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Kyle Bolin is moving on from Louisville.
After the Cardinals’ spring game on Saturday, Bolin told reporters he plans to leave school after he graduates at the conclusion of the spring semester. Upon completing his degree, Bolin will be immediately eligible for his final season at his next school, adding an intriguing quarterback option to the graduate transfer market.
Bolin started five games for Louisville in 2015 as he battled with Lamar Jackson at the top of the team’s depth chart. His final start that season was against rival Kentucky in the regular season finale. He was benched after throwing two early interceptions, paving the way for a breakout performance from Jackson, who went on to win the Heisman in 2016.
Overall in 2015, Bolin threw for 1,154 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 56.9 percent of his passes.
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The year before as a redshirt freshman, Bolin came off the bench for an injured Reggie Bonnafon and threw for 381 yards and three touchdowns in his first significant action to help Louisville beat UK. A few weeks later, Bolin made his first career start and threw for 300 yards in a Belk Bowl loss to Georgia.
As a backup to Jackson in 2016, Bolin only saw action in blowouts, completing 18-of-27 passes for 234 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Bolin did not play in the team’s spring game on Saturday. Per the Louisville Courier-Journal, Bolin did not want to take any game action away from quarterbacks who will remain with the team moving forward.
Bolin said he is on good terms with Louisville and coach Bobby Petrino as he exits. Petrino even allowed him to visit Cincinnati on Friday, he said. A few other schools have reached out with interest, too, Bolin said, including Texas.
Bolin said his parting of ways with U of L is completely amicable, and he said U of L has placed no restrictions on his transfer. He said coach Bobby Petrino has been “nothing but supportive” of his decision and allowed him to have contact with other schools while spring practice has been going on, including a trip to Cincinnati’s spring game on Friday.
He said Northern Illinois has also offered him a scholarship, and he plans to visit there. He said Texas and Western Michigan are among the teams that he’s been in contact with.
Bolin said he is confident he can start at the highest level.
“I feel that I’m a very good football player,” Bolin said, “and I feel that I can be one of the top quarterbacks in the country. If you ask my teammates that, I think they would say the same thing because they tell me that. Being in the situation I’ve been in was kind of difficult, to go from the starter to not being the starter. You just have emotions going up and down, and you start losing confidence.
“But I kind of put that all to the side. I’ve been working really hard and throwing the ball really well and getting bigger. I just don’t want to give up on the dream that I’ve set out to reach since I was a little kid. I’ve only got a few more years to make that dream come to life, and I’m going to take advantage of it, and whatever happens, happens.”
Transfers always rise to the surface when spring practices around the country wind down, but Bolin immediately comes one of the top quarterback options available alongside Malik Zaire, formerly of Notre Dame. Expect plenty of interest to come Bolin’s way.
For more Louisville news, visit CardinalSports.com.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!