OT: Former Michigan LB commit Darrin Kirkland transferring

Submitted by Magnus on

Tennessee linebacker Darrin Kirkland, Jr. is going the grad transfer route and leaving Tennessee. He was originally committed to Michigan in the 2015 class before signing with the Volunteers. He had 111 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 1 interception in 2015 and 2016 combined, but he missed 2017 with an injury. He was committed to the Brady Hoke regime, so I'm not sure whether the current staff has any interest, but I thought it was noteworthy, anyway.

UPDATE: So now it seems as if he's not transferring.

https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/f…

Magnus

May 24th, 2018 at 10:37 PM ^

This ain't rocket surgery, Jibbroni.

He played football at Tennessee in 2015-2016 (freshman). He played football at Tennessee in 2016-2017 (sophomore). He redshirted in 2017-2018 (junior/redshirt sophomore) due to injury, and is graduating here in 2018.

Now he will have eligibility to play in 2018-2019 (redshirt junior) and 2019-2020 (5th year senior).

You have 5 years to play 4 seasons. He has been in college for 3 years, but he has only played 2 seasons. So he has 2 seasons left.

JonnyHintz

May 25th, 2018 at 8:20 AM ^

Jesus. Yes. It’s not complicated. Grad transfer means graduate transfer. Meaning you’ve graduated.,if you’ve graduated, you can transfer and be eligible immediately. You don’t have to be in school for four years in order to graduate. Most football players are in line to graduate in three as long as they take the proper courses at the proper times and don’t change their major.

JonnyHintz

May 25th, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^

We already have a Ben as insurance for Ben. A few other guys listed at FB including Jared Wangler.

Yet another scholarship at fullback is simply too much. We’re already sitting at too many going into the fall right now

JimmyFresh

May 24th, 2018 at 10:24 PM ^

I tend to agree. Kid was committed, had his chance to play at Michigan, and decided to play elsewhere after a Harbaugh was hired. I would rather see the scholarship go to someone else. I don’t think either party is interested at this point....probably a moot point anyhow.

JimmyFresh

May 24th, 2018 at 11:33 PM ^

Yeah, I live in Knoxville. I remember this recruitment well. The writing was on the wall that December that Harbaugh was going to be the next coach at Michigan. Instead of waiting and reconsidering Michigan, he went ahead and picked Tennessee that December....which is fine. Kid has to do what he thinks is right. However, at this point Kirkland is probably not a player that UM needs to be using a scholarship on.

Magnus

May 25th, 2018 at 12:02 AM ^

Well, then you also probably remember that Jim Harbaugh was hired on about December 29 and Kirkland was an early enrollee who started at Tennessee on January 7. But hey, the kid didn’t pin his future on a guy who was coaching NFL players and never recruited him up until possibly a week before he started college (if that), so screw him... Some of you take the decisions of 18-year-old kids very personally.

JimmyFresh

May 25th, 2018 at 8:54 AM ^

Listen, If the kid can get healthy and he wants to come to Michigan....and the coaching staff likes him, then I’ll trust their judgement. It would be nice to have a grad transfer who has two years eligibility. Consider my position reconsidered.

Mr Miggle

May 25th, 2018 at 9:07 AM ^

people in the media calling Michigan a mess and deep skepticism that we even had a shot at Harbaugh.

Even after Jim was hired, it was January 6 before he hired Durkin, a couple more weeks before his staff was complete. He wasn't recruiting EE candidates. His first commitment came around the end of January.

 

1464

May 24th, 2018 at 11:32 PM ^

What kind of garbage point are you trying to make?  If a kid makes a tough decision due to coaching uncertainty, that means that any interest they had in Michigan must have completely washed away?  And Michigan, being... what?  Petty as shit?  Michigan decides that since the kid decommitted, they would never entertain the option of allowing him to come ever?  That'll sure show that punk kid not to mess with us, huh?

How the fuck do you know whether either party is interested?  Any basis for that assertion?  Don't have shitty opinions on the internet, Jimmy.