Tag: transfer portal

Former LSU RB Logan Diggs could be ready to make his Ole Miss debut

Former LSU running back Logan Diggs could make his Ole Miss debut later this year

A former LSU running back could be set to make his Ole Miss debut soon. [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag], who began his career with Notre Dame and spent one year with the Tigers, hit the transfer portal and transferred to Ole Miss after LSU’s bowl game.

Diggs tore his ACL in the bowl win, but [autotag]Lane Kiffin[/autotag] said Diggs has a chance to return following Ole Miss’ second bye week. That would be Nov. 23, after Ole Miss plays Arkansas and Georgia.

Diggs ran 119 times for 653 yards with the Tigers in 2023. He caught eight passes for 82 more yards. That put Diggs at a solid 5.8 yards per touch, something LSU could use now with its struggling run game.

Kiffin said it would be great for Ole Miss to get a “big, physical back” like Diggs in the backfield.

Week 13 may seem late for a return, but Ole Miss is still hoping to make a college football playoff run. Diggs could inject some life into a Rebel offense looking for consistency.

Ole Miss already has a strong rotation with Henry Parrish and Ulysses Bentley. Diggs would make it one of the deeper backfields in college football.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Former Alabama transfer reportedly dismissed from Auburn team

The former Alabama transfer is reportedly no longer with the Tigers.

According to multiple reports, Auburn Tigers defensive back Antonio Kite has been dismissed from the team following a violation of team rules.

Kite, a former transfer from the Alabama Crimson Tide, was currently in his first season with the Tigers program. Appearing in eight games, Kite had a combined stat line of six tackles, one interception, and one fumble recovery, which he returned for a touchdown, while also playing a role on special teams.

As mentioned previously, the defensive back originally began his collegiate career at Alabama where he was a four-star prospect in the 2022 class out of in-state Anniston High School.

Kite did not play much with the Crimson Tide however across his two seasons in Tuscaloosa, not recording any stats during either the 2022 or 2023 campaigns prior to entering the transfer portal this past January. Once entering the transfer portal, Kite would go on to commit to Auburn shortly after.

UCLA basketball hope to fine-tune things against Cal State LA

The Bruins play their first and only pre-season game ahead of their first season in the Big Ten.

The UCLA men’s basketball team is set to take the court this Wednesday in an exhibition matchup against Cal State L.A. at the Pauley Pavillion.

After a disappointing 2023 season, the Bruins are back in action with some familiar and unfamiliar faces on the roster. Head coach Mick Cronin weathered the storm last season with UCLA, despite some serious ups and downs and a deflating second-round exit in the Pac-12 Tournament.

Now, the new-look Bruins hope to cross their t’s and dot their i’s before starting the season on November 4th at home. The No. 22 ranked team in the nation, UCLA has high expectations in 2024 after the transfer portal additions of forwards Kobe Johnson and Eric Dailey Jr. and guard Skyy Clark.

The Bruins are in uncharted territory this season as they begin their tenure in the Big Ten. With questions swirling surrounding the trajectory of the program and Cronin’s ability to coach a blue-blood program, UCLA fans will get their first taste of the 2024 team this week in what should be a blowout win in Westwood.

Wisconsin facing former Badgers OL transfer, who is now on Penn State

Wisconsin facing former Badgers OL transfer, who is now on Penn State

The Wisconsin Badgers will play against former Wisconsin offensive lineman Nolan Rucci on Saturday when the team hosts the No. 3-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions.

Rucci played at Wisconsin from 2021-2023 before transferring to Penn State before the 2024 season.

Related: Ranking the biggest storylines entering Wisconsin’s premier matchup with Penn State

The offensive lineman originally joined the Badgers program as a five-star recruit in the class of 2021 — ranked as the No. 16 overall player in the class and No. 5 offensive tackle. His 0.9918 247Sports rating was good enough to rank No. 2 among the all-time highest-rated recruits in Wisconsin program history.

Nolan Rucci, the younger brother of former Badgers tight end Hayden Rucci (2019-2023), went on to redshirt during the 2021 season before playing sparingly in 2022. His role remained limited in 2023, with Jack Nelson and Riley Mahlman back as the team’s starting left and right tackles, respectively. He was a part of a defining moment of that season, however, as he caught a game-winning touchdown pass from QB Braedyn Locke in the Badgers’ narrow win over Illinois.

https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1715866823537623510

Nelson and Mahlman both returned in 2024 to lead a Wisconsin offensive line that is among the best in the conference. Rucci opted to enter the transfer portal, and went on to commit to Penn State.

