Former Nebraska wrestler Ridge Lovett hints at Huskers not having enough NIL to land Bo Bassett

The news of Bo Bassett’s decommitment from Iowa sent shockwaves through the college wrestling world. He has been one of the top recruits in his cycle for years now.

In the wake of his decommitment, many fans have wondered which programs might be in the mix. Could he be interested in a fellow Big Ten program like Nebraska?

That’s unlikely, according to former Cornhuskers wrestler Ridge Lovett. He explained why.

“I see a few problems with it, because the word on the street through his social media and that stuff was that he was getting seven figures yearly at the University of Iowa,” Lovett said on 93.7 The Ticket’s Takedown Tuesday. “I think it was supposed to be a $4-5 million NIL deal.”

That’s a huge chunk of change to part with, even for a wrestler as heralded as Bo Bassett. But Nebraska may not have the money to compete on that front. That’s just the reality, according to Lovett.

“We do fine in the NIL department at the University of Nebraska, but there’s a few schools that it’s just tough to compete with over there with Iowa, Penn State and Oklahoma State,” he explained. “Just the bags that they’re giving these kids is really kind of crazy. We do a good job taking care of our guys, but I see the huge numbers that we’re hearing right now. I feel like it’s still… I just don’t think it’s sustainable.”

Bo Bassett didn’t open up too much on what he’d be looking for in a school the second time around. But he did drop a note about his decommitment from Iowa on his Instagram account.

“After a lot of prayer and talking with my family, I’ve decided to decommit from the University of Iowa,” Bassett wrote on Instagram. “This wasn’t easy, but I believe it’s not the right fit for me as a wrestler, a person, or for my faith journey. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I’ll never speak a bad word about their program. This is about finding the place God wants me to be. This is a huge decision in my life and it has to be the right one.

“I would like to thank all of the Iowa fans who have supported me. You have been amazing and I am grateful for the support you showed me. I have opened up my recruitment.”

Where he ends up will be fascinating. It’s not often you have a wrestler of Bo Bassett’s caliber available this late in the cycle.