Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule is potentially on the verge of making a big splash in the transfer portal.
Former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord had an official visit in Lincoln on Friday and, according to CornhuskersWire, received a scholarship offer. On3 has McCord joining Nebraska as a certainty, with its transfer portal predictor giving the Cornhuskers a 100 percent chance of landing the former Buckeye.
The addition would be massive for Nebraska in Rhule’s second offseason. This year, McCord was 229-of-348 (65.8 percent) for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions, leading Ohio State to an 11-1 record.
He won’t benefit from playing alongside Heisman Trophy finalist Marvin Harrison Jr. at Nebraska, but he’s an obvious upgrade over what Rhule worked with in his first season in Lincoln.
Nebraska (5-7, 3-6 in Big Ten) failed to qualify for a bowl game after losing its last four games by a combined 16 points. It led the country in turnovers per game (2.6) and was 127th in interceptions (1.3 per game).
The Cornhuskers rotated through Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims and sophomores Heinrich Haarberg and Chubba Purdy, who went a combined 136-of-261 (52.1 percent) for 1,631 yards, 10 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
If Rhule’s comments earlier this year about the price of a transfer quarterback are to be believed ($1 million at the minimum), adding McCord will not only be costly but add pressure on Rhule to win big in 2024.
Nebraska hasn’t appeared in a bowl game since 2016, the longest drought in FBS. The Big Ten adds Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington next season, with the Cornhuskers hosting UCLA and traveling to USC in November.
A couple of other dates to circle on the 2024 calendar are the season opener at home against Colorado, which could be a much better game than this year’s 36-14 Buffaloes blowout with the upgrade at quarterback McCord should provide, as well as a trip to Columbus on Oct. 26 against Ohio State.
