Butler senior Charlie Kreinbucher, seated at center, signs a letter of intent to continue his academic and football career at Bucknell University. He is flanked by his mother Kathy, and sister, Allie. Standing, from left, are his brother Michael , father Chuck and Butler head football coach Eric Christy (standing right). Derek Pyda/Butler Eagle

Charlie Kreinbucher saw the writing on the wall.

The position room he was set to join at Akron was already jam-packed and, after a defeat to Ball State in early November, head coach Tom Arth was relieved of his duties. The rest of the staff that courted Kreinbucher was left to face an uncertain future.

Based on the Zips’ gridiron struggles, the Butler senior sensed the changes were coming. Once they happened, he wasn’t entirely sure of what it meant for him.

It was obvious that the incoming regime would more than likely prefer its own batch of handpicked recruits, though. Kreinbucher decommitted without waiting to see if a scholarship would remain and, as it ended up, new Zips coach Joe Moorhead didn’t ever reach out.

“A losing program in the MAC conference, most likely, is going to go to the transfer portal, especially at this time,” Kreinbucher said. “As (the staff shakeup) did happen, they recruited heavily through there. There’s only a handful of dudes out of the 2022 class that they actually recruited again.”

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