Gunner Kiel could transfer back to Notre Dame without much issue

The news that Everett Golson is no longer enrolled at Notre Dame has left many people noting the poor timing (and luck) of Gunner Kiel, who decided to transfer to Cincinnati in April.

Kiel was a top quarterback recruit entering college. He initially committed to Indiana and then LSU before backing out and deciding to attend Notre Dame. Kiel wound up behind Golson and Tommy Rees on the depth chart and decided to leave the school in the spring.

Despite deciding to transfer to Cincinnati, Kiel could still return to Notre Dame without much issue if he chooses.

An April 19 report in the Chicago Tribune said Kiel’s transfer was completed and that the quarterback was scheduled to begin classes at the school on May 6. He would have to sit out the season per transfer rules and he would have three years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2014.

Now here’s the important information for those wondering if Kiel could return to Notre Dame. John Infante of Bylaw Blog says there is a bylaw that allows student-athletes to return to their original school if there was minimal or no participation at the previous school.

Bylaw 14.5.5.2.8, the Return to Original Institution Without Participation or With Minimal Participation Exception says that a student-athlete can play immediately after a transfer if:

The student transfers to a second four-year collegiate institution, does not compete at the second institution and does not engage in other countable athletically related activities in the involved sport at the second institution beyond a 14-consecutive-day period and returns to the original institution. The 14-consecutive-day period begins with the date on which the student-athlete first engages in any countable athletically related activity (see Bylaw 17.02.1). A student may use this exception even if he or she has an unfulfilled residence requirement at the institution from which he or she is transferring.

Infante says Kiel could still be eligible to play for Notre Dame this season even if Cincinnati does not release him from his scholarship. He would have to be willing to pay his own way for a year in that scenario.

Given all the moves Kiel has made during his career, I don’t think we can rule out anything. It’s worth noting that Cincinnati has two senior quarterbacks who will be gone when Kiel is eligible to play in 2014.

In addition to Rees, Andrew Hendrix will be a junior and has thrown 44 passes in his ND career. Incoming freshman Malik Zaire could also be in the mix for the quarterback job. Kiel would be competing with those three quarterbacks if he decided to return.

Image via YouTube/Notre Dame