Defensive end Deron Irving-Bey academically dismissed from Central Michigan
Expected to be a key contributor on the defensive line for Central Michigan football in 2019, defensive end Deron Irving-Bey is no longer on the team.
Following the fall semester, he was academically dismissed from CMU.
"Deron (Irving-Bey) was academically dismissed from the university after the fall semester," Associate AD for Sport Administration and Communications Rob Wyman told Central Michigan Life in a statement.
Irving-Bey, who did not immediately respond for comment, transferred to CMU from the University of Michigan on Aug. 21, 2018. He was forced to sit out last season due to NCAA transfer rules.
The 6-foot-5, 282-pound defensive end would have been a redshirt sophomore and eligible to play in the 2019. Irving-Bey took a redshirt as a freshman in the 2017 while playing for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan.
Three days before John Bonamego was fired as CMU's head coach, he professed his high hopes for Irving-Bey. Since then, Jim McElwain was hired as the new coach and Irving-Bey was dismissed.
"Deron Irving-Bey is going to add to the depth of the defensive line," Bonamego said after a practice. "He's a highly touted player."
Along with the loss of Irving-Bey, the Chippewas are on the verge of defensive end Mike Danna transferring out of the program. On Jan. 26, Danna put his name in the NCAA transfer portal. From Feb. 1-3, he took a visit to Michigan.
Since Danna is graduating at the end of the semester, he will be eligible to leave CMU as a graduate transfer and granted immediate eligibility. Entering the transfer portal does not mean a player is guaranteed to transfer. It just gives the student-athlete an option to look elsewhere.
Irving-Bey was a four-star prospect in the 2017 class, graduating from Southwestern Academy High School in Flint. He held the No. 249 overall ranking in the country and was No. 9 at strong-side defensive end and No. 4 in Michigan, per the 247Sports Composite.
As a high school senior, Irving-Bey registered 79 tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, 15 sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. His scholarship offers included multiple Big Ten Conference programs, including Michigan, Michigan State and Maryland.
He participated in the 2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, was selected to the USA Today All-USA Michigan first team as a senior and named the Flint Journal’s Defensive Player of the Year for 2016.
