Nick Lender seemingly had it all in front of him.
Lender was a 2-year starter at center for Miami, with graduation just days ahead of him. He could play his senior season while taking a light graduate course load and then move on to whatever came next.
That, however, isn’t going to happen. Lender decided to leave the team to pursue a graduate transfer.
“Nick is going to sit out this season, he’s going to go home I think and train for one semester, then he’s going to transfer somewhere else,” 'Canes head coach Mark Richt told CaneSport. “(He will be) a graduate transfer. He graduates in a couple of days, he’s going to graduate, will work out from what he told me and then go somewhere else to finish his career.”
Richt said he wasn’t sure what pushed Linder to leave the team, but CaneSport implies playing time appears to be at the center (pun absolutely intended) of the issue. Tyler Gauthier passed him for the starting role, and freshman Corey Gaynor was pushing him for back-up reps.
Still, with 26 starts under his belt, Richt said there was a role for Linder in orange and green.
“When guys leave it just puts pressure on the rest of the team. He’s a really good player, really knows what he’s doing. Certainly I’m disappointed because I’d rather he be here than not be here.”