The former top recruit currently plays a reserve role for the 2024 Nittany Lions. He primarily sees the field in jumbo packages and other heavy-personnel formations. Otherwise, he is the team’s primary backup right tackle — and has seen some game action at the position in relief of starter Anthony Donkoh.

Donkoh should be healthy exiting the Nittany Lions’ Week 8 bye, which means Rucci is likely to see the field only in specialty situations on Saturday.

Former Wisconsin linebacker Jordan Mayer (2023) also transferred to Penn State before the 2024 season. He has yet to see the field with the Nittany Lions.

Wisconsin and Penn State will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC and streaming on Peacock. Rucci, who now wears No. 72, should see at least some game action against his former team.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Injured former Notre Dame defensive lineman enters transfer portal

Good luck to him.

Aiden Gobaira is a name you probably forgot about because he only played one snap for Notre Dame. After the defensive lineman played that single snap in 2022, he tore his ACL in fall camp for the 2023 season and never saw game action then.

Gobaira’s time with the Irish came to an end when he was placed on medical scholarship during the offseason. It was a tough blow to say the least.

Gobaira isn’t giving up on a career in college football though. On3’s Pete Nakos is reporting that he has entered the transfer portal. While he still will be a Notre Dame student, he will be allowed to played football with a different program. Tyson Ford, another injured Irish defensive lineman in a similar situation, already is following the same path.

While it’s unfortunate that Gobaira’s time with the Irish didn’t work out, at least he gets another chance to play college football:

Best of luck to Gobaira wherever he plays next.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Former Wisconsin wide receiver has breakout performance with new program

Former Wisconsin wide receiver has breakout performance with new program

Former Wisconsin wide receiver Markus Allen had a breakthrough performance for Eastern Michigan in its Week 8 win over Central Michigan on Saturday.

Allen finished the contest with seven receptions, 140 receiving yards and a touchdown. That receiving total is the eighth-highest across the entire country for Week 8, trailing Jalen Royals (Utah State, 188 yards), Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green, 171), Luke Wysong (New Mexico, 156), Jaylin Noel (Iowa State, 153), Terrance Carter (Louisiana, 149) and Elijhah Badger (Florida, 148).

Related: Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 8: Wisconsin makes a charge

The performance pushes Allen’s season totals to 22 receptions, 318 yards, 14.5 yards per reception and one touchdown through seven games.

He is one of several former Wisconsin receivers finding solid roles with their new programs. Skyler Bell is having a fantastic season at UConn, while Keontez Lewis has set records at Southern Illinois.

Allen’s collegiate path has been winding to this point. He joined Wisconsin as a three-star recruit in the class of 2021, joining after first committing and decommitting from Michigan.

He went on to play for the Badgers in 2021 and part of 2022, recording 10 total receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown.

Allen initially entered the transfer portal in October 2022 after Wisconsin fired head coach Paul Chryst. He soon committed to Minnesota, though later backed out of that commitment and rejoined the Badgers program.

He reentered the portal in June 2023 after an April arrest, spent the 2023 season at Butler Community College in Clayton, Ohio, then landed at Eastern Michigan for the 2024 campaign.

Allen will look to continue his strong year with the Eagles (5-2) when they visit Akron on Oct. 26.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy tells Michigan football fans ‘I’m working on it’

👀 #GoBlue

Barstool Sports founder and ‘El Presidente’ Dave Portnoy made headlines a few weeks ago when he announced that he would spend around $3 million in name, image, and likeness money to lure a top-tier quarterback to his alma mater, the University of Michigan.

In the aftermath, there have been rumors swirling about 2025 Belleville (Mich.) five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood — the top player in the nation — who is currently committed to LSU. While it’s not clear whether or not Portnoy is working on flipping Underwood to Ann Arbor, given that the transfer portal isn’t open and there aren’t any top-tier quarterbacks available there yet, anyhow, fans have been speculating.

