We don’t yet to where Chris Clark will transfer. We do, though, know where he won’t. Reportedly.
The erstwhile UCLA tight end confirmed to mlive.com that his former school has blocked him from transferring to Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State. None of those teams are on UCLA’s schedule through the 2019 season, when Clark would be a redshirt senior, or even through the 2020 season, when Clark would be a sixth-year senior should medical circumstances arise.
Michigan, to whom Clark had been committed prior to Brady Hoke‘s firing, and UCLA are scheduled to play a home-and-home in 2022 and 2023, long after Clark would be gone from the college game. Exactly why Jim Mora and his program placed these B1G head-scratching restrictions on the player is unknown.
Clark, though, hasn’t given up hope that one of those three schools could ultimately be a consideration.
“It’s kind of ridiculous, to be honest, they have no right to block Michigan or Michigan State or Ohio State because they don’t play each other,” the player told the website. “It’s something I’m looking into with my family.
“There’s a chance I could appeal it... just because that’s not really fair.”
It’s believed that UCLA, as is standard practice for most programs, also has restricted Clark from moving to any other Pac-12 school, as well as any school on its 2016-19 non-conference schedule: BYU, Cincinnati, Fresno State, Hawaii, Memphis, Oklahoma, San Diego State, Texas A&M and UNLV.
Rivals.com is reporting that Clark is scheduled to take visits to North Carolina State, Pittsburgh and Virginia in the upcoming weeks. he would like to make a decision on a new home
Earlier this month, it was reported that Clark was no longer enrolled at UCLA. Tuesday, Clark was granted what turned out to be a restricted release from his scholarship.
Clark played in the season opener against Virginia but didn’t catch a pass. He didn’t travel with the team to Week 2’s game against UNLV, which continued the speculation triggered by a since-deleted tweet in which he claimed he was back in his hometown on the East Coast.
A four-star member of the Bruins’ 2015 recruiting class, Clark was rated as the No. 1 tight end in the country; the No. 2 player at any position in the state of Connecticut; and the No. 79 player overall according to Rivals.com.
(Photo credit: UCLA athletics)