This is a tip from an undisclosed source, but it is consistent with what I have been hearing about Heard’s interest. It was mentioned here at Corn Nation this morning (I missed it) so you can consider this confirmed.
This could be an absolutely huge event for the Kentucky Wildcats football team. Braylon Heard was a former Cardinal Mooney player, and he is transferring from the Nebraska Cornhuskers, ostensibly for lack of playing time. Those of you who haven’t heard of Cardinal Mooney high in Ohio really do need to catch up on your football awareness, as it has been the subject of untold amounts of discussion among followers of the Kentucky football program. You can think of it as similar to Louisville Trinity, if you need a basis for comparison.
You can read more about Heard in our previous articles here and here, but suffice it to say that getting this kind of player from a program like Nebraska is a whole different level of awesome from what we’ve experienced here in Kentucky since … well, since ever, okay?
Let’s just say, though, that this is a visit, not a commitment. It’s theoretically possible he could fall in love with Stoops & Co. this weekend and amaze us all by committing to transfer here on the spot. More likely he takes his time and makes all the visits he intends to make, then makes his decision. He's already visited the Pittsburgh Panthers.
No matter what, the transfer rule will mandate a year in residence for Heard unless he can fit the requirements for a one-time transfer exception and/or show hardship sufficient to produce a waiver from the NCAA. That means that if he does come to Kentucky, he most likely will not be taking the field until 2014.
But that’s okay, UK has a fairly good stable of backs, and developing depth at that position is absolutely vital to Neal Brown’s offensive scheme. Remember, Neal Brown uses the pass to set up the run. He is out of the Mike Leach version of the Air Raid, not Hal Mumme.