In the past two years or so, Brandon Willis has done the following: verbally committed to and decommitted from Tennessee -- twice*. Signed a Letter of Intent with North Carolina in February of 2010, then requested a release from UNC six months later so that he could transfer to UCLA. Seven months later, in March of this year, Willis requested a release from his UCLA scholarship so that he could transfer back to the Tar Heels.
Unbelievably, although not exactly unexpectedly this time around given the coaching change at the school, the defensive lineman is looking to hit the transfer trifecta in less than one full year.
In a press release, UNC announced that Willis will be transferring from the Tar Heels for a second time. No reason was given for the departure, although it wouldn’t take a rocket surgeon to figure out that the dismissal of Butch Davis played a significant role in the decision.
Additionally, due to the health of a grandmother he was close to, Willis was seeking a waiver from the NCAA that would’ve allowed him to play for UNC in 2011. It’s unclear if that appeal was denied and that played a role in his decision as well.
What’s also unclear is where Willis will move to next. In March of this year, after Willis announced he was transferring once again to UNC, UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel stated that his program would welcome the lineman back if his waiver wasn’t granted by the NCAA.
Willis was a member of UNC’s 2010 class, and was the No. 7 defensive end in the country according to Rivals.com.
(*Thanks to Bryan Fischer for that little recruiting tidbit)