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In an era of bowl game opt-outs, Nebraska's seniors chose to finish the job

Robin Washut profile picby:Robin Washut•12/29/24•

RobinWashut

Nebraska football Pinstripe Bowl
Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule and players celebrate after the game against the Boston College Eagles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

NEW YORK – In an era of the NCAA transfer portal, NIL, and revenue sharing, college football players have more leverage than ever in dictating their careers.

That also includes players precautiously opting out of bowl games to focus on their eventual jumps to the NFL.

Boston College was one of many such examples leading up to Saturday’s Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs. Nebraska.

Roughly 24 hours before kickoff, Eagles’ head coach Bill O’Brien announced that two of his best players – All-American edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku and All-ACC tackle Ozzy Trapilo – would not play in the bowl game.

That trend has been frustrating and disappointing for college coaches and fans alike. However, there are plenty of other instances of outgoing seniors and draft prospects choosing to finish things out with their teammates.

Nebraska had several guys do just that on Saturday.

Ty Robinson, a potential Day 2 draft pick, could have gotten an early jump on preparing for the NFL. Instead, the sixth-year senior led all NU defensive linemen by playing 52 of 71 defensive snaps against BC.

That even included playing fullback on a critical fourth-and-one conversion in the final minutes that put the victory away.

“Just being here for six years, having that opportunity to come back and to finally – the goal was when we first got here was leave this place better than we found it,” Robinson said. “To start something new, to lay that foundation for the years to come.

“I think with today’s win, us older guys were able to do that for guys like Dylan (Raiola) to keep going and keep building up this program for the years.”

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Matt Rhule is ‘grateful’ for his seniors who stuck it out

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule coached the Carolina Panthers from 2020-22. He fully understands the decisions college players must make regarding the NFL.

Robinson, defensive lineman Nash Hutmacher, offensive lineman Bryce Benhart, safety DeShon Singleton, and receiver Jahmal Banks put their football futures on hold to finish what they started as Huskers.

For Rhule, that meant everything to his program’s culture.

“Just grateful to our players, our seniors,” Rhule said. “A lot of times we talk about who’s not playing or who decided to leave. I’m grateful for the guys who played, grateful for the guys who stayed. I told Ty Robinson, ‘I don’t think I’d play.’ I think he should be a first or second-round pick. And he was like, ‘I didn’t do all this to not play.’

“In a world where some guys don’t want to do it, those guys wanted to do it. And they wanted to be here, and we wanted to play, and we wanted to play well.”

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