Late last week, and after a brief bit of uncertainty, Ohio State confirmed that Najee Murray was no longer a part of the football program.
Four days later, Murray has found himself a new home in the same state.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, the cornerback has moved on to Kent State after starting classes Monday. He actually moved on before then as he participated in practice with his new teammates Sunday.
One of the biggest reasons for the fast turnaround was the presence of Paul Haynes as Kent State’s head coach. Prior to coming to the Golden Flashes this offseason, Haynes was a defensive assistant with the Buckeyes (2005-11) before spending 2012 as Arkansas’ defensive coordinator. Haynes got to know Murray and his family during the recruiting process, which played a role in his decision to add the player to his first-year roster.
“Najee was going through the (recruiting) process at Ohio State when I was there,” Haynes said according to the Beacon Journal. “He knows me and I knew him, so (KSU) is kind of a good fit for him that way.
“I met his parents before and the funny thing is that my first college roommate knows his parents because they’re from the same hometown. So there are a lot of things working in our favor.”
As a true freshman and mainly on special teams, Murray played in the first six games of the 2012 season before going down with a torn ACL. Murray was expected to be a contributor on special teams and in the secondary during the 2013 season.