LINCOLN — Greg McMullen's leave of absence from the Nebraska football program turned into the end of his Husker football career, as NU coach Mike Riley announced after Saturday’s spring game that the fifth-year defensive lineman decided he would not be playing football at NU.
It's another major depth hit to a defensive line that's already been hurt, over many years, by poor recruiting, defections, injuries and early declarations for the NFL Draft. Add McMullen's desire to retire from the game to the list. McMullen informed the team before the game that he was leaving the football to focus on his graduate degree and mentoring youth in the area. He had been on a leave of absence for more than a week.
"Since he got his degree, he wants to go on with his life," Riley said of McMullen, a 6-foot-5, 300-pound senior who played in 37 games and started every game in 2014 and 2015 at defensive end. "He's made a decision not to play football anymore...he's really got a vision about where he wants to go and what he wants to do, and I'm really proud of him in a lot of ways in what he has done here for this school and this team. Saying that, we'll miss him."
McMullen had moved to defensive tackle this spring and performed well through the first few weeks of camp. Although players said McMullen told the team of his decision before the spring game, defensive coordinator Mark Banker didn't know that McMullen had left the program.
"What has he done and what's his decision?" Banker asked reporters when asked him about McMullen. After reporters told him what Riley had said, Banker responded "to be perfectly honest with you, I haven't had a conversation with him and that was news to me as far as any kind of decision."
Linebacker Josh Banderas said he'd miss McMullen, but the team understood why he made his decision.
"Everyone loves Greg and we're going to be friends until the day we die," Banderas said. "He's got to do what's good for him, like all of us."
Said safety Nate Gerry: ““It’s going to be tough for the team because Greg is one of those senior leaders that everyone looks up to as a good role model to everyone on the team. He’s a veteran player that when you get down in the fourth quarter, you can count on him.”
Williams' career is littered with injuries; he missed two whole seasons with knee ligament tears, and had been granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA because of it.
He missed chunks of the 2015 season with a torn groin. He then missed 2016 spring with a wrist injury.
Last week, Cats Illustrated reported that Kentucky was a likely destination for Williams, whose former high school coach, Vince Marrow, is now an assistant for the Wildcats.
"I do not know where or what he’s thinking, but he’s looking for a different opportunity in the scheme of things of finding his spot to play," Riley said of Williams.
The departures of McMullen and Williams brings the number of defensive linemen who have left the Huskers since the end of the 2015 season with eligibility remaining to four. Shortly after the Foster Farms Bowl victory over UCLA, Maliek Collins and Vincent Valentine decided to forego their senior seasons and declare for the 2016 NFL Draft.
“It’s obviously not easy to lose four defensive tackles who all had eligibility to come back when you go back to Maliek and Vince, and now Greg who’s been playing inside, and Kevin,” Riley said. “You can’t hide from that, and that’s not necessarily a good thing.
“But you know I’m going to look at it half-full,” Riley said. “I’m really excited about the guys we have that are going to be coming back.”
The top players returning: Senior Kevin Maurice; sophomore Mick Stoltenberg — who missed spring with an injury — sophomore Peyton Newell and twin redshirt freshmen Carlos and Khalil Davis.
Maurice said he'll tell the younger players to “rely on everything” new defensive line coach John Parrella is telling them.
“Get two percent better every day,” Maurice said. “We have a bigger role now. We're just trying to get them ready. They play hard.”
Maurice said he plans on being the leader of the group. He's the only one with any significant experience. Only he and Stoltenberg have taken a meaningful snap in a college game.
“We're going to take the summer and get better every day,” Maurice said. “Being young, you're always going to have missed assignments. Once they get that, once they're in the right positions, they'll make great plays. They'll be good.”
Banker did not rule out looking for a graduate transfer, or a junior college defensive lineman who can join the program this summer, for immediate help.
“We would entertain that,” Banker said.
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