Kerr cites DiNardo as reason for leaving IU

When building a house, if one doesn't have a steady foundation, then the house isn't going to be able to withstand the test of time. The same goes for football. An integral part of IU's football program recently decided to transfer to another Big Ten school. John Kerr, a sophomore linebacker, plans to attend Ohio State and join the Buckeye football program.\nKerr was an essential part of the Hoosier football team and formed the foundation for the future. He led IU in tackles as a freshman last season with 117. Kerr, a 6-foot-1-inch, 247-pound defensive back announced in December he was leaving the school.\nIU coach Gerry DiNardo commented on the loss of Kerr at Big Ten Media Day in Chicago. "It always hurts when you lose a player from your team, but hopefully we will have some guys that step up in his place," DiNardo said. "I'm looking for team guys."\nBesides leading the team in tackles, Kerr played in all 12 games last year and added two sacks. He recorded 75 solo tackles as well. \nKerr explained his main reason for transferring from IU was friction with DiNardo.\n"I didn't get along with Coach DiNardo," Kerr said. "We had irreconcilable differences. We just didn't see eye to eye. We didn't get along. That's the way it was, and we accepted that."\nWith the loss of Kerr, it will make a beleaguered IU defense even thinner.\nDiNardo said lack of depth on the team for the upcoming year is going to be difficult to overcome. He added the team has a mere 65 scholarship players and last year they had the same number. A year from now, he said he is hoping the scholarships are where they need to be -- at 85.\nDiNardo said he is doing everything in his power to make sure the number of scholarship players increases. He visited all 311 high school football programs or schools in Indiana in just two years in an effort to reach out and establish strong recruiting roots in the state -- a commitment the day he was hired as IU's football coach. He visited his final school May 23.\n"I will be in every high school in the state of Indiana as soon as it is possibly human to do," DiNardo said. "I will map out a plan and part of the plan will be that I will be in every high school, whether there is a prospect or not."\nWhile DiNardo is focusing on recruiting, Kerr is moving on with his football career at Ohio State. Kerr, who played high school football at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, will have to sit out next season. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.\nKerr said it made good sense to attend Ohio State because of the closeness to his hometown. He said Ohio State is only an hour and a half from his home. In addition to the proximity to his hometown, Kerr added the fact the football program is very successful, which made it enticing to go there.\n"I feel the best players in the nation are from the state of Ohio," Kerr said. "If we can keep them there, we can compete for a national title year in and year out."\nOhio State defeated Miami 31-24 in double-overtime to win the national title in breathtaking fashion last year in the Fiesta Bowl. \nMeanwhile, IU hosts Ohio State on Oct. 25 at Memorial Stadium. The Hoosiers travel to Columbus the following season on Oct. 23, 2004. Kerr would be eligible to play in that contest in 2004.\nWhen he had to make a choice, Kerr said the decision to transfer to Ohio State wasn't a difficult one.\n"Ohio State is always where I've wanted to be," Kerr said. "At Indiana, I wasn't happy. I figured why not roll the dice and attend Ohio State and play football there"