Jeff Sims reacts to Zavier Betts leaving Nebraska

Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Jeff Sims, like many others, was surprised to hear the news that wide receiver Zavier Betts decided to leave the program. At the same time, he thinks that it’s important for everyone to continue to support Betts in his own journey.

Amid Fall Camp, Sims shared his reaction to Betts leaving the program.

“There’s not really much — we didn’t like it,” Jeff Sims said. “But, we’ve got to respect his decision and hope that he made the best decision for himself.”

For many covering the program, the news that Betts was leaving came as a surprise. He had worked hard to get to this point after leaving the team in the spring of 2022. He ultimately returned to the team after spending some time in the transfer portal.

“We all love Zavier and we’re going to continue to love him. So, we just got to respect his decision and hope he succeeds,” Jeff Sims concluded.

If this is the end of Bett’s career at Nebraska, then it will be hard to call in anything other than a disappointment on the field. A four-star recruit in the 2020 cycle, Betts was the 106th-ranked prospect overall in his class. He played in 18 games and had 32 receptions for 417 yards and a touchdown. However, he hasn’t seen the field since 2021.

For his part, Jeff Sims transferred into the program from Georgia Tech. Head coach Matt Rhule hopes that he can spark the offense during the first season of his rebuild.

Matt Rhule on Zavier Betts leaving the program

Last week, after speaking to Zavier Betts about his decision to leave the program, Matt Rhule announced his decision.

“On a personnel note, Zavier Betts has left the team. Came to me and just said, ‘Hey, Coach, my heart’s not in it,'” Rhule said. “Very, very, very proud of Zavier for what he’s done as a person, getting eligible. I think he intends to stay in school, work to graduate. Obviously, as I told him, disappointed in the timing but what we ask people to do is hard and if their heart’s not in it, we certainly understand.”

Zavier Betts was expected to be a contributor in a rotation of wide receivers for Nebraska this season. So, this is a blow to the offense. In his place, receivers like Billy Kemp and Marcus Washington will likely need to step up to help Jeff Sims and the offense.