Given the timing of this, I would be surprised if we hadn't at a minimum had the conversation with Kristian about waiting and taking the redshirt year here. We didn't have time to do anything when he announced last year, so it didn't cost us anything. It helps both of us from a timing perspective, and gave us both a year to have him work and mutually test fit.
Delaying the decision to gain valuable insight for both parties, at significant value to him (the extra eligibility it saves him) and minor value (us getting a final look at what he has got, while targeting potential transfer options) makes this a logical path to follow if indeed it went down this way.
Either way, why people get so bent out of shape with kids who decide for ANY REASON to transfer is something I won't understand. If there is a systemic problem with our program causing people to leave (e.g. our women's team last year) then certainly I am all about making our voices heard as fans, contributors and alumni but that doesn't appear to be the case here. Rather, a guy has decided this isn't the place for him and is moving on to a better fit. He didn't trash our program or team, didn't trash the coach and didn't trash our fans.
Maybe we could all take a moment to think about the fact that we are posting on a public forum about a young man who just felt the need to make a change (and that in fact we may have encouraged him to make said change).