Auburn football: Jaren Handy entering transfer portal puzzling

It’s okay Auburn football fans…I’m just as puzzled as you are.

Edge rusher Jaren Handy has officially entered the transfer portal, marking the first Tiger to take their talents elsewhere following the program’s A-Day spring intrasquad scrimmage that took place three weekends ago at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

At the time, head coach Bryan Harsin gave a blanket statement on all of the A-Day absentees, saying there were “different reasons” each one was not in uniform for the grand return of the spring game after COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 edition.

Apparently, Handy’s absence is one that can be explained away by his sudden change of course to leave the Plains and finish his college football career elsewhere.

And sudden it certainly seemed to be.

The #7 SDE in the class of 2019 was showering the praises of the incoming coaching staff just a few months ago, even going far as to say they “listened” when they were signed:

If sticking with this new staff means it was the best decision he ever made, what does that make the decision to leave?

That isn’t to criticize Handy for leaving, either. Fly War Eagle would be caught wearing a crimson Mac Jones jersey before criticizing a collegiate athlete for choosing what is best for their journey.

This just seems strange, though, especially considering just two months ago he was calling Auburn football’s CB coach Zac Etheridge the realest person he ever had a conversation with.

Either way, what’s done is done. Handy hasn’t commented on the decision yet publicly, but he did retweet former Ole Miss WR and NFL hopeful Elijah Moore’s tweet reading, “Keep swimming! God got it.”

We wish Mr. Handy the best in his future endeavors wherever he lands next!