Nearly two years after leaving the Big Ten, AJ Bush is back.
Bush confirmed to 247Sports.com that he has decided to transfer to Illinois for his final season of eligibility. The quarterback will be coming to the Fighting Illini as a graduate transfer, meaning he’d be eligible to play immediately in 2018.
It would also mean he’d see his former team on the opposing sidelines this year as the Cornhuskers will play host to the Illini Nov. 10 this year.
This will mark Bush’s fourth college football team, joining Nebraska, an Iowa junior college and Virginia Tech on his winding football journey.
“It’s a great opportunity, just like every other one was great as well,” Bush told the website. “The decisions made before led me to where I am today. So at the end of the day, I can’t be nothing but optimistic about the future. I’m an optimistic person. I never have burned bridges with anybody. It’s always been respect for me wherever I went. I never had any regrets, but you only get one year and you only get one opportunity. I’m fortunately blessed with this one.”
Bush was a three-star 2014 member of Nebraska’s 2014 recruiting class, rated as the No. 44 dual-threat quarterback in the country coming out of high school in Georgia. He also held offers from, among others, Boston College, Cincinnati and Kansas State.
After taking a redshirt his true freshman season, Bush didn’t see the field in 2015 for the Cornhuskers. In August of 2016, Bush decided to transfer from NU, ultimately winding up at Iowa Western Community College not long after. After one season at the JUCO, he transferred to Virginia Tech.
In five games last season, Bush completed seven of his 11 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball for 129 yards on 19 carries.
