Tag: transfer

Wisconsin QB named as a player that has the most to prove in 2024

What do you expect from Wisconsin’s new QB this season?

One of Wisconsin’s biggest moves of this offseason was the addition of former Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.

Van Dyke brings years of starting experience, having led the Miami Hurricanes for the last three seasons. In that time he completed 63.7% of his passes for 7469 yards, 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

The veteran quarterback’s best year was 2021, when he threw for 2931 yards and a 25-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Van Dyke is a proven quarterback, but he’s been searching for his 2021 form ever since.

That’s where Wisconsin comes in. The Badgers did fine at quarterback last season with former SMU signal caller Tanner Mordecai. The room is deep with star talent, but head coach Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo needed a sure bet to kickstart their season.

Related: ChatGPT ranks the most intimidating Big Ten football stadiums to play in

Van Dyke should be a good fit in Longo’s air raid offense. But he’ll need to be his 2021 self if the Badgers are going to compete in the tough Big Ten landscape.

The ESPN college football staff recently released the college football coaches and players who have the most to prove in 2024. Included in his list: new Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.

Nov 24, 2023; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (9) looks to pass against the Boston College Eagles during the first half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

“When Van Dyke won ACC Rookie of the Year honors in 2021 at Miami, the expectation was that he would be long gone to the NFL by now,” Adam Rittenberg writes. “But after two sometimes solid, sometimes choppy seasons with different coordinators under coach Mario Cristobal, Van Dyke entered the portal and sought a fresh start…If Van Dyke can be the quarterback who makes the Air Raid go in Madison, he will not only boost his NFL chances, but bring Wisconsin closer to the 12-team CFP mix

I agree with Rittberg’s sentiment. It feels as if much of the Badgers’ College Football Playoff hope rests on the veteran quarterback’s shoulders. If he enters and plays like he did in 2021, the Badgers could be a real threat. If not, it’ll be the same mediocrity we’ve seen for the last four years.

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Wisconsin football 2024 depth chart projection 1.0: Defense

Wisconsin football 2024 depth chart projection 1.0: Defense

Wisconsin football enters the 2024 season with an identity that needs to be rebuilt.

I wondered aloud throughout last season what the team’s identity was. It wasn’t exceptional at throwing the ball. It was inconsistent on the ground, and the defense was good but not great. The same was the case in 2022 under Paul Chryst and Jim Leonhard — even the great defensive identity was slipping away.

Related: Way-too-early record predictions for every Big Ten football team in 2024

The good news is Luke Fickell is a defensive head coach with a strong history on that side of the ball. If I bet on any part of the team reaching dominance, it would be the defense.

Fickell and his staff attacked the transfer portal this winter to help reshape a roster that didn’t quite fit his and Mike Tressel’s schemes.

We will see if those moves pay off when spring practice gets underway. But first, here is our first depth chart projection for the Badgers’ 2024 defense:

Michigan football walk-on linebacker enters transfer portal

Best of luck to him. #GoBlue

Michigan football suffered its first casualty of the Jim Harbaugh departure, though it’s hoping not to get any more in the 30-day transfer portal window that is now open.

Though he only appeared in three games and for 11 snaps (seven in the Indiana game last year), Belleville (Michigan) Renaissance linebacker Jerome Nichols is looking for greener pastures — and assuredly playing time. Nichols was a 2022 letterwinner and a 2021 Academic All-Big Ten honoree with two tackles to his name.

Following fellow walk-ons, running back Leon Franklin and wide receiver Sam Staruch, Nichols announced via X (formerly Twitter) that he’s entering the transfer portal.

Nichols has two years of eligibility remaining. A Michigan legacy via his mother having graduated in 1996, he played locally at Detroit Renaissance High School and was a Detroit Free Press All-Detroit honorable mention in 2019. He arrived in Ann Arbor during the COVID-19 year but didn’t see game action until 2022.

Why Georgia makes sense as a destination for Alabama’s Caleb Downs

Here’s a breakdown of why Georgia is so enticing for Caleb Downs

Alabama star safety Caleb Downs has entered the transfer portal, and Georgia is considered the favorite to land the All-American safety, per multiple reports.

The situation began after Nick Saban’s retirement and subsequent decimation of the Crimson Tide’s coaching staff. The move also gave players a 30-day window to transfer. 2024 signees can also back out of their letters of intent if they have not started classes.

Washington’s Kalen DeBoer was named head coach on Friday with a monumental task ahead of him: Keep Alabama’s talented roster intact following the departure of one of the best college football coaches in history.

Kirby Smart immediately jumped at the opportunity to poach a premier coaching talent: defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson, who is now Georgia’s co-defensive coordinator.

Below I breakdown why Downs would choose Georgia and the effect his addition would have on an already loaded defense:

Former Wisconsin linebacker commits to Penn State

Former Wisconsin linebacker commits to Penn State

The musical chairs of the college football offseason are in full go at the moment. Wisconsin has seen numerous starters and top contributors transfer out, while the program currently has 10 transfer commitments and the No. 14 transfer class in the nation.

One of those players who transferred out is outside linebacker Jordan Mayer. The Clairton, Pennsylvania native ended his transfer process yesterday by committing to Penn State.

Mayer was a three-star recruit in the class of 2023, ranked as the No. 1024 player in the class and No. 97 edge defender. He originally committed to the Badgers when Paul Chryst was still the coach, and decided to stick around when Fickell got the job in November of 2022.

The young linebacker will now suit up for a Big Ten rival.

