Bellevue West's Kaelin talks decision to switch commitment from Mizzou to Nebraska

OMAHA (KMTV) — Husker football has a new quarterback in its 2024 class, and he’s from Bellevue West.

On Friday, junior Danny Kaelin decommitted from Missouri.

The next day, he announced he’s taking his talents to Lincoln to join Matt Rhule’s squad.

“Being able to stay home, knowing that I’ll have my support system, you know coaches that I’ve grown up with,” Kaelin said. “Obviously my mom and my family (will be) nearby kind of just to keep me grounded.”

He said there’s no bad blood between him and the Mizzou staff, but it was a change he knew he needed to make.

Kaelin has lived in Nebraska since he was eight and has watched Husker football since then.

“It’s hard to not like the Huskers when you’re around here, especially with the fanbase,” he said. “I definitely grew up dreaming of playing as a Husker and playing in Memorial.”

Now Kaelin will get to live out that dream under Rhule.

“He’s got a great competitive nature,” he said of the head Husker. “He doesn’t want to lose at anything that he does. He definitely has experience of turning around programs, and I have a lot of confidence that he can do that at Nebraska.”

Kaelin believes his pro-style of play will help him fit right in with the offense.

“I feel like I can read defenses very well, I have a high football IQ,” he said. “And I also have extreme confidence as a passer. I know I can make every throw on the field.”

Kaelin has had plenty of time to develop those skills; he said he’s played football for as long as he can remember.

He started out as a receiver before switching to quarterback in sixth grade.

“Probably Victor Cruz was the first athlete I liked the most,” Kaelin said. “I read his autobiography in like fourth grade. And I used to do the salsa to mimic his celebration dance.”

He said he hasn’t broken out that salsa in a game, usually leaving the celebrations to wide receivers Dae’vonn Hall and Isaiah McMorris.

“Maybe I’ll get in on one or two (this fall), but that’s definitely their thing,” he said.

Both Hall and McMorris are getting Division-I looks as well.

Kaelin was quick to admit he’s already working on convincing them to join him in Lincoln.

“Hopefully I can get at least one of those guys, try to get both of them to come with me to Nebraska,” he said. “That’s definitely the plan and I’ve already been hitting them up about it.”

While Kaelin has some personal goals he wants to hit this fall, his main priority is leading the Thunderbirds to Memorial Stadium for a state championship game.

“I would rather win a state championship and throw for one thousand yards the whole year than break a bunch of records and not be very successful as a team,” he said.