Last night it was reported that Lane Kiffin and USC were interested in Penn State running back Silas Redd transferring to the Trojans, although the coach refused to confirm interest at the Pac-12’s media days today.
One coach, though, has publicly confirmed his school’s interest in current Nittany Lions and, ironically enough, it’s the man who replaced Kiffin at Tennessee.
Speaking at a rotary club meeting, and by way of the Knoxville News Sentinel, Vols head coach Derek Dooley confirmed that he and his staff have been in contact with several PSU players, although he refused to divulge the names or even the positions they play.
“We’ve analyzed (Penn State’s) roster,” Dooley said, something that 123 other FBS head coaches would publicly or privately say as well. “We’ve had some communication with some of the players.”
This isn’t Dooley’s first rodeo when it comes to situations like this. Two years ago, Malik Jackson transferred from USC to UT and was permitted to play immediately as the Trojans’ own NCAA sanctions allowed juniors or seniors to transfer without sitting out a year.
As part of the NCAA’s sanctions on Penn State, any current player regardless of class status as well as any incoming freshman will be permitted to transfer to any school -- including those in the Big Ten -- without sitting out the 2012 season.