Former North Little Rock running back Altee Tenpenny has been granted a release from Alabama and will be exploring his options.
Tenpenny signed with Alabama in 2013 over scholarship offers from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Auburn, Tennessee and others. The release forbids him from transferring to an SEC school.
He saw limited action in his two seasons in Tuscaloosa. As a freshman, he had 22 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown, while this past season he played in 13 games and rushed 26 times for 139 yards.
Tenpenny and Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban talked after Alabama's 42-35 loss to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.
"At the conclusion, we decided it was best that I start a new chapter in my life," Tenpenny said. "Nothing against the coaches or the organization. I enjoyed every bit of it while I was there. My time was up and it was time for me to go."
ESPN rated him the No. 10 running back and the No. 81 overall prospect in the nation in the 2013 class. He will have to sit out a year and have two years of eligibility at his new school.
Schools that have received his release are Ohio State, Kansas State, Nevada-Las Vegas, Oregon, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan and TCU.
"I know I'll be going out to visit Kansas State and UNLV, but I just don't know when though," Tenpenny said.
Tenpenny rushed 145 times for 1,232 yards and 15 touchdowns and earned a spot on the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Super Sophomore team in 2010. He missed his junior season due to an injury, and as a senior had 193 carries for 1,379 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Sports on 01/19/2015