Tag: Bruno Fina

Bruno Fina lands with Duke in transfer portal

Bruno Fina finds a new home.

The UCLA Bruins football program lost Bruno Fina in a tough transfer portal departure. Now, Fina has found a new home and is joining the Duke Blue Devils. 

Fina had a number of suitors, including a potential reunion with Chip Kelly as Buckeyes Wire pointed out.

Fina started 13 games last season for UCLA and was expected to be a big part of the offensive line. After his departure, DeShaun Foster stressed he still would support him in his move and wished him nothing but the best.

The Blue Devils are entering a new era with Manny Diaz as the head coach after Mike Elko went to Texas A&M to replace Jimbo Fisher.

Ryan Haley of Duke Wire wrote about the addition of Fina:

The left tackle offers a perfect compliment to fellow offensive lineman Jack Purcell, who transferred into the program from Penn this winter. Purcell made 10 starts with Quakers, with nine of those starts coming at right tackle.

Duke one of the finalists to land New Mexico State RB Star Thomas

Duke continues to attack the transfer portal hard in search of more pieces for the 2024 season as they are a finalist for transfer RB Star Thomas.

Duke football is far from being done constructing its roster for the 2024 season. It seems they still have a ways to go.

Recently, Bruno Fina, an offensive tackle who played last season at UCLA, hit the transfer portal and came out on the other side as a Duke Blue Devil.

Duke is now looking to boost its running back room, it appears. On3’s Pete Nakos reported on Wednesday that Manny Diaz’s team is one of four finalists for New Mexico State transfer tailback Star Thomas.

Thomas was a second-team All-Conference USA selection this past season. He rushed for 633 yards in 2023 and added four rushing touchdowns. He also caught 22 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns.

Throughout his career, he’s tallied 1,171 yards and 9 TDs on the ground along with 351 receiving yards and five scores as a passing weapon.

Duke’s competition includes newly minted ACC foe California, a sleeper team to win the SEC in Ole Miss, and the Toledo Rockets.

Thomas would be a welcome addition to Duke’s running back room. Since Jordan Waters’ departure to the NC State Wolfpack, the Blue Devils have been searching for a more proven option alongside Jaquez Moore, and Thomas certainly fills that role.

 

Lane Kiffin and the Rebels feel like the team to beat, but with Duke making the list as a finalist, we’ll see how things shake out when the dust settles.

Duke Blue Devils get UCLA left tackle Bruno Fina from transfer portal

UCLA transfer Bruno Fina, who started 13 games at left tackle for the Bruins in 2023, committed to play for Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils on Monday.

The Blue Devils got some desperately needed offensive line help on Monday with the commitment of UCLA transfer Bruno Fina.

Fina shared a social media post announcing his commitment on Monday afternoon through X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Under first-year head coach Manny Diaz, Duke often played seven-on-seven situations during the Blue & White Game this spring due to the lack of offensive linemen on the roster. Only five linemen dressed for the spring scrimmage, and after Ethan Hubbard and Calib Perez entered the transfer portal, Diaz only had seven offensive linemen on the roster.

Fina, for his part, started 13 games for the Bruins in 2023. He played left tackle, and the redshirt junior measured out at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds.

The left tackle offers a perfect compliment to fellow offensive lineman Jack Purcell, who transferred into the program from Penn this winter. Purcell made 10 starts with Quakers, with nine of those starts coming at right tackle.

Diaz also welcomed former Northwestern offensive lineman Zachary Franks in February as the first-year Blue Devil rebuilds a line that lost first-round draft pick Graham Barton and multiple other starters to the NFL.

DeShaun Foster shows support as Bruno Fina enters transfer portal

DeShaun Foster still shows support to Bruno Fina.

The UCLA Bruins offensive line saw a big departure as Bruno Fina decided to enter the transfer portal after the Spring Game.

However, head coach DeShaun Foster admitted he still supports him despite his decision to leave Westwood, per Griffin McVeigh of On3.

“He told me he wanted to hit the portal. Good player. I support him.”

Losing a starter this late in the season is a tough blow, but the Bruins have shown a lot of interest in other players during the Spring transfer portal window. 

When Foster was asked if Fina could come back to UCLA, he gave a not-so-good answer: “He’s interested in other schools. I’m just going to leave it at that.”

Buckeyes Wire also tossed around the idea of Fina reuniting with Chip Kelly, this time at Ohio State where the former UCLA head coach is the offensive coordinator.

It will be worth monitoring to see where Fina ends up.

Buckeyes Wire floats idea of Bruno Fina-Chip Kelly reunion

Could Fina and Kelly reunite?

The UCLA Bruins saw offensive lineman Bruno Fina enter the transfer portal recently. Not only is it a significant loss to the offensive line, but he could end up staying in the Big Ten Conference.

Michael Chen of Buckeyes Wire floated the idea of Fina reuniting with Chip Kelly, this time at Ohio State.

One of those players is now former UCLA starting offensive tackle, Bruno Fina, who made the announcement of his transfer on Tuesday. He started on the left side last year for now Buckeye offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, and could be a potential fit.

Ohio State has been looking for a portal addition on the offensive line, and Fina’s familiarity with Kelly’s offense should at least make him a target for the Buckeyes.

Chip Kelly shocking decided to leave UCLA and become the offensive coordinator for the Buckeyes, which made DeShaun Foster the new UCLA head coach.

So, Fina and Kelly working together again would be quite something. We will have to see what Fina’s market looks like.

Could a former UCLA offensive lineman join Chip Kelly at Ohio State?

A potential Buckeye transfer offensive line target has emerged

The transfer portal spring window is coming to a close, and there has been a furry of action with Ohio State football keeping a watchful eye on who is looking to move.

One of those players is now former UCLA starting offensive tackle, [autotag]Bruno Fina[/autotag], who made the announcement of his transfer on Tuesday. He started on the left side last year for now Buckeye offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, and could be a potential fit.

Ohio State has been looking for a portal addition on the offensive line, and Fina’s familiarity with Kelly’s offense should at least make him a target for the Buckeyes.

Time will tell if Ohio State does ultimately go after Fina, but the connection with Kelly is there and could lure the tackle to join him in Columbus.

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