Chase Herbstreit: Loser

Site Disclaimer: In the past, we were loathe to criticize college kids...until they started to collect piles of NIL money.

Earlier this year, one of Ohio State's most visible alumni, Kirk Herbstreit, congratulated his son Chase for signing with Michigan. We were pissed, but we're not the typical rabid OSU fan, we were stunned that the Senior Herbstreit allowed his kid to get used for publicity. From Beacon of Speech earlier this year:

"Really, as on Ohio State Alum, your kid could have gone to any of 132 FCS or 128 FBS schools. The only school you couldn't send your kid to is Michigan. It's not a hard concept. Choosing one of the 260 other schools SHOULDN'T have been a problem.

Now you are saying that the Ohio State-Michigan game is nothing but a stupid rivalry and Herbstreit's Kid should be able to go to any college that he wants? I would have listened to that argument IF Michigan could have offered a better deal for the Herbstreit Student than any other college in America. You don't begrudge a student a premium opportunity for his future.

But that's not what Michigan is offering. Michigan signed the # 1 High School recruit in the entire nation, Bryce Underwood, to come play quarterback for the Wolverines. If Chase Herbstreit, the 2,413th best recruit in the nation, the 148th best quarterback, wanted a chance to play within the next 3 years, Michigan was literally the WORST school he could have signed with.

If Herbstreit worked hard and studied his playbook, he could have gotten that full-ride scholarship at somewhere like Bowling Green or Middle Tennessee and played as soon as next season. (And probably made a little NIL money on the side.)"

But let me be clear, I've been wrong before. So when Michigan played Oklahoma yesterday, I went to OurLads to see where Chase was on the depth chart. At the end of the day, a backup quarterback is only one injury away from playing.

Uh, he's not on the depth chart.

Maybe he unenrolled?

Nope, he's still on the roster. There are 6 quarterbacks on the Michigan roster, meaning Young Chase is either 5th or 6th on the depth chart.

How much did Michigan pay for a, giving the benefit of the doubt, 5th string QB?

The Herbstreit Family doesn't have to tell you.

Well then how do all these million dollar NIL deals hit the press? Because, according to AI, "There's no single "average NIL deal" for college football because deals vary drastically, but the broad average for student-athletes ranges from $1,000 to $10,000, with top athletes in high-profile sports potentially earning millions."

Apparently most deals under $10,000 aren't released for public consumption.

So Chase took, 5 figures, to essentially embarrass his Dad's School in the recruiting wars? In order sit at the end of the bench, getting splinters in his ass, instead of playing, right now, at a MAC school?

The 2025 Michigan Wolverines quarterback room is far from the Miami Hurricanes QB room.

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You say I'm the worst kind of Ohio State honk?

I hate to tell you....

Back in the Fall of 2014, local North Ridgeville product DeMario McCall had, arguably the best season of a Ranger over the past 50 years. The Junior signed a scholarship deal with Ohio State that offseason, then was dogged by minor injuries his senior year in high school and his freshman year in college.

In 2017, we questioned if McCall wouldn't have been better served to transfer to a MAC School. (In his case, specifically Kent State). In 2021, McCall finished his 6 year Ohio State career with 565 yards rushing. Then McCall kind of disappeared, until last month:

• Former North Ridgeville, Ohio State football standout Demario McCall facing 3rd felony drug case in a year

• Former North Ridgeville football star Demario McCall to get prison term for trafficking drugs

Apparently, next week, McCall is facing a 7-10 year sentence in prison for dealing drugs.

Many (male) fans I know would rather ride the bench at a big school, than play at a small school. I will never understand that mentality. If you're good at football, and play in Division I, the NFL will find you.

Ohio State is a meatgrinder, where the chances of your kid being the next Maurice Clarett are probably better than being the next C. J. Stroud. But both Michigan and Ohio State sell the mystique that their colleges are the clearest path to the NFL, at least in the Midwest.

Demario McCall, nor Maurice Clarett, ever made any NIL money.

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