Unexpectedly, Oregon’s wide receiving corps is thinner now than when the week began.
On his Twitter account Tuesday, Kirk Merritt announced that he plans “on transferring to a new institution to continue my education and athletic career.” The receiver cited unspecified “family situation back home” in Louisiana as the reasoning behind his decision.
Given attrition at what’s still a loaded position for the Ducks, Merritt had been expected to be a more significant contributor in 2016.pic.twitter.com/o4TEUxZmeG
— Kwik™ ⚡️ (@kirkmerritt33) June 21, 2016
A four-star 2015 recruit, Merritt was rated as the No. 7 player at any position in the state of Louisiana. Playing in 12 games as a true freshman, Merritt caught five passes for 61 yards. He added another 13 yards on three carries.
If Merritt ends up at another FBS program, he could be forced to sit out the 2016, and then have three seasons of eligibility remaining beginning in 2017. Whether the “family situations” would afford him immediate eligibility remains unclear.