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Staff photo by Patrick Smith BJ Coleman during 2008's Vanderbilt game.
One week after leaving the University of Tennessee football program, B.J. Coleman still is weighing his options before deciding where he will transfer.
The former McCallie School quarterback visited UT-Chattanooga earlier this week and has been contacted by several other schools.
Although he would not predict a specific date, he said he hopes to make a decision in the near future.
“I really enjoyed my time with the UTC staff,” Coleman said. “I thought all of the coaches I spoke with were stand-up guys. The thing I noticed first is that they’re good people.
“They also have a good plan to get the program going in the right direction, and I think fans and the city are going to be really proud of what they’re going to do.”
Although Coleman was granted his release from UT last weekend, Volunteers coach Lane Kiffin did exclude several prospective schools from that release. Coleman would not divulge which schools those were, but it is common practice for the coach at the previous program to include all league opponents on such a list.
If Coleman transferred to a Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A) program, he would have to sit out this fall before becoming eligible. However, if he signs with a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) school, such as UTC, he will be immediately eligible. He already took a redshirt year.
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B.J. Coleman leaves TennesseeFormer McCallie School quarterback B.J. Coleman told University of Tennessee football coaches Thursday afternoon that he would be transferring out of the program. The redshirt sophomore told the Times Free Press he did not believe he would get a fair opportunity to earn the starting job.
Stephen has covered local sports in the tri-state area for more than 20 years, starting at the News-Free Press as a 19-year-old reporter. He has been with the Times Free Press since its inception and has been an assistant sports editor since 2005. Stephen is among the most decorated writers in the TFP’s newsroom, winning numerous state, regional and national writing awards. He was named one of the top 10 sports writers in the nation ...
This is becoming a bit dramatic isn't it? If starting this year is his goal, he has to step down a division or sit a year of his eligibility. He would not have beaten out Crompton or Stephens. Coleman was an academic honor role student at UT, will UTC's degree have the same worth to corporate America? BJ better hope so because he will never make it to the pros. He has put his college FB career above his earning power the rest of his life.
I think the transfer and the school that BJ attends is up to BJ. He is a bright person and capable of making decisions without the help of strangers. There are many people that are surviving with their degrees from UTC. I am sure he gave that some thought.
I wish BJ well, but I have a feeling this will be an episode that he'll look back on and regret. He has done serious damage to the reputation of his character - by exhibiting jealousy, quitting in the face of (a very small) adversity, and then going public with ranting, childish comments. He has shown a lot of bitterness and zero appreciation for the people who gave him a free top-notch education and an opportunity to learn at a great program.
He really needs someone in his life to bring his substantial ego back into check and give him better advice from a PR perspective. Someone should've been there trying to get that phone away from him and protect him from ruining his reputation with the public.
It makes things worse that he seems to think he is a better evaluator of talent than either the Fulmer staff or the Kiffin staff. Both staffs liked him and felt like he was developing along well but he thinks he is "the best" right now and should be granted the keys to the kingdom. It really is a shame.
Hopefully he'll choose to go to a low-profile FCS or D2 school to get a year of playing experience and straighten his head out. It would be good for him to realize how far of a fall it is from UTK to UTC. Maybe after a year of lower-tier ball he could come back to an FBS team with a level head.
A degree from UTC is better than a degree from UTK. Everybody knows about the "academic integrity" issues associated with UTK football players.
"Coleman was an academic honor role student at UT, will UTC's degree have the same worth to corporate America?"
Both UTC and UTK receive the exact same degree as part of the state university system. Same worth? lol! You need to do your homework, turner_c, before making unmerited and uneducated comments.
Good luck B.J. I hope to see you in the blue and the gold this year! We need you. But you are talented and educated and will do well no matter what school you choose to attend.
Hey turner_c , i have a degree from UTC and my corporate career is more sucessful than yours........BJ was smart to leave "LYING LANE"
You Tennessee losers kill me! Everyone of you know that BJ Coleman was the best QB at UT. You defend Lame Kitten at any chance because you think he is going to take you to the promise land. Think again....in my opinion, after going 3-8, you will be looking for another coach next year. I just hope the best QB in TN will be a Moc next year. Turner_c you are clueless. My diploma from UTC unfortunately says "University of Tennessee"! If it were up to me, Chattanooga would cut all ties with UTK. We would be fine without the Tennessee System. UC all the way!
"If it were up to me, Chattanooga would cut all ties with UTK. We would be fine without the Tennessee System. UC all the way!"
Well said!
When the school was THE UNIVERSITY OF CHATTANOOGA, there would be no debate which diploma held more value.
UtC has one of the top 100 business programs in the country and one the best engineering programs in the South. Just because UTK is the anointed "flagship" of the UT System does not mean it is automatically better in all facets of education. But I guess all the Orangeville lemmings believe anything the color of creamsicle must be better.
Proud CHATTANOOGA graduate. UofC all the way!
Wow, from all these comments by the 'Noogers I am beginning to understand where Beej, as he calls himself, gets his overblown self-worth.
You mean in contrast to the overblown self-worth of the masses of orange lemmings (most of whom have never set foot in a classroom at UTK)? Heaven forbid someone display any pride for their hometown and/or their hometown university.
All hail UT-Knoxville, the Saviors of the State of Tennessee!
Speaking of losers, UTC has tanked after changing the nickname to the ''mocking birds. No one fears the ''birds''!
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