Kirkwood discusses his reasons for transferring
It turns out that the loss of a close friend and former teammate played a big role in Temple receiver Keith Kirkwood's decision to transfer to Temple.
Kirkwood's former University of Hawaii teammate Willis Wilson, a running back, drowned last November on a beach in Hawaii. The tragedy left a lasting impression on Kirkwood, a Neptune, N.J. native.
"The impact of his death was hard on all of us, he was a good friend," Kirkwood, who made his debut with the Owls last Saturday, said Tuesday morning. "He was a close friend of everyone. If you met him for the first time you felt like you knew him forever."
Kirkwood, a 6-3, 210-pound receiver, wasn't supposed to be eligible to play until next fall. However, late last Friday Temple got the news that he would be able to play this season as a result of a petition for a 'hardship waiver' being granted.
Last season at Hawaii, Kirkwood caught 12 passes for 250 yards. He had his best game of the 2013 season when he caught two passes for 84 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown.
He had been allowed to practice with the Owls ever since he arrived on campus during the summer. He caught coach Matt Rhule's eye as a member of the scout team. He's currently playing on special teams, but don't be surprised if he starts to get some time at receiver in the upcoming weeks.
Kirkwood said that it was a big step to go to Hawaii, adding that he missed his family the entire time he was there. Willis' death, he said, opened his eyes even more.
"I have always been very close to my family. When Willis died it made being so far away from my family even harder because family has always been important to me."
In order to receive the waiver from the NCAA, it had to be demonstrated that there was a legitimate reason for Kirkwood to play this season rather than wait. And last Friday the NCAA was convinced.
"It's a credit to the NCAA because they made a decision in his best interest," Rhule said. "It's a credit to Hawaii because they supported it. They did what was right for him despite knowing what kind of player they were losing."