Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi is now in his third season as the quarterback under coach Jay Norvell at Colorado State football. Reports suggest Fowler-Nicolosi received a significant offer to enter the transfer portal with Norvell accusing Kansas State football of tampering with their starting quarterback.
During his press conference at Mountain West media day in Las Vegas, Norvell revealed that there were alleged tampering incidents involving receiver Tory Horton and Fowler-Nicolosi. Specifically, Fowler-Nicolosi was reportedly approached by Kansas State during the offseason.
Jay Norvell revealing Kansas State's 600K offer
“He said a guy from Kansas State called him, offered him $600k because they lost their quarterback, if he got in the portal. And I’m not accusing Kansas State of anything. I’m just telling you what the kid told me,” said Colorado State football coach Jay Norvell.
Norvell stressed that he is not directly accusing Kansas State of tampering but rather sharing what his player disclosed to him, underscoring a larger issue in college football.
Jay Norvell also mentioned that wide receiver Tory Horton also informed him about multiple schools reaching out to him during the offseason.
“It’s really important that you have an open line of communication with your players, and Tory just tells me. ‘Hey, this guy just called me last night and asked me this and offered me,’ Norvell said.
Norvell also mentioned that Texas A&M football and Mississippi football were involved in attempting to lure those players away with comparable offers.
This kind of activity is probably quite common in today's college sports landscape. However, it's widely understood that teams often use middle men to contact players and gauge their interest.
Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi last season
Fowler-Nicolosi had a standout freshman campaign with the Rams, tallying 3,640 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns. He also threw 16 interceptions during the season, resulting in a 132.6 passer rating.
His performance earned him All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention recognition, leading the conference in total offense.
Despite his individual achievements, Colorado State ended the year with a 5–7 record, falling short of bowl eligibility for the sixth consecutive season.
Kansas State football roster moves
Kansas State faced the challenge of replacing quarterback Will Howard, who transferred to Ohio State during the offseason. Howard notched over 5,700 passing yards, 48 passing touchdowns, and 19 rushing touchdowns during his four seasons with the Wildcats.
Will Howard's departure to Ohio State did create a gap on Kansas State's quarterback depth chart, albeit in the backup position. The question remains whether the Wildcats would be willing to invest heavily in securing a backup quarterback.
Chris Klieman, Kansas State head coach is likely to entrust sophomore Avery Johnson with the starting quarterback position. Johnson, a highly rated recruit and former Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year in high school, is poised to take over this season.
The Wildcats also secured Ta'Quan Roberson from Connecticut, reportedly under a more modest NIL deal. He is now slated to serve as the backup quarterback for the upcoming season.
Changes in NIL arrangements
NIL arrangements are on a steady rise in value, with suggestions that players from Colorado State could potentially receive offers reaching up to $600,000 from teams in the Big 12 or SEC.
The specific events surrounding these arrangements remain ambiguous, but the Colorado State head coach openly and bravely referenced certain programs during his statements.
Norvell’s statements contribute to ongoing concerns about fair play and recruiting practices within the NCAA.
Follow Us
Subscribe