Miami Hurricanes center Nick Linder leaves team, wants to transfer

Miami senior Nick Linder, who has started 21 games at center over the past two seasons, has decided to sit out this season and transfer, Hurricanes coach Mark Richt said Monday.

Linder will graduate this week, Richt said, but appears in no hurry to find a new team. He never redshirted and retains a year of eligibility for the 2018 season.

"He is going to go home, I think, and train for one semester and then he is going to transfer somewhere else," Richt told reporters after practice.

Linder started the first nine games of last season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. His replacement, Alex Gall, graduated after last season, so the starting center job likely will now fall to junior Tyler Gauthier, who started the final four games of last season.

"When guys leave, it just puts pressure on the rest of the team," Richt said. "He's a really good player and he really knows what he's doing. Certainly, I'm disappointed, because I'd rather he be here than not be here."

Asked why Linder is leaving now, Richt said, "You have to ask him."