Jarrett Stidham to Transfer from Baylor: Latest Comments and Reaction
Baylor quarterback Jarrett Stidham is officially no longer with the program, telling Max Olson of ESPN.com he was granted his release Monday.
Stidham firstย announced on July 7 he intended to transfer from the school: ย
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Stidham threw for 1,265 yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions last year and projected to be the backup QB behind Seth Russell for the 2016 season. Baylor interim head coach Jim Grobe said the sophomore wasn't content to sit on the bench for the upcoming season, per John Werner of the Waco Tribune-Herald.
According to KWTX in Waco, Texas, on July 7, Stidham will transfer to McLennan Community College and sit out the year so he doesn't lose any eligibility come 2017.
Stidham arrived with high expectations. He was the No. 2 dual-threat QB in the 2015 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. The Stephenville, Texas, native was a perfect fit for then-head coach Art Briles' high-powered offense.
Everything changed following an investigation by law firm Pepper Hamilton into Baylor's handling of sexual assault allegations. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, the school's board of regents announcedย in May it would move to terminate Briles' contract. The school reached a settlement with Briles in June to finalize his firing.
His departure resulted in upheaval on the recruiting trail. Olson noted how many players Baylor lost from its 2016 class:
Stidham's transfer is arguably a far bigger blow. Even if he didn't win the starting job this year, he's only a sophomore, so he would have had two more years to lead the Bears offense. His performance last year following Russell's season-ending injury showed Stidham has a bright future in college football.
Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee assumes Stidham will have plenty of interested suitors once he's eligible to transfer again:
Sports on Earth's David Ubben foresees a reunion between Stidham and his former offensive coordinator down the line:
With Stidham gone, true freshman Zach Smith is the likeliest candidate to back up Russell in 2016. According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Smith was the No. 16 pro-style QB in the 2016 recruiting class.
Should Russell go down with an injury again next year, the Baylor offense could be in serious trouble.
