‘Last Chance U’s most popular player is transferring, if your team needs a lineman

The Netflix documentary series Last Chance U became a big hit around the college football internet last year, this space included.

A chronicle of a season at junior college powerhouse East Mississippi Community College, its most popular player was EMCC defensive lineman Ronald Ollie, from Shubuta, Miss. Fans loved Ollie, and he had as much screen time as any player.

Filmmakers closely followed him as he tried to navigate his schoolwork and level up to play Division I football. He succeeded and spent last year at FCS Nicholls State.

Ollie played in 10 games and made one start, and his 41 tackles placed him seventh on the team. He also became a candidate for the Piesman Trophy with an 84-yard fumble-return touchdown.

“I guess I wasn’t happy there and chose to leave,” Ollie told 247Sports’ Brad Crawford in an article published on Monday. “There were other things going on to, but I wasn’t happy. I plan on playing again. A couple schools have called me. No major schools, so I’m just waiting and being patient. I can’t force it.”

A note from that story that’s a shame to read:

“I don’t like all the attention, everything’s been pretty difficult since the show (aired) and I went to Nicholls,” Ollie said. “But I still do me. I just try to joke and have a good time. That’s just who I am.”

Ollie has one year of collegiate eligibility remaining.

He had four tackles in Nicholls’ opener last season against Georgia, one of two FBS opponents on the Colonels’ schedule. (The other was South Alabama.) Nicholls plays in the Southland Conference and went 5-6 last season.

Any transfer to a “major school,” however that’s defined, would probably be a big jump from either the Southland or JUCO. It wouldn’t be easy, but rooting for Ollie would be.

And, yeah, Last Chance U is coming back for another season.

The trailer:

And an exclusive clip Netflix sent to SB Nation: