With Nebraska’s season at an end, offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield and the rest of the Cornhusker coaching staff have plenty of questions to answer at the quarterback position. Luckily, the transfer portal gives the Huskers plenty of options to choose from. Let’s take a look at who the top candidates are for a Nebraska transfer QB.
A Solid Dual Threat Option
In his senior season at Holy Cross, quarterback Matthew Sluka was a standout for offensive coordinator Chris Smith. By having a 61% completion percentage, he was able to pass for 1,723 yards as well as 20 touchdowns. Furthermore, Sulka also displayed his rushing prowess with the football. In total, the signal-caller was able to rush for an impressive 662 yards. But even more impressive was the fact that half of those yards came from one game. Against the Lafayette Leopards, he was able to rush for 330 yards and three touchdowns. With that type of production, Satterfield and the Cornhuskers should pursue Sulka and his abilities. They have the connections to make this happen. Cornhusker running backs coach EJ Barthel follows him on social media, which means that head coach Matt Rhule should know about him. But there is still a legitimate concern that he won’t adapt to the Big Ten Conference. After all, the Patriot League doesn’t have Oregon, Washington, and UCLA as their opponents.
Big 12 Gunslinger
For the Huskers, Nate Johnson presents an intriguing option as a potential Nebraska transfer QB. In his limited appearances as a backup freshman with the Utah Utes, he finished the 2023 season by completing 54% of his passes. This led him to throw it for 499 yards while passing it for 12 touchdowns. However, one of his major weaknesses is his running ability. On just 42 carries, the California native only rushed for 158 yards throughout the season. This is a concern, as Nebraska’s coaching staff ran an offense that used the option in every game this year. Because of this, Johnson would always have the option of learning NU’s offense. However, his small sample size might make him a backup in Satterfield’s offense at first. But, if he was developed properly, Johnson could be the starter.
Another Baylor Player To NU?
For Satterfield, Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen should be one of the top options for Nebraska’s transfer QB candidacy. As a junior for the Bears, he passed for an impressive 2,188 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also had three turnovers all year. This is an impressive stat for a Cornhuskers QB room that has constantly struggled with turnovers. But the most important victory if they end up landing his services? Cornhuskers head coach Rhule can spend his energy developing incoming Husker quarterback Daniel Kaelin. If sophomore quarterback Chubba Purdy ends up staying with the program, he can be more accurate with the football. It seems like a good situation for the Huskers. Remember, we’ve seen it before with transfer wideout Josh Fleeks. Could it happen again with Shapen?
Read more about Chubba Purdy’s turnover issues in The Top Storylines From Nebraska vs Iowa
From A Wildcat To A Cornhusker
The most experienced quarterback on this wish list is senior quarterback Will Howard. Under Kansas State offensive coordinator Collin Klein, he was part of a balanced attack that allowed him to pass for 2,643 yards along with 24 touchdowns. And in the running game, sophomore DJ Giddens got it done as well. Out of 195 carries as a part of the Wildcat offense, Howard rushed for 1,075 yards and nine touchdowns. This bodes well for NU, who had a similar offense with freshman running back Emmett Johnson. For the Huskers, this couldn’t be a better choice heading into the offseason. But can Nebraska’s coaching staff land him? They have connections with Howard being the former teammate of ex-Husker quarterback Adrian Martinez. He can certainly help out because he is a current business intern in Lincoln. Because of this, he can help Rhule and the rest of the coaching staff attack the portal. But will they go along with this? The coaching staff don’t know their dynamic under head coach Chris Klieman. And they have no connections to the school. Does this stop the program from exploring this option, or will they go after him regardless?
