Former Nebraska football quarterback proves he may not be the answer

With Jeff Sims struggling badly, some have lamented the Nebraska football team losing Casey Thompson, but he’s had some struggles recently as well.

The grass is always greener with the other quarterback. It’s a truism that football fans around the world are familiar with. When a player struggles, it takes no time at all for fans to call for the backup.

Nebraska football fans are certainly doing that. Despite the Huskers’ backups being Heinrich Haarberg and Chubba Purdy. One guy had never played in a college football game before the fourth quarter of the disaster in Boulder. The other played just enough last year to show that he still had some developing to do.

That’s why for quite a few Nebraska football fans the desire to see another quarterback under center for the Huskers has turned into wistful longing for the one who got away.

There was a time when Casey Thompson was thought to be entering into a showdown for the starting quarterback job with Jeff Sims. Then he left the program and hooked up with his old coach.

In his first game with Florida Atlantic, Thompson looked every bit the part of a quarterback who could have certainly helped the Huskers’ offense. His second game, however, looked an awful lot like the quarterback Matt Rhule and company already have.

Former Nebraska football star struggles for new team

Against FCS-level Monmouth, Thompson threw 5 touchdowns and one interception, he also completed 20 of 25 passes for 280 yards. Solid numbers, but it was absolutely against a lower-level opponent.

Ohio University is far from a juggernaut. Still, the post-Frank Solich Bobcats’ defense was able to shut Thompson down to the tune of just 180 yards passing, zero touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.

The Owls also lost 17-10. That’s the kind of offensive slump the Huskers have seen under Jeff Sims. And Sims, at least, has been playing against very good competition.

There is, of course, no guarantee that Thompson would be either better or worse for the Nebraska football team. The lesson here is that even if the often-transferred player had stuck around, he isn’t guaranteed to be the solution.