Nearly a year after leaving Iowa, A.J. Derby has made his way back to the FBS level.
According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Derby has agreed to become a walk-on at Arkansas and will, the paper writes, “compete for the starting job in the spring.” Derby spent the 2012 season at the JUCO level at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College.
With Tyler Wilson leaving the Razorbacks for the NFL, redshirt freshman Brandon Allen will head into spring practice as the odds-on favorite to win the starting job.
Derby announced Jan. 16 of this year that he was leaving the Hawkeyes, saying in a statement confirming his departure that “I don’t feel this is the best fit for me personally to reach my goals as a student-athlete.”
In nine games as a redshirt freshman in 2011, Derby completed three of his six passes for 30 yards as the Hawkeyes’ No. 2 QB.
In early October of that year, Derby was was arrested on charges of fourth-degree criminal mischief and public intoxication following an incident in which he allegedly punched a defenseless bus. Derby served a two-game suspension as a result of the arrest.
He was moved from QB to linebacker following his suspension.
