Grant to transfer

TUSCALOOSA | University of Alabama running back Corey Grant plans to transfer, according to his former high school coach.

Opelika High School coach Brian Blackmon said he does not know where Grant plans to play football next, but believes the redshirt freshman has the ability to contribute at a major college program.

"I don't know where he's going, but he told me he's not coming back to Alabama. He didn't give me any indication as to what he's going to do. There is talk that he wants to go to Auburn, but we don't know for sure," said Blackmon.

Grant signed with Alabama in the Crimson Tide's 2010 signing class and redshirted last season. At 5-foot-10 and 186 pounds, Grant was undersized for the position but possesses excellent speed and had no shortage of scholarship offers as a Rivals.com four-star recruit, including one from Auburn.

"I think it's a situation where he committed early, the summer before his senior year, and he just felt like he went to the wrong place," said Blackmon. "I only saw him for a few minutes, so he didn't get too much into the details, but he said he wasn't going to be back."

It is unclear whether Grant has been released from his scholarship, conditionally or unconditionally, by UA coach Nick Saban. If Grant received a conditional release that excludes a transfer to other Southeastern Conference institutions, and chose to attend an SEC school anyway, he would not be allowed on scholarship at the receiving SEC school initially. NCAA rules also require players transferring from one FBS program to another to sit out one season.

Efforts to reach Grant were unsuccessful.

Grant is the fifth UA player to leave UA since the end of the football season, joining defensive back B.J. Scott, defensive lineman Brandon Moore, running back Demetrius Goode and linebacker Petey Smith.

Reach Chase Goodbread at chase.goodbread@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0196.