Matt Rhule defends Nebraska player who surprised everyone by entering portal
Nebraska punter Jack McCallister entered the transfer portal on Wednesday, but Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule wanted to make it crystal clear the type of guy McCallister is.
In the world of college sports nowadays, seeing players transfer to other schools seems like a normal Tuesday, but seeing players transfer to one school in one portal window and then transfer again in the next portal window is a bit more rare. It certainly still happens, but not quite as often, but it seems to have happened for Nebraska punter Jack McCallister.
After transferring to the Cornhuskers in the winter transfer portal window, McCallister announced on Wednesday that he would be entering the portal again in the spring window. While many people come down on athletes who seem to jump from program to program like this, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule made sure to dispel any of those thoughts and feelings when it came to McCallister.
Matt Rhule defends and supports punter Jack McCallister’s reasons for entering the transfer portal
Rhule met with the media on Wednesday to talk about spring practices, and when asked about transfer portal players, he made sure to talk about one in particular. After stating that he never really talks about players going into the portal, he would make an exception about McCallister on that particular day.
Nebraska made a coaching change in the offseason to help with special teams and chose to bring in Mike Ekeler to replace Ed Foley. Rhule stated that Ekeler strongly advises using the college rules when it comes to punts and getting down the field, which means playing more of a rugby style on punts.
Throughout spring practices, the Cornhuskers have practiced both rugby-style punts and traditional punts, McCallister’s specialty, but at this point in spring practices, Rhule and Ekeler have decided to move more towards the rugby-style punts.
For McCallister, this means that he would not be utilized as much for Nebraska and Rhule, when meeting with the young punter, even told McCallister that if he wants to play at the next level, he may want to try the portal again, although he was welcome to stay.
McCallister asked to stay at practices, but ended up posting on social media he would be entering the transfer portal again and Rhule wanted to make one thing clear about who McCallister is.
“I know he posted something on social media, and I know when that happens, immediately there is ‘why would you ever want to leave here, ‘” Rhule said. “I just want to be very clear that this is a young man that I feel very terrible about the circumstances.”
Rhule clearly feels horrible that this is how the situation ended up, but also made it very clear that when he met with McCallister, he was incredibly professional and loved everything at Nebraska, but felt his best choice was to go elsewhere. Rhule even said McCallister would have a place on the team if he couldn’t find another school, but truly doesn’t feel good about the situation that McCallister was put in.
The Nebraska head coach even went as far as hoping his kids one day grow up to have the character that McCallister does, which means incredible volumes as to how Rhule sees this young man.Â
