I managed to trade texts with a transferring player today. He agreed to talk to me anonymously. He didn't answer all of my questions, but he still shed a lot of light on the situation. He didn't want to comment on any other player's situation other than his own, which I thought was fair.
First of all, he said that the sky isn't falling in Evanston. Fans don't have anything to worry about regarding the future of the Wildcat program.
"NU is a great place and one I’m proud to have called home," he said. "The program will be just fine."
He said that part of the reason for the mass exodus is the new reality of college football, with liberal transfer rules. Another source said the same thing, calling it "the new reality of these times." A third told me that all but Eku Leota's decision was expected and didn't come as a surprise to most people in the program.
However, the player I spoke to went a step further, saying that it was that, but also more.
"I believe (the new reality) plays a part, but so does the year we are having with COVID, racial injustice, amongst other things," he said. "Guys are just looking for the best place to be happy and accomplish their dreams. Sometimes when you’re 17 trying to decide a decision that could/will very well determine the rest of your future, it’s hard and you don’t always choose right. Sometimes things change."
Obviously, he didn't feel like Northwestern was the best place for him anymore.
I asked a series of questions about how much of his decision had to do with football (playing time, utilization, systems, etc.) and how much could be attributed to other things. He didn't feel comfortable answering all of those questions, but he did say that something that was telling. "I would prefer to be closer to home if that’s possible," he stated.
In this day and age, that's certainly an understandable sentiment.
First of all, he said that the sky isn't falling in Evanston. Fans don't have anything to worry about regarding the future of the Wildcat program.
"NU is a great place and one I’m proud to have called home," he said. "The program will be just fine."
He said that part of the reason for the mass exodus is the new reality of college football, with liberal transfer rules. Another source said the same thing, calling it "the new reality of these times." A third told me that all but Eku Leota's decision was expected and didn't come as a surprise to most people in the program.
However, the player I spoke to went a step further, saying that it was that, but also more.
"I believe (the new reality) plays a part, but so does the year we are having with COVID, racial injustice, amongst other things," he said. "Guys are just looking for the best place to be happy and accomplish their dreams. Sometimes when you’re 17 trying to decide a decision that could/will very well determine the rest of your future, it’s hard and you don’t always choose right. Sometimes things change."
Obviously, he didn't feel like Northwestern was the best place for him anymore.
I asked a series of questions about how much of his decision had to do with football (playing time, utilization, systems, etc.) and how much could be attributed to other things. He didn't feel comfortable answering all of those questions, but he did say that something that was telling. "I would prefer to be closer to home if that’s possible," he stated.
In this day and age, that's certainly an understandable sentiment.
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