Scott Frost, Nebraska working on Noah Vedral’s eligibility in wake of Tristan Gebbia’s transfer
LINCOLN — Nebraska made quarterback Tristan Gebbia’s transfer official Tuesday morning. Later, on the Big Ten teleconference, coach Scott Frost told reporters that the Huskers continue to work on Noah Vedral gaining eligibility this season with an NCAA waiver.
Vedral told the media early this month that he’d forgo a petition to the NCAA and sit out his mandated year after transferring from Central Florida. But Frost said Tuesday that Nebraska is working on getting that year for Vedral, who didn’t compete for the starting quarterback job this fall and didn’t take any snaps with the top units. He still has a redshirt year left — which would be taken up by sitting out this season. Were he immediately eligible, the redshirt season could still be preserved if he plays in four or fewer games.
Frost said he just hopes for fair treatment as the NCAA evaluates waiver requests. Vedral left UCF to be closer to home and follow Frost and because he wasn’t going to start for the Knights, who have two-year starter McKenzie Milton returning for his junior year.
Frost said Nebraska would have managed its quarterback situation differently had it known Gebbia would leave a week before the opener. Frost said there was no changing Gebbia’s mind on transferring, either.
“I really hope college football doesn’t become transfer mania,” Frost said. “It’s hard to manage as a coach.”
Frost said he understood, though, that Gebbia was making the right decision for himself. Frost was a transfer, too — he left Stanford for Nebraska. Vedral left UCF for Nebraska. NU’s starting safety, Tre Neal, left UCF for Nebraska, too.
The Huskers won’t be able to add a new quarterback to the roster, so the backup appears to be walk-on Andrew Bunch, a sophomore from Tennessee who spent a season at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College. Frost said Bunch is a good athlete with a good arm who did good things in practice, though not quite as well as Martinez and Gebbia. Matt Masker, a freshman walk-on from Kearney Catholic, is No. 3.