Well, add some fuel to the fire, because after Michigan football’s 21-7 loss to Illinois on Saturday, Portnoy assured the maize and blue faithful that he’s not sitting by idly just letting the Wolverines lose the way they have been of late.

That’ll get some fans’ blood moving.

Sure, we don’t know what he’s exactly working on — it could just be a promise that, hey, he’ll bring in a top quarterback once the portal opens. It could mean he’s communicating with Underwood — but that doesn’t necessarily mean there will be instant results. After all, he’s still in high school.

But given how this 2024 season has gone of late, any hope for Michigan fans is certainly welcome.

Alabama transfer has become one of ACC’s top wide receivers

The Alabama transfer has seen success so far this season.

After former head coach Nick Saban officially retired earlier this year, the Alabama Crimson Tide football program saw a significant roster turnover, with numerous players departing Tuscaloosa via the transfer portal.

Since, some of those players have gone on to see success at their respective destinations, while others have not necessarily seen as much playing time.

Well, one of those names who has since gone on to rise into stardom is wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks, who transferred from Alabama to Louisville back in December, which was actually before Saban retired.

Now yes, Brooks was already a known name from his time with the Crimson Tide. The former five-star recruit was a starter at Alabama who had a total of 39 receptions for 674 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022, and was on the receiving end of one of the Crimson Tide’s top plays from the 2021 season, catching a 28-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young to tie the Iron Bowl with :24 seconds remaining.

Brooks however has taken yet another step with Louisville this season, and currently ranks No. 2 in the ACC in receiving yards, while also leading the conference in touchdowns. For the season, Brooks has 30 receptions for 572 yards and six touchdowns, and is likely set to surpass his 2022 totals (39 receptions, 674 yards, 8 TD) at Alabama in the near future.

While one of the first to depart via the portal this past offseason, it appears that Brooks might just be the most impactful transfer so far to leave the Alabama program.

On3 names Notre Dame’s Matt Allocco among top 20 ACC impact transfers

How do you expect him to contribute this season?

Unlike most other ACC teams, Notre Dame didn’t dip its toes very deep into the transfer portal this past offseason. In fact, the Irish joined North Carolina, Florida State and Pittsburgh as the only schools in the conference to add three or fewer players via the transfer portal. That fell below the conference average of 4.6 transfers a team.

But one of them figures to contribute mightily to the Irish this this upcoming season. On3’s Jamie Shaw has named [autotag]Matt Allocco[/autotag] one of 20 impact transfers in the ACC for the 2024-25 season.

Allocco came over to the Irish from Princeton and is coming off career-high averages in both scoring (12.7) and assists (3.3). That netted him his second straight Second Team All-Ivy League honor, and he now will see how well his game translates in a power conference.

Shaw described Allocco this way:

“Matt Allocco is another connector for [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag]’s team. The 6-foot-4 senior is comfortable moving the ball or knocking down shots. He brings a winning pedigree (70-21 in college) and will provide a veteran presence beside [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag], someone who compliments his game and is able to take some pressure off his duties.”

Irish fans will be watch Allocco every step of the way. He’ll be crucial to any success this still-young team has.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Big Michigan football transfer portal target sets visit to Ann Arbor

Excellent news! #GoBlue

Michigan football is looking to shore up some areas on the team for next year, and it’s not just doing it through high school recruiting.

One player that the Wolverines had their eye on last cycle was Indiana quarterback-turned-wide receiver Donaven McCulley, who had initially entered the transfer portal after leading the Hoosiers in receiving. However, when Curt Cignetti signed on, McCulley withdrew his name and returned to Bloomington.

However, this year hasn’t gone as anticipated for McCulley, as injuries and being passed up on the depth chart has led him to only having two catches thus far this season. Thus, he announced his intention to reenter the transfer portal and Michigan is one of his chief schools of interest.

And now we know his intention to visit Ann Arbor to check things out.

According to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, McCulley intends to visit Ann Arbor in just over a week, intending to take in the Wolverines’ rivalry matchup against MSU on Oct. 26.

Michigan would do well to shore up a wide receiver transfer (or two) to go along with the two four-stars in the 2025 recruiting class. The maize and blue have speedster Andrew Marsh and possession receiver Jacob Washington committed, and also will hope that current freshmen Channing Goodwin and I’Marion Stewart will be ready to produce by the time next season rolls around.