Vols linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. announced via Twitter late this afternoon that he is electing to leave Tennessee for another school as a graduate transfer:

 

First of all, best of luck to Kirkland.

But there’s no getting around it: This is a big loss for Tennessee. Here’s what we wrote about Kirkland in our Vols preseason magazine this year:

Perhaps the biggest key to the success of the Tennessee
linebacking corps this fall is the return of Kirkland. Kirkland
made the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2015 after playing
in all 13 games and starting 10 of them. After injuring his
ankle in the second game of the 2016 season, he played in
only eight games and wasn’t the same even when he was on
the field. Last fall, a knee injury in fall camp sidelined him
for the entire season. This offseason, he had another minor
knee surgery, but made it back onto the practice field late in
spring camp. He’s expected to be back and healthy this fall,
but whether he can stay that way is the question weighing on
everyone’s minds. If he can, he will be a difference-maker.

So much for that.

And so much for Brad’s “Hey, at least nobody’s transferred!” post from yesterday. Yes, we’re blaming him, and so should you.

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Isaac Bishop
Isaac Bishop
6 years ago

This one’s going to hurt alright. Really curious as to why he decided to leave, whether it was staff or personal issues, etc. Wish him the best.

I don’t think we should be blaming Brad. That’s just not fair. In fact I think he needs some reassurance that no one thinks he jinxed us with that article. With that said would someone be kind enough to give me his address? I’d like to leave him some fresh, homemade brownies in a paper bag that will most definitely not be set on fire on his front doorstep.

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Joel Hollingsworth
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Joel Hollingsworth
6 years ago
Reply to  Isaac Bishop

You’re right. PM’ing Brad’s address to you right now.

🙂

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Pete
Pete
6 years ago

So he had a bad ankle in his soph year and “wasn’t the same” that season (I agree, btw). He missed his entire year last year with a knee injury. And, he had another minor knee injury in the spring this year.

Not sure I share the idea that this is a huge loss. He showed talent and promise in his freshman year but has been injury plagued and “not the same” since.

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Joel Hollingsworth
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Joel Hollingsworth
6 years ago
Reply to  Pete

That’s true. I do think it’s a big loss, although it’s been a super gradual one. The statement was made mostly on the assumption that he was going to return at full strength this fall. He may (or may not) have been “the same” at that point. We’ll never know now.

But we didn’t have him last year, and we didn’t have “the same” him for most of the year before that, so in that sense, it’s maybe not a loss. Or maybe a loss, but one we’d already experienced.

Bottom line, though, I think we’re worse off without him.

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