4/12/2018 football Edit

O'Brien granted his scholarship release

Sean Callahan • InsideNebraska

Publisher

Sean Callahan has worked with Rivals.com since 2000, and has been the Publisher of HuskerOnline since 2007. He also reports for KETV Channel 7 in Omaha, NET's Big Red Wrap-Up and KFAB Radio in Omaha.

Almost everybody had a good idea at least one of Nebraska's quarterbacks would probably leave the program after spring practice, and the first domino officially fell this week.

Sophomore NU quarterback Patrick O'Brien announced he is leaving the Husker football program and has received a scholarship release from head coach Scott Frost. The news of the release was confirmed to HuskerOnline by a Nebraska football official following Thursday's practice.

The 6-foot-4, 230 pound O'Brien saw action in four games last season but appeared to be the odd man out in Frost's new offensive system. In 2016 he redshirted behind Tommy Armstrong, and in 2017 he was the back-up to Tanner Lee. He found himself this spring in a tightly contested battle with redshirt freshman Tristan Gebbia, sophomore Andrew Bunch, freshman Adrian Martinez and UCF transfer Noah Vedral.

The San Juan Capistrano, Calif. native completed 18-of-30 passes in his career for 192 yards. Out of high school, O'Brien also had Power 5 offers from Colorado and Texas Tech.

It's unknown where O'Brien will end up, but he's got at least two ties to former coaches now on the west coast.

Former Nebraska head coach Mike Riley is now back at Oregon State as an assistant, while former NU Director of Player Personnel Ryan Gunderson is the quarterback's coach at San Joes State.