and adults who spent time learning about you and trying to persuade you to their school.
If a happened, the kid wouldn't have a chance to do this because everything would be pre rehearsed or he just went rogue and did it on his own, which would be a discipline issue.
If b happened and the kid still did it anyway, the concern is that it is a child who doesn't take direction or teaching well
If b didn't happen, then that's an indictment on the lack of guidance the kid is getting.
Not sure what is going on here and apologies are good and necessary, so that is a positive step. Hopefully they aren't just apologies and lessons were learned as well. It would make one a better leader. The best QB's may have some bravado, but all of them show humility and learn lessons. Hope that this incident helps the kid along his journey.
Kid apologized. Move on. We have kids (and adults) doing way worse than throwing a hat, and a lot of people in this thread "act like nothing happened".
With NIL these kids are becoming professional athletes and are fair game. College and high school players wanted money and are now getting which is great but you can’t have it both ways.
While I didn't find it clever or funny, he is a kid and he apologized. I applaud him for that. What got me was the adults laughing when it happened. But I do agree in the grand scheme of things it is not a big deal.
In the grand scheme of things, very little that is discussed on this board is a big deal. Yet we still discuss it.
This is starting to border on comical. Would everyone be up in arms if this kid threw a Michigan hat? Or a Tennessee hat? If it was reversed and he had thrown a Nebraska hat and revealed he was going to U of I you guys would be talking about what a legend he is.
I am pretty sure Matt Rhule was disappointed when he saw this all play out too. Doesn't matter the program, it is not a good look. I would think there would be more people up in arms if a program with the eyeballs of Michigan was the hat picked up and tossed aside. Wouldn't want the program I follow to be full of guys who enjoy or defend that behavior.
I know there are a good number of guys who do it, but you have to populate your program with guys to keep those guys in check. And it takes a rare talent to want your QB to be that guy. Maybe Manziel and a few others.
That said, the apology is important and if lessons were learned, it can end up working out for everyone.
I can’t stand U of I and I would gather most people in this thread are indifferent towards the school but putting on the hat announcing you are going there is a step up from what is typically done.