Former Georgia LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson announces transfer destination

In case you missed it: Jamon Dumas-Johnson transfers to SEC foe

Former Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson announced his decision to transfer to the University of Kentucky. One of Georgia’s leading tacklers will stay in the SEC and join the Wildcats.

Kentucky has been resourceful with the portal over the last couple of seasons, and adding Dumas-Johnson could be their best addition yet. Dumas-Johnson was an impact player on the Bulldogs defense at the middle level. He was often the field general before a fractured forearm took him out for the rest of the season.

Dumas-Johnson finished his three-year career in Athens with 125 tackles, 9.5 sacks and one interception. This move puts Smael Mondon Jr. at the forefront of the defense. He announced his decision to stay at Georgia a couple of days ago, and he’ll be the leader in the linebacker room. Sophomore CJ Allen will also be critical as he filled in for Dumas-Johnson toward the end of the season.

The 6-foot-1, 235 pound linebacker is a former four-star recruit and will be entering his senior season with Kentucky. The former Georgia linebacker is the second player to transfer from Georgia to Kentucky joining Brock Vandagriff. Georgia will travel to Kentucky in Week 3 next season.

Georgia adds DL Xzavier McLeod from South Carolina

Georgia adds DL Xzavier McLeod from South Carolina

The Georgia Bulldogs are back to the transfer portal as they add defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod from South Carolina. The former four-star recruit will be coming to Georgia after one season in South Carolina, where he redshirted.

McLeod had one tackle and an interception on in his little playing time. He will have four years of eligibility remaining. McLeod is a big force for the middle of the defense standing 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds.

With Georgia losing multiple players in the middle over the years, McLeod could come in as a difference maker for a position group that needs help. The Bulldogs could lose Zion Logue, Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse to the draft so McLeod could find playing time immediately.

McLeod had multiple schools interested in him, but ultimately chose Georgia. The Bulldogs offered him in 2021 while he was playing his high school ball at Camden high school in South Carolina, however, he chose to stay in state and play for the Gamecocks.

McLeod joins the Bulldogs as the third transfer to the team with wide receiver London Humphreys and long snapper Beau Gardner.

Former Vanderbilt receiver commits to Georgia

Former Vanderbilt receiver commits to Georgia

Former Vanderbilt wide receiver London Humphreys has committed to the Georgia Bulldogs. One of the best transfer portal receivers on the market visited Athens this past week and left with a good impression as he’ll be joining the Bulldogs.

Humphreys is a 6-foot-3 receiver that has speed and can be a vertical threat for the Georgia Bulldogs. Humphreys is a former three-star recruit from Nashville, Tenn. He’ll have three years of eligibility remaining.

Humphreys caught 22 passes for 439 yards and 4 touchdowns. The biggest touchdown of his young career was against the Bulldogs with a 49-yard catch -and-run that put the Commodores up 7-0 early.

Humphreys adds to a loaded wide receiver room, but it’s still awaiting decisions from certain players, such as Ladd McConkey. The passing attack will be a clear emphasis for the Bulldogs since Carson Beck announced his return.

Humphreys is the third high-level receiving threat the Bulldogs have gotten from the portal in the past two seasons. With Dominic Lovett and Rara Thomas transferring in last season and now Humphreys, the transfer portal seems to be a popular place for the Bulldogs to find receiving talent.

Reaction: Georgia Bulldogs WR transfers to Syracuse

Second Georgia football WR transfers to Syracuse

Georgia Bulldogs freshman wide receiver Zeed Haynes is transferring to Syracuse. Haynes announced his commitment to the Syracuse Orange on Saturday.

Haynes is the second Georgia wide receiver to join former Georgia defensive backs coach Fran Brown, who is now the head coach at Syracuse. Jackson Meeks also transferred to Syracuse.

Haynes, a former four-star recruit in the class of 2023, is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound receiver played in four games for Georgia, so he will have four years of eligibility remaining. Haynes originally committed to Penn State before flipping to Georgia. As a true freshman, Haynes caught one pass for 20 yards.

Here’s how the media reacted after Zeed Haynes transferred to Syracuse:

Report: Wisconsin ‘a school to watch’ for a high-profile transfer quarterback

Report: Wisconsin ‘a school to watch’ for a high-profile transfer quarterback

Transfer portal season is here and it is already insane. As the portal officially opened earlier today we’ve seen big names including established quarterbacks Kyle McCord, Riley Leonard, D.J. Uiagalelei, Dillon Gabriel and Will Rogers enter, plus former five-star DL Walter Nolen and young quarterbacks including Dante Moore and Aidan Chiles.

So with the entrances come rumors, as we saw to a fever pitch a few years ago with Caleb Williams.

Well, get those rumor cannons ready. On3’s Pete Nakos reported earlier today the Badgers were a ‘school to watch’ for former Washington State transfer quarterback Cam Ward.

Yes, the same Cam Ward that beat the Badgers twice in the last two years.

Wisconsin was mentioned along with Ohio State, Oregon, USC, Florida State, Washington and Miami.

Ward played two seasons at Washington State after transferring from Incarnate Word. In 25 games he recorded 6968 passing yards, 48 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 202 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.

Wisconsin is in an interesting position with senior Tanner Mordecai set to depart, and youngsters Nick Evers and Braedyn Locke maybe not yet ready to start a full season. But whether it’s a need or not, good luck outbidding those listed schools in the NIL front. Acquiring Ward is going to be a challenging task.