SEC Football: Vote changes grad-transfer rule within conference

If you’re an SEC team and are in the market for a graduate-transfer, that player can now make that move within the league without suffering the penalty of sitting out a season.

The topic has been part of an ongoing debate that heated up at the SEC Spring meetings in Destin, Florida this week, and on Friday all fourteen university presidents voted in favor of changing the long-standing rule.

In the past, a player who had met the proper requirements would be allowed to play elsewhere. If said player wanted to stay within the SEC, they would be forced to wait out a season before regaining eligibility-unless they were allowed immediate eligibility by their former school.

With the new rule in place, any graduate-transfer looking to continue the final season of their career at a league school can now do so without facing such a penalty, and as far as Jeremy Pruitt and Tennessee are concerned, this is welcoming news.

Alabama offensive lineman, a former 4-star recruit in the Crimson Tide’s 2015 class, expressed interested in using his final season of eligibility at either Tennessee or Auburn. There was much speculation that head coach Nick Saban was blocking Brandon Kennedy from doing so. A similar scenario played out in 2016 when former defensive back Maurice Smith wanted to play his last season at Georgia for Kirby Smart, which he eventually did after a long, drawn out process.

Regardless of Saban’s role in blocking transfers, Kennedy now being allowed to go to the conference school of his choosing could help the Vols add some much needed depth and experience to the offensive line should he decide to take his talents to Knoxville.

Whatever he decides, the conference made the right call in making the change and should benefit the league going forward.