The so-called “window” — a designated period of time in which players can enter the NCAA transfer portal — was supposed to make roster management easier. But that change, which went into effect this year, might have unintended consequences. Cracks are showing in the glass.
Take, for example, Wyoming, which is preparing to play in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl on Dec. 30 in Tucson. When the portal window officially opened Monday, three Cowboys starters jumped through it. (A fourth starter, tailback Titus Swen, also entered the portal but did so after being dismissed from the team.)
Wyoming experienced a similar exodus last year. But it didn’t come until after the Cowboys had participated in the Dec. 21 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Whey they face Ohio at Arizona Stadium, the Cowboys won’t have receiver Joshua Cobbs, their leading pass catcher; defensive lineman Oluwaseyi Omotosho, who has 46 tackles and 6.5 sacks; and cornerback Cameron Stone, who has a team-high two interceptions. Others conceivably could join them.
None of this makes Wyoming unique. But the Cowboys’ situation illustrates the impact and volatility of the portal. More than 1,000 players already have entered during this cycle, according to reports.
“Every school is facing this,” Wyoming athletic director Tom Burman during a video news conference previewing the Arizona Bowl.
“The starting quarterback at Notre Dame (Drew Pyne) just put his name in the portal. We are going to experience, every year, transition in our roster, both coming in and going out. What we’ve got to get really good at is making sure we have a core contingent of players that we build around, and then use the portal to our benefit to fill in spots here and there.
“It makes prepping different. In some ways I like the idea of knowing that if the kid is going to leave, let’s do it now and see who can step up and play well in the bowl game. That helps us for next year. It also helps in that we know we can start searching through the transfer portal right now to find out if we can find better or equal players.”
Wyoming running back Trey Smith runs away from Kent State cornerback Montre Miller on a 49-yard touchdown during the second half of the Idaho Potato Bowl. Wyoming beat Kent State, then lost a handful of contributors to the NCAA transfer portal.
New landscape
Wyoming won the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl 52-38 over Kent State. Quarterback Levi Williams was named the game’s MVP after rushing for 200 yards and four touchdowns.
Williams threw one touchdown pass to receiver Isaiah Neyor, who had a team-high five catches for 87 yards. Tailback Xazavian Valladay rushed for 79 yards and one TD. Starting defensive backs C.J. Coldon, Azizi Hearn and Rome Weber combined for 13 tackles and two passes defensed.
All six players entered the portal within days of the Potato Bowl and were members of other programs this season. Valladay transferred to Arizona State, where he rushed for 1,192 yards, second most in the Pac-12. He led the conference with 18 total touchdowns. Hearn, who began his career at Arizona, transferred to UCLA.
Burman said Wyoming is still adjusting to and trying to navigate the new landscape of college football: the transfer portal; the one-time transfer exception, which enables players to go from one school to another without having to sit out a year; and NIL, which allows them to benefit financially from their name, image and likeness.
“We’ve just got to take a deep dive into the kids we recruit,” said Burman, who has served as Wyoming’s athletic director since 2006. “Are they likely to stay? And if they’re not, are they going to be ready to play immediately so they can help us quickly?
“We want kids to be able to play and move through it — be successful here and get a degree. But that doesn’t always happen.”
In all, 12 Wyoming players entered the portal during the 2021-22 cycle, according to 247Sports.com’s database. Ten landed with other schools, with six going to Power Five programs.
The first number isn’t that high; Arizona already has more players in the portal during this cycle. The percentage who found new homes (83.3) is significantly higher than what typically happens.
According to the NCAA, 54% of FBS players who entered the portal between Aug. 1, 2019, and July 31, 2021, reported enrolling at another school. That figure drops to 47% if you include FCS players.
Wyoming coach Craig Bohl talks to defensive end DeVonne Harris during last month’s game against Fresno State.
QB swap
Wyoming coach Craig Bohl reluctantly has accepted that his program has to utilize the portal to compete. The Cowboys took three transfers in the last cycle. One became their starting quarterback.
Whether Andrew Peasley responded to what many dubbed a social-media classified ad is unclear. Wyoming lost not only Williams but backup Sean Chambers to the portal. Bohl posted a statement through Wyoming Football’s official Twitter account that included the following concession:
“After a successful early signing day, Cowboy Football will address the need to sign a quarterback via the transfer portal or junior college. We believe this is a great opportunity for a transfer quarterback to come in and make an impact on our program.”
Bohl then named-dropped NFL star Josh Allen, who came to Wyoming from junior college.
Peasley committed to Wyoming on Jan. 13. He previously played at Utah State, one of Wyoming’s top rivals in the Mountain West Conference’s Mountain Division.
“I spent four years at Utah State, and it didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to,” Peasley said. “I needed a different opportunity. So I came here as a grad transfer, and I was lucky enough to find (a new school).
“I don’t know if the transfer portal is going to ruin college football or make it better. But I think it’s hard for players to find a perfect spot. So I hope the best for all of them.”
Every player has his reasons for entering the portal. Peasley said the current Cowboys don’t hold it against the ones who are leaving. Peasley knows he’d be a hypocrite if he did.
“We just had lifts. Everyone was dapping each other up, giving hugs, wishing each other the best. I got to talk to a few guys. It’s all love,” Peasley said this week. “It’s not (like) you leave and we don’t like you anymore. They’ve got to find their best opportunity and what they think is best for them.”
The Cowboys faced the Aggies on Oct. 22. It was a big deal, not only because Peasley was facing his former school but because one of Utah State’s quarterbacks was Williams, the former starter at Wyoming.
Williams did not appear in that game and played only sparingly for the Aggies this season. Peasley threw for 199 yards in a 28-14 Wyoming victory.
“Obviously, I had to control my emotions,” Peasley said after the game. “I respect (Utah State). At the end, when there was a line of dudes waiting to give me a hug and say congrats and that they’re proud of me, that’s when the emotions hit.
“But the best thing tonight was getting the win. I’m thankful I’m here.”
After upsetting No. 12 UCLA at the Rose Bowl, the Arizona Wildcats look to win back-to-back games for the first time since 2019, when they face Washington State on Saturday. Quarterback Jayden de Laura, who played two seasons for the Cougars before transferring, and safety Christian Young spoke to media on Tuesday.
