Minnesota junior safety Benny Sapp III announced Thursday that he will enter the NCAA transfer protocol this season.

Sapp announced the decision on Twitter:

While not seeing any action on defense last Saturday against Michigan, Sapp was a regular on the Gophers’ special-teams unit. He had not been able to break into the starting defensive unit at the safety spot.

Sapp had a solid freshman campaign, making seven tackles, playing in all 13 games. But as a sophomore last season, he had just one tackle in his 11 games.

While in high school at Eden Prairie, Minn., Sapp battled back from multiple knee injuries, and after transferring to St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., he received 25 scholarship offers.

The Gophers kick off vs. Maryland in Week 2 on Friday night.