DURHAM, N.C. – Duke head football coach David Cutcliffe announced on Wednesday that Daniel Helm has signed a financial aid agreement with the institution to enroll for the spring, 2015 semester.  Helm spent the past two semesters as a member of the football program at the University of Tennessee.

Helm, a 6-4, 240-pound tight end who played in all 12 regular season games with two starting assignments as a true freshman for the Volunteers in 2014, will sit out the 2015 campaign in compliance with NCAA transfer regulations and have three seasons of eligibility beginning in the fall of 2016.

While helping Tennessee to a 6-6 overall record, Helm totaled six pass receptions for 37 yards including a season-high two catches for 16 yards versus Florida on October 4.  In addition, he caught a two-point conversion in Tennessee’s 35-32 loss to No. 12 Georgia on September 27.

A native of Chatham, Ill., Helm was charted as a four-star tight end prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals.com andScout.com at Glenwood High School while playing for Dan Rourke.  Over his final two seasons at Glenwood, he totaled 79 receptions for 1,386 yards and 30 touchdowns and finished his prep career with a school record 35 receiving touchdowns.

Duke’s spring semester begins Wednesday, January 7.  The Blue Devils, who are coming off a 9-4 season which included a berth in the Hyundai Sun Bowl, open spring practice on February 6.