oudavid1
5/9/2011, 11:46 AM
BY VAHE GREGORIAN STLtoday.com | Posted: Monday, May 9, 2011 6:43 am |
Just over a week after his older brother, Blaine, was the 10th pick overall in the NFL draft, Mizzou redshirt freshman Tyler Gabbert is transferring from MU, Missouri said in a statement Monday morning.
"We wish Tyler the best and will do everything we can to assist him going forward,” MU coach Gary Pinkel said in the statement. “He’s worked very hard in our program this past year, and we thank him for his efforts. Tyler is a high quality person and an outstanding football player."
Gabbert redshirted as fellow freshman James Franklin appeared in 10 games last season in spot duty. Gabbert had nudged even or past Franklin early in spring practice, but Franklin emerged No. 1 when the final spring depth chart came out.
Gabbert is leaving Mizzou, his father, Chuck, said Monday morning, "for an opportunity to compete and vie for a starting position."
Unstated but implied in those words and his son's action is the notion that Franklin had seized hold of the starting job for keeps after a back-and-forth battle in spring practice.
"This is not a knee-jerk reaction by any stretch of the imagination," he said.
As of the moment, Chuck Gabbert said he was not at all sure where his son would consider transferring.
"It's actually one of those things where you're taking a leap of faith," he said, noting that his son would concentrate first on finishing final exams this week and adding, "It's one of those things where he's looking for a new start and a fresh start."
That search for a fresh start will begin with the numerous places that heavily recruited Gabbert as he was coming out of Parkway West. That may or may not include Nebraska, where Gabbert, like his older brother, initially committed.
Or it could include Louisville, where family friend and former Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson now is.
Oregon, Iowa and Wake Forest were among others who pursued Gabbert before.
Per NCAA transfer rules, Gabbert would have to sit out next season, meaning a second straight year he essentially is on the sidelines.
But Chuck Gabbert said, "We look at that as a positive," since it will give his son time to learn a new system and get acclimated to his new school.
Even as his second son leaves MU, Gabbert lavished praise on Pinkel and the program, saying the head coach and his staff were understanding and professional about the matter.
"I cannot stress enough our thanks to the University of Missouri," he said.
Linkage (http://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/tiger-tracker/article_b2f7e2cc-7a53-11e0-a70e-0019bb30f31a.html)
Just over a week after his older brother, Blaine, was the 10th pick overall in the NFL draft, Mizzou redshirt freshman Tyler Gabbert is transferring from MU, Missouri said in a statement Monday morning.
"We wish Tyler the best and will do everything we can to assist him going forward,” MU coach Gary Pinkel said in the statement. “He’s worked very hard in our program this past year, and we thank him for his efforts. Tyler is a high quality person and an outstanding football player."
Gabbert redshirted as fellow freshman James Franklin appeared in 10 games last season in spot duty. Gabbert had nudged even or past Franklin early in spring practice, but Franklin emerged No. 1 when the final spring depth chart came out.
Gabbert is leaving Mizzou, his father, Chuck, said Monday morning, "for an opportunity to compete and vie for a starting position."
Unstated but implied in those words and his son's action is the notion that Franklin had seized hold of the starting job for keeps after a back-and-forth battle in spring practice.
"This is not a knee-jerk reaction by any stretch of the imagination," he said.
As of the moment, Chuck Gabbert said he was not at all sure where his son would consider transferring.
"It's actually one of those things where you're taking a leap of faith," he said, noting that his son would concentrate first on finishing final exams this week and adding, "It's one of those things where he's looking for a new start and a fresh start."
That search for a fresh start will begin with the numerous places that heavily recruited Gabbert as he was coming out of Parkway West. That may or may not include Nebraska, where Gabbert, like his older brother, initially committed.
Or it could include Louisville, where family friend and former Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson now is.
Oregon, Iowa and Wake Forest were among others who pursued Gabbert before.
Per NCAA transfer rules, Gabbert would have to sit out next season, meaning a second straight year he essentially is on the sidelines.
But Chuck Gabbert said, "We look at that as a positive," since it will give his son time to learn a new system and get acclimated to his new school.
Even as his second son leaves MU, Gabbert lavished praise on Pinkel and the program, saying the head coach and his staff were understanding and professional about the matter.
"I cannot stress enough our thanks to the University of Missouri," he said.
Linkage (http://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/tiger-tracker/article_b2f7e2cc-7a53-11e0-a70e-0019bb30f31a.html)