Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi is entering his third season as quarterback under coach Jay Norvell at Colorado State football. Reports indicate he received a substantial offer to enter the transfer portal, with Norvell suggesting Kansas State football tampered with their starting quarterback.
During a press conference at Mountain West media day in Las Vegas, Norvell disclosed alleged tampering incidents involving receiver Tory Horton and Fowler-Nicolosi. Specifically, Fowler-Nicolosi reportedly had contact with Kansas State during the offseason.
CSU head coach Jay Norvell says QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi received a $600k offer from Kansas State to enter the Transfer Portal👀
"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… pic.twitter.com/RL6fppUFpA
— On3 (@On3sports) July 12, 2024
“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 Norvell.
Norvell clarified that he is not directly accusing Kansas State of tampering but is relaying what his player informed him, highlighting broader issues in college football.
Norvell also mentioned wide receiver Tory Horton informed him about multiple schools reaching out to him in 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 indicated Texas A&M and Mississippi football were involved in similar attempts to lure away players with comparable offers.
Such activities are common in today’s college sports landscape, often involving intermediaries contacting players to gauge their interest.
Fowler-Nicolosi had an impressive freshman year with the Rams, amassing 3,640 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns but also throwing 16 interceptions. He earned All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention recognition and led the conference in total offense.
Despite his achievements, Colorado State finished the season with a 5–7 record, missing bowl eligibility for the sixth consecutive season.
Kansas State faced the challenge of replacing quarterback Will Howard, who transferred to Ohio State. Howard had over 5,700 passing yards, 48 passing touchdowns, and 19 rushing touchdowns during his four seasons with the Wildcats.
The departure of Howard created a gap in Kansas State’s quarterback depth chart, albeit in the backup position. Questions linger about whether the Wildcats would invest heavily in securing a backup quarterback.
Chris Klieman, Kansas State’s head coach, is likely to rely on sophomore Avery Johnson as the starting quarterback. Johnson, a highly rated recruit and former Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, is set to take over this season.
Kansas State also secured Ta’Quan Roberson from Connecticut under a more modest NIL deal. Roberson is slated to serve as the backup quarterback for the upcoming season.
NIL agreements are increasing in value, with suggestions that players from Colorado State could potentially receive offers reaching up to $600,000 from Big 12 or SEC teams.
While the specific details of these agreements remain unclear, Norvell’s comments underscore ongoing concerns about fair play and recruiting practices within NCAA regulations.