Buried deep on Texas’ depth chart, two members of the Longhorns football program have decided to continue their playing careers elsewhere.
The school announced Tuesday that redshirt freshman tight end Darius Terrell (pictured, No. 15) and redshirt sophomore defensive back Eryon Barnett will transfer from UT. While no specific reasons for the twin moves were given, their standing on the depth chart would be a good place to start in the search for an explanation.
Terrell would’ve been behind at least three tight ends entering summer camp, while Barnett likely would’ve been, barring injury -- or injuries, to be technically correct -- relegated to special teams.
“We appreciate the efforts of both Darius and Eryon during their time at Texas,” head coach Mack Brown said in a statement. “We understand their reasons and support their decisions. We wish them the best of luck in the future.”
Terrell came to Austin as a four-star member of UT’s 2010 recruiting class. He played in nine games and caught just one more pass than I did during his time at the school.
“The University of Texas is a great place,” the TE said in a statement. “Its diversity makes it unique to most other colleges in America. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out for me, but I’m thankful for Coach (Mack) Brown, Coach (Bruce) Chambers and the coaching staff for blessing me with the opportunity to experience Texas and all of the great people and opportunities it exposed me to.
“I formed a strong and hopefully lifetime bond with my teammates, and while I’ll miss them all, I’ll still be rooting for them. I know Texas has great things in store for the future and will be on top again soon. At the same time, I also look forward to taking the next step in my life and doing what I feel is best for me in pursuing my dreams elsewhere.”
A four-star member of UT’s 2009 recruiting class, Barnett played eight games during his Longhorns career, mainly on special teams. he missed the entire 2011 season due to an injured right knee.
“The Longhorn nation has been good to me. Coach Brown and Coach (Duane) Akina are great coaches and have helped me become a better man and helped me as a player. I’m going miss my teammates and UT, but I decided I need a new and fresh start.”