Thoughts on Chief Borders entering transfer portal

Nebraska football has had among the fewest transfer portal departures this offseason, but the Huskers suffered their first true transfer this spring as Chief Borders announced he was going to the portal on Monday.

It’s a surprise since Matt Rhule talked about Borders recently and called him one of the most improved players for Nebraska football this spring. Yet, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound EDGE/Jack, is the first player on the spring roster to leave the team.

The spring transfer portal window will be open for one more day. It closes after Tuesday, although it can take a couple of days before the paperwork gets finalized. Borders wasn’t expected to start for the Huskers this season but he’s a solid depth piece who will go somewhere else.

Here are some thoughts

Transfer portal departures are par for the course

You don’t want to lose a good football player. Borders played 12 games last season but he wasn’t what I would call an impact player. He’s a former four-star recruit though and has talent. He’s also been a great part of the locker room, by all accounts, since his arrival.

To me, this feels like someone tampered with. Rhule talked up Borders and in hindsight, maybe he shouldn’t have done that. However, that’s just who Rhule is. He’s kind of an open book. I love that about him and the players to do.

Other teams tried to get Thomas Fidone to leave too. Yet, Fidone is sticking with Nebraska football. He’s also starting and Borders is likely going to look for a starting job somewhere else.

My guess is that he’ll find a home soon. He might already have an idea of where he’s going and I don’t mean to sound bitter — I’m not — it’s just the way the game is usually played.

Tampering is out of control. Maybe it didn’t play a role here but it likely did, because some team needs another EDGE/LB and Borders is probably better than most of the other options.

As far as Nebraska, he would have played. But he likely wouldn’t have been more than a part-time player. Still, the Huskers now have less depth, although, at EDGE/Jack, I’m not overly concerned.