USC running back Amir Carlisle is transferring to Notre Dame, according to a report in the South Bend Tribune.
Carlisle, who battled injuries as a 2011 freshman but earned plenty of praise from Trojans coach Lane Kiffin for his efforts, will enroll in school in South Bend beginning Jan. 17 and sit out the 2012 season before retaining three years of eligibility.
“It’ll be good,” Duane Carlisle said, according to the report. “He’s got a real clear picture with how he’ll be used, and he’s excited about getting on the field.”
Carlisle was a Stanford commit during the 2011 recruiting season but changed his mind and committed to USC fairly late in the process, after his father was let go as the San Francisco 49ers strength and conditioning coach. His father was then hired to a similar position at Purdue in March.
Notre Dame and Purdue are just over 100 miles apart.
“It was our intention to stay (in California), but circumstances changed,” Duane Carlisle said. “We’re a close-knit family.”
Carlisle's departure leaves USC fairly thin at the running back position. Starter Curtis McNeal returns and D.J. Morgan will also be back, but three of the top five backs from the start of last season are now gone, in Carlisle, Marc Tyler and Dillon Baxter.
Redshirt freshman Javorious 'Buck' Allen is the only other scholarship player at the position and USC doesn't have any highly-recruited players at the position committed in the 2012 class.