Receiver O'Neal, who battled with grades, to transfer

By Drew Edwards

Originally published 02:52 p.m., May 13, 2008
Updated 03:14 p.m., May 13, 2008

Junior wide receiver Kenny O’Neal will transfer to another school, Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer announced Tuesday.

O’Neal, who began his career at Florida State before coming to UT after playing one season at City College of San Francisco, struggled with academics while at Tennessee.

He was declared academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 and missed all of spring practice in order to focus more on academics.

“We excused Kenny from spring practice for the entire spring to get his academics in order,” Fulmer told the News Sentinel last week when asked about O’Neal’s future with the Vols. “We’ll just to have to see how he comes out through finals. We should know any day now.”

A highly touted member of UT’s 2007 recruiting class, O’Neal finished his UT career with two receptions for 59 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown reception against Louisiana-Lafayette.

If O'Neal was academically ineligible when he left UT, he could cost the Vols a scholarship if UT's football academic progress rating score falls below the NCAA mandated level of 925. However Tennessee has not been subject to scholarship penalties or fallen below the 925 mark in the four years since the NCAA instituted the APR program.

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.