Defensive end Ty Linton leaving NC State football to pursue career as a pilot

It's become an all-too-common story in college athletics: athlete commits to one school to play football, then opts to play baseball professionally instead, then comes back to football but decides to play for school's rival, then leaves said rival without ever playing a down for a career in aviation.

NC State defensive end Ty Linton became the most recent case with the announcement Tuesday that he's off to Middle Tennessee State to enroll in its aeronautical science program. Would another year of NC State football have better prepared him for a career in aviation? It's possible, certainly. I tend to think it would. But you have to respect the decision of a kid who thinks he's ready.

"My dream has always been to become a pilot," Linton said. "My mom, dad and two sisters are in the flight industry so it's always been a passion of mine. I'm 25 years old with two knee surgeries behind me and no ambition to play football at the next level, so it's time for me to start thinking about my career."

Just recapping NC State's offseason thus far: leading receiver Bo Hines decided to transfer to Yale where he could focus on a law degree and a future political career, and a possible rotation player at DE chose to retire from football to become a pilot.

Fortunately, Linton's decision gives me an excuse to post this: