JD Spielman opens up on leaving Nebraska and why he sees better days ahead at TCU
JD Spielman could’ve gone down as the best receiver in Nebraska history.
He’s the only player in that program’s history to have three seasons with more than 800 yards receiving. He ranked second in program history in 100-yard receiving games with eight. He needed only 201 yards receiving to pass Stanley Morgan Jr. for most in program history.
But Spielman left being one of the greats at a storied program such as Nebraska for TCU this offseason. He opened up about his decision during a news conference this week.
“It’s never easy to just pick up and leave after all the work and grind that you put in at that past school,” Spielman said. “I met a lot of great people at Nebraska. A lot of friends that at the end of the day felt more like family than they felt like friends. It was hard to get up and leave that. But you also have to do what’s best for you and your career and make sure that you’re mentally healthy, happy and go out there and still love the game you grew up playing.”
So far, Spielman has made his presence with the Horned Frogs felt mostly as a punt returner. He’s averaging 11.4 yards per return, which is the sixth-best clip in the country.
Offensively, Spielman hasn’t gotten off to the fastest start. He has three receptions for 36 yards and three rushes for 9 yards in two games. But he sees brighter days ahead as he gets more comfortable in TCU’s system and the coaching staff learns what he is fully capable of on game day.
“It’s been fun, but there have been a little bit of struggles that come with it,” Spielman said of learning a new offense. “It’s not my first time having to adjust to a new offense with my dad being in the NFL. It’s nothing new. You’re always moving to new teams. I grew up around it so it made it easier. It’s fun learning a new offense. I’m just taking it day-by-day, rep-by-rep and one of these days everything is going to come together.”
As Spielman said, he has been around the game his entire life. His father, Rick, is the Minnesota Vikings general manager and has been with the organization since 2006 (as vice president of player personnel from 2006-11 and GM from 2012-present).
Those years happened to coincide when Jerry Kill served as the University of Minnesota’s head coach from 2011-15. Kill is now a special assistant to TCU head coach Gary Patterson.
The Vikings spent plenty of time getting to know more about TCU this offseason, too, as they drafted cornerback Jeff Gladney in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Spielman acknowledged his father’s relationship with Kill, but the decision to come to TCU was largely based off his love of the program. Spielman liked what he heard from the coaching staff and also was a fan of the Horned Frogs since the Peach Bowl-winning season in 2014.
“What made me want to come to TCU was I really believed what the coaches were telling me, the plan they had for me,” he said. “On top of that, I used to be a TCU fan in 2014 when they were top-5 in the nation every year. That’s one of the things that really persuaded my decision. I always had some love for the Horned Frogs. When I finally got an offer and a chance to come play, I decided to take it.”
Despite the slow start, Spielman has no regrets coming to Fort Worth. The Frogs are off to a 1-1 start going into Saturday’s game against Kansas State.
Nebraska, meanwhile, won’t start its season until later this month as the Big Ten went through well-publicized delays in starting its football season amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“No, I haven’t had any of those thoughts since leaving. I appreciate everything Nebraska did for me, but at the end of the day my time there had come to an end,” Spielman said. “I was optimistic and excited to find a new place. Once I made that decision, I didn’t have any regrets.
“That’s one of the things you have to live with. When you’re in a world like this you have to take chances and jump for new things without any regrets. That’s what I did. Left with no regrets and just looking to the future. Now that I’m here I’m trying to make the most out of it.”
Spielman emphasized that he’s not a player who gets caught up in the statistics. Sure, it’d be nice to have a 100-yard game or a TD by now, but it’s not something he’s worried about.
“The normal thing on my mind isn’t how many catches I’m going to get in this game, or how many big plays I’m going to make,” Spielman said. “It’s about what I can do to help the team win. So if the coach wants me to just do returns, I’ll just do returns. If he wants to mix me in the offense, I’ll go out and give everything I have to the offense.
“It is a little bit different not getting as many targets as I’m used to, but it’s nothing I’m stressing over.”
That mindset certainly sits well with Patterson and the coaching staff.
Patterson raved about the presence Spielman has brought to the team, particularly to a wide receiver corps that lost its most explosive player from last season (Jalen Reagor). And, hey, Patterson and Spielman both share a love of music.
Spielman’s songs have been played during practice. Patterson’s songs were played during TCU’s home opener.
“JD has been a pleasure,” Patterson said. “I don’t know how much y’all know about his music skills but we play a couple of his songs on our playlist during practice. He’s multi-talented.”
This story was originally published October 8, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
