Well, 1) regardless of whether they release him, he'd have to sit out next year unless he goes I-AA or DII, so I don't think not wanting to sit out is really the issue (although there are waivers you can get for hardship -- actually pretty sure UT had a receiver from Iowa transfer in under that rule for the same reasons in the last few years); 2) do you really not see a difference between going to Michigan or Michigan State vs. Saginaw Valley State (or any of the directional MAC programs)? Not even just for football, but also for school they are just much better, and the drive from either Ann Arbor or East Lansing is not bad at all -- much better than Knoxville, and could go home pretty much whenever he wants; 3) Does it even matter whether his dad is on his death bed, or the kid just realized after a year away and not seeing his dad get better it was time to move back closer to home, or you're right and he just wants to leave because UT blows? It still makes them looks like a-holes since he's not asking for a release to go to Florida or even to open it up to a nationwide search, but just to schools in his home state who UT doesn't even play.
