Wide receiver Richmond Flowers will leave Duke to transfer to Tennessee-Chatanooga this spring, the redshirt junior announced yesterday.
Flowers said he intends to graduate from the University this May and will pursue his MBA in Chattanooga. Because Tennessee-Chatanooga is a Division I-AA school, he will be allowed to play out his remaining year of eligibility without having to sit out a year.
"After prayerful consideration of the goals that I have for my future, I have concluded that it is time for me to make a change," Flowers said in a statement. "I leave Duke University with a very heavy heart, yet one filled with love for all the many friends I have made on the football squad and the coaching staff, not to mention the student body."
Duke coach Carl Franks declined further comment on the subject, but issued a statement through the school.
"Richmond is no longer a member of our football team," the coach said. "We hope this is the right decision for Richmond."
Flowers will take classes this semester at Chatanooga but will apply them to graduate from Duke in the spring. In the fall, the Alabama native will pursue graduate studies at UT-C while playing football.
"My interests lie in NFL football, but greater than that, I hope to gain an MBA before continuing my life's plan," Flowers said.
This season was at times frustrating for Flowers, who lost his starting job to Ben Erdeljac before the Georgia Tech game. Erdeljac was injured later in the season and Flowers returned as a starter, finishing the year with 42 receptions for 649 yards and five touchdowns.
"I wish we could have won more or that I could have contributed more toward success," Flowers said. "However, I feel the future will be bright with Duke football."
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