Sep 30, 2017; South Bend, IN, USA; Miami (Oh) Redhawks quarterback Gus Ragland (14) passes the ball as Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Jay Hayes (93) defends in the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Photo Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Defensive end Jay Hayes announced that he will leave Notre Dame as a graduate transfer and complete his college career with another program.
Hayes will graduate from Notre Dame in May and then be eligible right away to play for a team he chooses. The fifth-year senior has one year of eligibility remaining.
“I just want to thank the University of Notre Dame for the love and support they’ve poured into me,” Hayes tweeted on Friday night. “I will (sic) like to thank the coaching staff for granting me my release as a graduate transfer.”
Hayes was one of 10 starters expected to return to the Notre Dame defense next fall. There was a clue that something might be up with Hayes in late March when he missed a practice. Coach Brian Kelly said then the absence was for “academics.”
–West Virginia landed a second transfer from a Pac-12 school in less than two weeks when former UCLA cornerback Denzel Fisher announced Saturday that he was leaving.
In late March, defensive tackle Kenny Bigelow announced that was leaving USC to come east to West Virginia.
“1000% committed to West Virginia University #DAWGS,” Fisher posted on Twitter.
As graduate transfers, Fisher and Bigelow will be eligible immediately. Fisher will have one year of eligibility remaining.
In 23 games for UCLA in three seasons, Fisher has 30 tackles and four pass breakups in 23 career games. Last year, Fisher started seven games for the Bruins.
–Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer has been clear to participate in all spring drills.
Brewer has been limited throughout the spring by a shoulder injury that bothered him toward the end of last season, but coach Matt Rhule termed told the school’s official website that Brewer is a “full-go” moving forward.
“He’s pretty much doing full stuff, other than contact,” Rhule said. “He, obviously, hasn’t gotten hit on that shoulder, so it’s hard to tell what that would be like. But, he’s showing no effects, throwing the ball better than he probably did at the end of the year. I think that rest and rehab has helped him.”
Brewer appeared in eight games, including four starts, for the Bears in 2017 and was named the Big 12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year by the league’s coaches. He said the shoulder injury dates to his playing days at the high school level.
–Phillip Fulmer and the University of Tennessee are close to a agreeing to a multi-year contract to stay on as athletics director, according to multiple reports.
The deal is reportedly for four years and will pay about $900,000 per year.
Fulmer replaced John Currie as athletic director last Dec. 1. Currie was placed on paid leave after just eight months on the job following a bizarre and controversial search for a new football coach. The school reached a $2.5 million settlement with Currie last month.
Fulmer hired Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt as head coach Dec. 7. Currie had fired Butch Jones as head coach in November.
Fulmer coached Tennessee from 1992-2008 and guided the Vols to a 152-52 record, including a national title in 1998.
