Tim Buckley: First Official Transfer From Penn State
After a week of speculation surrounding the possibility of Penn State players transferring to different programs, we have our first official move.
The first player to move programs is safety Tim Buckley, who will be transferring to the North Carolina State Wolfpack. Due to the transfer rules put in place by the NCAA after their brutal sanctions, Buckley will be able to play immediately in 2012 without having to sit out a year. Buckley played his high school ball in the Raleigh area so it will be a homecoming of sorts for the defensive back.
“I am excited to be a member of the NC State Wolfpack,” said Buckley in a statement. “The opportunity to come here and play at my state university, so close to home, was something that I couldn’t pass up.”
The NC native was only a two-star recruit when he got to Penn State in 2011 and he took a redshirt year his freshmen season. After his transfer he will still have four season of eligibility remaining.
Although Buckley is the first official transfer from the sinking ship that is the Penn State football program, the most notable transfer is expected within the next week. Running back Silas Redd is close to transferring to USC after meeting with the Trojans and head coach Lane Kiffin this past weekend. Redd is arguably the best returning starter that Penn State has so it would be a big blow to a program that is already dealing with so much.
All of the speculation comes a week after the NCAA handed down severe sanctions against the Penn State program after the Jerry Sandusky scandal. The sanctions include a fine of $60 million, a four-year football postseason ban and a vacation of all wins dating to 1998. It also reduces the number of scholarships to 10 initial and 20 total scholarships each year for a four-year period.
It’s a tough time for the Penn State football program but not a lot of people would blame some of the players for wanting to transfer to a different program. It’s a bit unfair for them to be punished when they did not have any control over the situation. If they want to transfer and play somewhere that they have a chance to win and play in a bowl game then they should be able to without being punished any further.
This is just one of many players that might transfer from Penn State to play elsewhere. Although Buckley is not a high-profile player it could open the flood gates and give other players the confidence to move themselves. Look for Redd to be gone within the week and maybe as soon as Tuesday.
