After spending the past couple of years up north, Bennie Coney could be headed south back toward more familiar territory.
Head coach Tommy Tuberville confirmed Wednesday that the quarterback has decided to take his leave of the Cincinnati football program. The player himself confirmed via Twitter the reason behind his decision to transfer: the opportunity for more playing time.
“Time was ticking, I’m hungry to b the starter in someone’s program,” Coney tweeted.
Munchie Legeaux, he of the gruesome knee injury early in the 2013 season, has started 14 games under center for the Bearcats and will be back for another season after receiving an additional year of eligibility earlier this month. Additionally, Gunner Kiel, the five-star 2012 Notre Dame signee who didn’t have the chesticular fortitude to play for LSU, will be in the mix for the starting job after sitting out the 2013 season following his transfer from the Irish.
As for Coney’s football future, the Plant City, Fla., product confirmed to the Tampa Bay Times that "[i]f [USF has] room for me that’s a big possibility.” Another possibility for the three-star 2012 recruit is UCF. In a surprise move, Coney confirmed to the Times that Tuberville has stated he would release him from his scholarship to a school within the Bearcats conference.
As the school from which he’s transferring is a member of American Athletic Conference, however, league bylaws would require Coney to sit out both the 2014 and 2015 seasons if he were to move on to either USF or UCF. If Coney were to go the JUCO route and received an associate’s degree, he could transfer to either of those AAC schools and only sit out the 2014 season.
If the player took the latter route, he would have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2015.
After redshirting his true freshman season in 2012, Coney played in four games for the Bearcats. He completed six of his seven pass attempts for 84 yards and a touchdown.
(Photo credit: Cincinnati athletics)