A year ago at this time, the future looked so bright for then Pitt freshman running back Rushel Shell.
In the last calendar year though, very few would have predicted Shell’s fall from grace from can’t miss prospect to a player that’s currently simply looking for a place to play next season.
In the past two days, we have found out that UCLA is no longer an option for Shell and the door he hoped would be open for a return to Pitt was slammed shut in his face.
That begs the question of what’s next for Shell, a former five-star recruit and the WPIAL’s all-time leading rusher.
A year ago, every major program in the nation would have been lining up to land the Hopewell native, but that’s not the case any longer.
Sure almost every team would love to have a guy with Shell’s talent, but his options may be limited at this point.
After leaving Pitt, his priority was to head out west. However he is still blocked from transferring to Arizona or Arizona State, which limits his options. Cal was rumored as a potential landing spot and it still may be, but not necessarily the Cal he may have thought just a few months ago.
Shell’s decision to try and come back to Pitt is based on reports that he wanted to be closer to his family and his two children. He’s also rumored to be looking to play right away, which means a transfer to another local FBS program is unlikely. Even if he were to look at a school like West Virginia, Shell would have to sit out this season and it’s possible that WVU could have been one of the schools that Pitt may have initially blocked him from transferring to.
That likely leaves a move downward to an FCS program or a Division II school for Shell.
One option for Shell would be the California University of Pennsylvania, a program noted for bringing in players who didn’t quite make it at the Division I level for one reason or another.
Several schools fall into that criteria, which means Shell isn’t going to be short on local options when he can attempt to get his career back on track.
Programs such as Duquesne, Robert Morris, West Liberty, IUP and Slippery Rock all likely have their eyes on the 19-year old Shell right now.
The likely move for Shell is a move to the Division II level, which could also open a door to return to a major FBS program in the future should he choose to do so.
That’s a move that absolutely no one would have expected just a few months ago, but it may be the only thing right now to help resurrect Shell’s football career.
Photo Credit: CBS Sports
