Jayson Bird to ISU?

[Collingwood]

Heard some rumors within and outside of the ISU football program that former Shelley stalwart and former U of I running back Jayson Bird will be playing his redshirt senior year at ISU this fall.

Any legitimacy to this?

-RC

 

[skippy57.0]

That has been rumored for quite awhile and I understand that Jayson will indeed be attending graduate school at ISU and, if his health allows, will be a part of the football team. It appears that what once was a thin position is becoming one of the deeper slots on the football team with Cornist, Knickhrem, Blue, Fletcher, LaPorta and, potentially, Bird all competing for time -- especially if ISU stays largely in a one-back offense.

 

[isusid]

I can confirm that Bird is here as a part of the graduate loophole rule, meaning that FCS can't take one-for-one transfers anymore (like Matt Gutierrez), but Jayson is OK since he graduated and enrolled in our graduate program with a year to play. Technically he isn't signed to a LOI, which is why we never released it, but he is enrolled. He can't participate in anything official until the NCAA clears him.

ISUSID