Oklahoma is bringing in a new quarterback who will likely be their starter for the 2019 season, but they are apparently making it difficult for one of their current signal-callers to find immediate playing time elsewhere.
Former Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts revealed on Wednesday that he has decided to transfer to Oklahoma. Prior to Hurts making his announcement, ESPN’s Jake Trotter reported that the Sooners are trying to block QB Austin Kendall — who is looking to transfer as a graduate student — from being able to play immediately at West Virginia.
Graduate transfers typically do not have to sit out a year before becoming eligible like undergrads would, but Trotter notes that Oklahoma reserves the right under NCAA rules to object to the player playing immediately at another school in the same conference. The SEC passed a rule last summer stating that all graduate transfers can transfer within the conference and be eligible to play immediately, but no such rule exists in the Big 12.
If Kendall transferred to West Virginia and was forced to sit out a year, he would have only one year of eligibility remaining. Trotter reports that he has withdrawn from classes at Oklahoma and is committed to leaving, and he visited Auburn in addition to West Virginia and has drawn interest from other programs.
Again, the report came out before Hurts announced he has committed to Oklahoma, so the Sooners may back off now that they have their quarterback. If not, Kendall will not be the only high-profile quarterback who is fighting to gain eligibility this offseason.
