One day after Tyler Gabbert’s father, Chuck, released a list of potential destinations for his son, one of those colleges has already backed out. Clemson was originally listed among other schools as a possible landing spot for the former Missouri Tiger, but sources close to the university are now saying that’s not true at all.
The complete list was originally posted by Sporting News’ Steve Greenberg and consisted of Arizona, Arizona State, Clemson, Iowa, Louisville, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest and Arkansas State. Now Clemson is distancing themselves from Gabbert. According to the Charleston Post & Courier:
Clemson does not have an interest in Gabbert in part because he is not an elite prospect and also because he could dissuade a higher rated quarterback recruit from joining the program in the next several recruiting cycles. Tajh Boyd is set to replace Kyle Parker as the Clemson starting quarterback this fall, and Clemson signed three quarterbacks in its 2011 signing class.
To further muddy the waters, SB Nation’s Card Chronicle also has a condensed list for Gabbert, although they fail to mention any sources, saying, “The word on Missouri quarterback Tyler Gabbert is that his potential transfer list is set at four: Louisville, Arizona, Wake Forest, and Iowa.” It’s impossible to tell what’s fact from rumor at this point with so many “sources” being quoted, yet it’s probable that one of those four will emerge the victor.
Ultimately, Gabbert has a long hill to climb to ingratiate himself in a new environment with a new scheme and coaches surrounding him. A blank slate can be a beautiful thing, but major programs already have their plans set when it comes to depth charts, recruiting and the like. Here’s hoping Gabbert knew what he was doing when transferring in the first place.