KNOXVILLE - When Darrin Kirkland Jr. was going through the recruiting process at Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis, he emphasized that education was his top priority.
Tennessee football coach Butch Jones, center, talks with linebacker Darrin Kirkland, Jr., right, and wide receiver Brandon Johnson after their Music City Bowl victory against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Nissan Stadium on Friday, Dec. 30, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee won 38-24.After graduating from the University of Tennessee this month, the standout linebacker indicated Thursday that he will continue his football career - and his education - elsewhere as a graduate transfer.
Kirkland posted a message to Twitter on Thursday evening with the news, noting that the decision to move on from Tennessee came after much "prayer, thought, and consideration."
The departure of Kirkland is a blow to Tennessee's defense. Known for being a bright mind on and off the football field, he seemed poised for a key role as a middle linebacker in the defensive scheme being installed by a new coaching staff.
The 6-foot-1, 238-pound Kirkland came back from a knee injury that forced him to miss the 2017 season to be a partial participant during Tennessee's final few spring practices last month. He did not play in the Orange and White Game.
As a graduate transfer, Kirkland will not have to sit out a year, and he will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at his new school. He leaves Tennessee with 111 career tackles, 66 of which came during a standout freshman season in 2015. Kirkland played in all 13 games that season, helping Tennessee to a 9-4 record and building expectations for a 2016 campaign that was disappointing both for him and the Volunteers.
Kirkland battled a high ankle sprain during Tennessee's 9-4 season that year but finished with 45 tackles in eight games.
"Tennessee will always hold a special place in my heart," Kirkland wrote in his announcement. "These moments have been priceless and I'm a better player and man from this experience."
Kirkland's departure places pressure on Tennessee's defensive staff to develop younger linebackers who can contribute in 2018. Sophomore linebacker Will Ignont played with the first-team defense in the Orange and White Game.
Incoming freshman J.J. Peterson, the most highly rated player in the Vols' 2018 signing class, could also be a candidate for early playing time.
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.