Witt to transfer to Yale, says Bo 'has been great'

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Football: Witt to transfer to Yale, says Bo 'has been great'

BY MITCH SHERMAN

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

 

LINCOLN - Former Nebraska quarterback Patrick Witt is transferring to Yale.

 

Witt, expected to compete with Zac Lee for the starting position after serving as Joe Ganz's top backup a year ago, left the Huskers two months ago before spring practice.

 

In his absence, Lee solidified the top spot.

 

Witt remained in school at NU this semester. Classes end next week with final exams. He will be eligible to play next fall as a third-year sophomore at Yale, an Ivy League school with Division I-AA classification.

 

Witt on Tuesday praised Nebraska coach Bo Pelini for his handling of the situation.

 

"Obviously, he wanted me to stay and tried to talk me out of it," Wit said, "but at the same time he understood. I can't say enough about him. He's been great through the whole thing."

 

So why leave?

 

It had more to do with academics than football, said Witt, a 4.0 student. In addition to Yale, he visited Duke and South Carolina this spring and considered UCLA.

 

"It was something that I had started to think about awhile ago," Witt said. "To be fair to (Pelini) and fair to the team, I didn't want this to happen after we finished spring practice."

 

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Wit played in five games last season. He completed 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards and rushed for a touchdown. Witt replaced an injured Ganz in the Gator Bowl for one play and was ruled to have committed a key turnover, but replay overturned his fumble in the fourth quarter of Nebraska's 26-21 win over Clemson.

 

He came to Nebraska from Wylie (Texas) High School in the spring of 2007 and redshirted that fall behind Ganz and Sam Keller.

 

Witt released a statement to The World-Herald, praising his teammates, NU fans, Pelini, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Academics Dennis Leblanc and his staff.

 

"I am indebted to (Pelini) for his support and for all the help he has provided me during this transition," Witt said in the statement. "I am confident that the Husker football program will enjoy much success in the seasons to come under his leadership.

 

"Growing up, playing Division I college football was a dream of mine, and I am thankful to have been able to do just that as a Nebraska Cornhusker."

 

Witt denied speculation that he made demands to Pelini about playing time or requested that NU name a starting QB in the spring.

 

"It was hard for me to sit by and listen to things that were made up," Witt said. "It was all conspiracy theories, things that just were not true."

 

He said he talked to Pelini on Monday about his decision and that the coach expressed happiness for him.

 

Witt's brother, Jeff, is set to graduate from Harvard in June. Jeff Witt played quarterback at Harvard in 2005 and 2006 before a shoulder injury ended his career. Patrick attended a Harvard-Yale game with his brother at the Yale Bowl in 2005, a season Jeff Witt sat out as a redshirt. It was the younger Witt's only visit to the New Haven, Conn., campus until this spring.

 

"The tradition that the university has is remarkable," Patrick Witt said.

 

Patrick's move figures to intensify the rivalry between brothers.

 

"It's already started," Patrick said, "but everybody knows Yale's better than Harvard, anyway."

 

LINK

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This topic got posted twice on accident by me. So can a mod delete the other one, please?

[huskerpilot]

I don't know what to believe anymore. All I know is I never wanted him to be the starter anyway, so no complaints from me.

[Fuzzy]

So he felt that couldnt get a good enough education at NU then, huh?

 

Smart of him to go to a Division 2 team, that way he wont be on the opposite side of SUHHHHH! haha just kidding.

 

Good Luck Witt.

[Husker_x]

I wish Patrick the best. It's a shame he won't be around––we could use the depth––but if he realizes that the NFL is not in his future and academics are what he wants to pursue, one can't fault him for that. Everyone has to make hard choices in life.

[zoogs]

So he felt that couldnt get a good enough education at NU then, huh?

 

Smart of him to go to a Division 2 team, that way he wont be on the opposite side of SUHHHHH! haha just kidding.

 

Good Luck Witt.

 

NU and Yale, you kiddin' me?

 

Good luck Pat!

[Enhance]

Was he still "technically" considered a player on NU's roster even during spring?

 

The reason I ask is this. All the football players (and other sports athletes) are given a little I.D badge that they hang from their backpacks, and Witt has been walking around campus with his still attached (even through spring drills and after).

 

If he is still technically considered part of the football team (up until this official transfer), then I could see him hanging onto it. But if he knew he was leaving/was officially removed from the roster, seems a little crazy to keep it attached like he is actually part of the team still.

[hack]

off topic, but one of the greatest exchanges of insults i ever heard was between ben stein (yale grad) and al frankin (harvard grad).

 

i'm not a fan of frankin, but he managed to hit stein right where it hurt. he looked and stein and blurted, " YALE WAS MY FALL BACK SCHOOL!"

 

needless to say, it was on after that.

[rkhufu7]

off topic, but one of the greatest exchanges of insults i ever heard was between ben stein (yale grad) and al frankin (harvard grad).

 

i'm not a fan of frankin, but he managed to hit stein right where it hurt. he looked and stein and blurted, " YALE WAS MY FALL BACK SCHOOL!"

 

needless to say, it was on after that.

He wants to make sure he gets PAID$$$$ after college/football and IVY LEAGUE=$$$$ with a law or medical degree for sure.

[no_name_needed_2001]

I didn't like it at first...but I can totally understand why he would want to do this now. Yale is obviously a top-tier academic powerhouse and honestly if you can be admitted there, you should probably go. Best wishes to Witt

[huskerbatt52]

Was he still "technically" considered a player on NU's roster even during spring?

 

The reason I ask is this. All the football players (and other sports athletes) are given a little I.D badge that they hang from their backpacks, and Witt has been walking around campus with his still attached (even through spring drills and after).

 

If he is still technically considered part of the football team (up until this official transfer), then I could see him hanging onto it. But if he knew he was leaving/was officially removed from the roster, seems a little crazy to keep it attached like he is actually part of the team still.

 

 

Who cares?

[MidtownJK]

His press release seems pretty classy assuming he is sincere. This is a huge step up for him there is no comparing the opportunities Yale offers versus UNL. A Yale degree versus playing football for UNL - Yale wins every time. Good for him.

[C N Red]

Kind of what I figured when I heard he was transferring out. However, I would have been pissed if he chose UCLA or South Carolina because I don't feel they are any better academically than UNL. I wouldn't have liked him going to Duke, just because I hate Duke(longtime UNC bball fan), but academics are better and admissions to prestigoious law/med schools easier from there. But Yale, no arguing, you can't argue that one!

[caveman99]

Wow, such a different feel from the previous posts on this board about Witt leaving. Amazing what a nice presser will do for a young man.

[HuskerEric]

Yale. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/foot...e.ap/index.html