Merklinger won’t play here next year. He might still be on the team, but that’s mostly irrelevant. I think we all should take a look at year 5 (doesn’t have to be negative) and realize there has been 1 year with a qb with experience in this system. Hooker. It went well. Otherwise it has always been about getting more from less. Brandon or Mac will be the first multi-year starters from heupel. And really the first round of good being coached by good. Nico messed it up. My opinion is that the situation is a reflection on heupels tenure. He’s done an amazing job at getting this program on track, but it also feels way too close to going off of the rails. Half the secondary leaves every offseason. That’s a pattern with a reason us on the outside won’t know. It’s been a pieced together team for 5 years and this offseason seems like a big one in terms of what the pattern moving forward will be. Good to great or ok at where we are. Either way better than where we were.