Four months after Notre Dame announced Greg Bryant was ruled ineligible for the 2015 season, and after the running back left South Bend for a Miami-area junior college, the running back revealed Wednesday he'll return to major college football as a member of the UAB Blazers (in 2017, when the program will begin play again).
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Bryant made his announcement in a post on Instagram:
A photo posted by Greg Bryant J.r (@1gregbryant_jr) on Nov 4, 2015 at 9:43am PST
Bryant, a native of Delray Beach, Fla., and a former five-star recruit, carried 57 times for 303 yards with three touchdowns during his two seasons at Notre Dame. Coach Brian Kelly said at a few junctures since Bryant's departure from campus that he hadn't had contact with the former Irish running back, who's played for ASA Miami Junior College this fall.
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UAB did not field a football team in 2015 after president Ray Watts shut down the program following the 2014 season. Facing massive pressure and criticism, though, Watts announced over the summer the Blazers' football program would begin play again in 2017, a re-start date confirmed by a UAB media relations representative. Bryant would be in his fifth year of eligibility in 2017.
Bryant isn't the first former player from a big-time college program to transfer to UAB -- ex-LSU defensive tackle Maquedius Bain announced in October he'll transfer to UAB.
Notre Dame hasn't missed Bryant, even after junior Tarean Folston tore his ACL in the first quarter of Sept. 5's season-opening game against Texas. Converted slot receiver and redshirt junior C.J. Prosise exploded for 947 yards and 11 touchdowns in eight games so far this season, vaulting him from a backup role to being regarded as one of college football's top running backs.