Texas has been experiencing quite a bit of attrition lately, with multiple players choosing to enter the NCAA transfer portal. It’s something head coach Steve Sarkisian expected in order to improve the roster for next season.
That trend continued on Monday as two reserve players in offensive lineman Rafiti Ghirmai and defensive back Marques Caldwell entered the transfer portal.
Ghirmai, a fourth-year player and former four-star prospect out of Frisco, was always viewed as having potential. However, he was unable to consistently crack the lineup under Tom Herman and Steve Sarkisian.
Most of Ghirmai’s contributions came on special teams or in blowout wins. He was honored on Senior Day against Kansas State and appeared in 13 games throughout his tenure in Austin.
Caldwell is another player who was never really able to climb the depth chart or become a contributor. The former three-star prospect registered just one career tackle in three years as a Longhorn.
With Ghirmai and Caldwell added, it now marks five players from Texas who have decided to test the transfer waters since the start of November. While that may seem like an alarming amount, it frees up more room for recruits and other transfers to come to Austin.