Gunner Kiel is looking for a team to play for. (Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports)
Should an SEC school sign former Notre Dame quarterback Gunner Kiel? According to ESPN’s Joe Schad, Kiel, a former Rivals.com No. 1 pro-style quarterback, is reportedly considering transferring to Mississippi State, Ole Miss or Tennessee.
Since Schad’s report, CBSSports.com’s Bruce Feldman has reported that the Vols are not pursuing Kiel.
Other schools mentioned in various reports to be transfer possibilities are Kansas State, Ball State, Northern Illinois, Miami of Ohio and Cincinnati. Bearcat officials hired former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville after Butch Jones left for Tennessee. Tuberville has Brendon Kay and Munchie Legaux battling for the quarterback job this fall.
Kiel has proven that he has trouble sticking by his decisions. In high school, Kiel, who was also recruited early by Alabama, verbally committed in July 2011 to play for the Indiana which is close to his home in Columbus, Ind. Then Kiel changed his mind and committed to LSU. He later changed his mind again just prior to signing day in 2012 and decommitted from the Tigers. On National Signing Day, LSU coach Les Miles publicly criticized Kiel for not having the “chest” to stick by his commitment. Kiel did sign with Notre Dame before being redshirted this past season.
After realizing that Everett Golson was likely the Irish quarterback of the future, Kiel decided to transfer again. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said in late March that it was his understanding that Kiel would finish his spring semester at Notre Dame — though not with the football program — to maintain his eligibility.
Kiel is set to soon commit to his fourth school in less than two years. Unless he transfers to a lower division school, Kiel will have to sit out next season regardless, meaning he will go two full seasons without playing since he redshirted this past fall at Notre Dame.
Even though he will have three seasons to play once he finally gets settled, it is unknown what effect the long layoff will have on Kiel’s ability to perform on the field. Does a coach really want to take a chance on a quarterback who has not seen the field since he was a high school senior?
By the time Kiel is eligible to play for Ole Miss in 2014, Rebels starter Bo Wallace would be a senior. Coach Hugh Freeze just signed Ryan Buchanan and Devante Kincade and both players would only be entering their second seasons at Ole Miss.
Mississippi State quarterback Tyler Russell is a senior this coming season. His backup is sophomore Dak Prescott. Cord Sandberg and Damien Williams are two promising freshmen who were signed this past February.
Interestingly, SEC schools have had mixed results with transfers. Zach Mettenberger is hoping to pan out in his final season at LSU after transferring from junior college and originally from Georgia. One of the more promising SEC transfers is Wyoming’s Austyn Carta-Samuels, who is the likely starter at Vanderbilt. Of course two of the most productive transfers in recent SEC history are Ryan Mallett, who went from Michigan to Arkansas and Cam Newton, who arrived at Auburn by way of Blinn (Texas) College and Florida. SEC fans will also remember the tribulations of Mitch Mustain, a high school star in Arkansas, who had forgettable stops at Arkansas and USC. Mustain has switched sports and is currently trying to restart his career in minor league baseball.
The question for Ole Miss and Mississippi State is whether they want to take a chance on a potentially solid quarterback who has a history of commitment issues. Logic dictates that Kiel probably won’t be and maybe shouldn’t be in the SEC. Imagine the fun LSU fans would have with Kiel if he lands in Starkville or Oxford. Here is hoping Kiel eventually grows up and sticks with a school long enough to maximize his potential.
