Last Saturday, Garrett McGuire’s receiver room received a huge blow when Zavier Betts decided to transfer from the program. With 13 days remaining until the program’s season opener against Minnesota, what does this say about Nebraska’s wide receiver room?
The Exact Reason Behind the Zavier Betts Departure
When Betts left the program on August 12, head coach Matt Rhule said he was “Disappointed by the timing” of his announcement. This is because Betts was preparing to come back before the team’s season opener. But it seems that his heart wasn’t in it. On several occasions, the former Bellevue West wideout left the Huskers and then returned to the team. This happened once in the Spring of last year when he was a redshirt freshman. And in January of this year, he entered the transfer portal as a sophomore. At this point, there was little that the team could do to convince him to stay. Rhule said that Betts told him that once again his heart was not in it. Rhule said he anticipates Betts staying enrolled at Nebraska and continuing his education.
Is Josh Fleeks The Next Man Up?
With Betts leaving, there is no doubt that McGuire will rely upon Virginia transfer Billy Kemp IV and Isaiah-Garcia Castaneda as the primary receivers that will try to fill the void in Marcus Satterfield’s offense this season. The only looming question for him to answer is what will happen with Baylor veteran transfer Josh Fleeks. Even though the coaching staff is aware of his talent, he was disciplined at the start of Fall camp because of weight issues. But now that this is in order, it seems that he will be one of the focal points of the offense. According to McGuire’s time with the media, this is shown because he shown his ability on multiple occasions to be “so dynamic with the football.” The only thing that the coaches want him to work on is how he chooses to attack the mental side of the game by learning concepts and plays.
A Bright Future Ahead?
Throughout his high school career as a Lincoln East Knight, Malachi Coleman has been a playmaker. This was identified when he hauled in 17 passes for 561 yards and ten touchdowns. As a result of this showing, it made him one of the better wide receivers in this year’s recruiting class. But can he continue his ascent under Rhule? There are plenty of signs that he can execute well in the new system. But there are still major concerns if he can outshine other veteran talents that have more experience on the roster. Then there’s sophomore walk-on Alex Bullock. He’s not usually someone who the coaching staff has pushed to start right away at the position. But the career special teams man makes a pretty good case for it by his work ethic. Specifically in his press conference on August 14, McGuire said this is because he is “Consistent and disciplined” in practice. Another bonus, according to McGuire, is that he is in line, “With the style of football that they want to play” going forward. This makes him a great candidate for more playing time in the future.
Read more about Malachi Coleman here: https://sportseventsguide.com/collegefootball/2023/07/24/nebraska-commits-who-can-play-early/
A Brief Update on Marcus Washington’s Status
As the second option beside Trey Palmer, Washington was electric for the Cornhuskers last season. Even though he didn’t have many touchdowns, he eased the burden off Casey Thompson when he caught 31 passes for 471 yards. As we turn the corner into 2023, he had the making of a major weapon in Satterfield’s offense. However, he missed the end of the fall camp when he suffered a broken bone in his hand. According to Hail Varsity, McGuire is impressed with how hard he has worked to get back on the field. But will his recovery impact his ability to be an effective threat in the slot? We’ll see in a few weeks, but it looks as though he’s ready to go.
Photo courtesy: Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
