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Schnider Herard is leaving Maryland basketball, InsideMDSports’ Jeff Ermann reports. He’ll explore professional opportunities, a school spokesman told Ermann.
Herard exits the team without ever seeing the court. He transferred to Maryland between semesters from Mississippi State and would have had to sit out the fall 2018 semester in accordance with NCAA transfer rules.
His departure puts Maryland and coach Mark Turgeon in a precarious spot down low. Bruno Fernando and Jalen Smith are penciled in as the starters, with Herard plugging a spot as the backup center. Now Ivan Bender and Joshua Tomaic are the only backups, and neither is a center. Adding to that: Bender is recovering from yet another injury, while Tomaic hasn’t showed signs that he’s ready for a big enough role at any position after one redshirt year and one season playing 8.8 minutes per game.
Without Herard, Maryland is down to 10 scholarship players. The program has twin centers Mahki and Mahkel Mitchell committed for the Class of 2019, but they won’t be able to help this season.