Well, if this is true (hat tip, Scott), he won’t be released from his scholarship.

WTAE channel 4 ABC’s Pittsburgh affiliate has just reported that Freshman running back Rashad Jennings has requested a transfer from the University of Pittsburgh.

Jennings reportedly sited family issues for the reason behind the transfer. It is being reported that Jennings apparently wants to transfer to the University of Virginia in order to be closer to his family.

Pitt starts a home-and-home with Virginia next season. There is no way Coach Wannstedt will let him go without him paying his own way and sitting out a year.

Right now, there is nothing about this story on the WTAE site.

He must be really homesick. Not only will he have to sit out a year, he already has a year of prep school added to his time [Ed., factual correction] lost a year because he deferred his enrollment. He’ll be approaching Krauser age by the time he gets back on the field again.

It can be argued, though, that this is not as big a blow as it might seem. It would open the door for Conredge Collins to show he can be the man at Tailback, rather than Fullback. Not to mention, perhaps if Brandon Mason can stay healthy for a week he could get his shot. Then, of course, there is the highly touted Kevin Collier coming next fall.