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Almost eight months to the day after committing to the USF football, freshman wide receiver Chauncy Smart has decided to transfer from the school to “focus strictly on track”, The Daily Stampede has learned.
BREAKING: @ChauncySmartt has been granted a release from USF & plans to transfer to Power 5 Conf. to focus on track. https://t.co/GOcjLEks8E pic.twitter.com/E88bSLzzoo
— MileSplit US (@milesplit) October 11, 2017
Mile Split US had the news first today of Smart’s decision.
We spoke with Smart through his Twitter direct messages tonight to get a better understanding of why he made the choice to leave the Bulls.
.@ChauncySmartt has been granted his release from @USFFootball so he can “focus strictly on track at a much bigger school”. He was a late addition to the 2017 recruiting class after not playing football his senior year of HS.
— Nathan Bond (@BullsNathanSBN) October 12, 2017
Best of luck Chauncy.
(@milesplit had it first)
Smart graded out as the best player at the 2016 Nike+ Football Ratings day, and earned offers from several schools, including Michigan State and West Virginia.
.@ChauncySmartt has told me that #USF has restricted him from transferring to any AAC school as well as Illinois and Georgia Tech because they play each other next season.
— Nathan Bond (@BullsNathanSBN) October 12, 2017
Mind you, he’s strictly focusing on track.
How does this make any sense? Smart is transferring to focus solely on track, but USF head coach Charlie Strong— who may not even be this time next year— blocked him from going to any American Athletic Conference school, as well as Illinois and Georgia Tech. Why those schools? According to Smart, it’s because the Bulls play those teams next year. In football. Not track.
.@ChauncySmartt’s top schools he may transfer to:
— Nathan Bond (@BullsNathanSBN) October 12, 2017
UF
Tennesee
Miami
South Carolina
Auburn
Iowa
Texas
North Carolina
Oregon
USTA
UTEP
These are Smart’s top ten schools as of right now. Seems legit... wait, is that University of Texas at El Paso and University of Texas at San Antonio? Well, OK.
Smart was a one-time FSU commit for track, so it’s interesting to not see them in his top 10.
.@ChauncySmartt said he got the release from @USFFootball a couple of weeks ago and he will be “good to go” in second semester at his new school.
— Nathan Bond (@BullsNathanSBN) October 12, 2017
Smart won the 2017 FHSAA 3A State Championship in the 100 meters. He was ranked as the number one sprinter in Florida and third in the nation.
Good luck Chauncy, wherever you go next.