Freshman tight end Hanner Shipley has left LSU’s football program and will transfer to Abilene Christian. Ross Dellenger of The Advocate reported Shipley’s decision.
A three-star recruit out of Texas’ Faith Academy of Marble Falls, about 48 miles away from Austin, Shipley is expected to play on Abilene Christian’s offensive line, as the university’s athletic department posted on Twitter yesterday.
.@HannerShipley has transferred from #LSU to @ACUsports and will play on the Wildcats' offensive line. #GoWildcats #ACUE4C
— ACU Sports (@ACUsports) August 23, 2015
It’s a big loss for LSU, as Shipley has size at 6-foot-5, 275 pounds and could have been a big blocking body for the Tigers in the future. But it appears that Shipley simply wanted to play closer to home, as Abilene Christian is just a three hour drive away from Marble Falls. This decision was certainly surprising, as Shipley had enrolled at LSU early and appeared at the team’s media day last weekend.
LSU has yet to offer comment on Shipley’s decision.
Regardless of that, Shipley is going to do what he feels is best for him and though the timing of it is a bit off with the start of the 2015 season on the horizon, all that LSU can really do is move forward.
LSU opens the season at home against the Southland’s McNeese State Cowboys on September 5.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to 247 Sports
