The American Athletic Conference continues to be reshaped by the ever-changing landscape of college football.
For the second straight year, the AAC will experience a shuffle in membership with 2023 champion Southern Methodist defecting to join the Atlantic Coast Conference next season. The Mustangs will move to the ACC along with California and Stanford in one of the latest reorganizations of the nation’s major conferences.
It marks the second straight year the AAC has experienced a shakeup of members. Cincinnati, Houston and Central Florida left last year for the Big 12 Conference, while the AAC added Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice and Texas-San Antonio as new members. The conference will add Army as its 14th football member in 2024 to replace SMU.
But as significant as those moves have been, the biggest impact on AAC football’s immediate future has been the transfer portal. Teams have literally reshaped entire rosters by wins and losses in the transfer portal.
East Carolina (25) and North Texas (24) suffered heavy personnel loses to the portal during this cycle, while teams such as Charlotte (17), North Texas (15) and Memphis (14) have been able to restock with portal signings or commitments.
Overall, AAC schools had seen 179 players enter the transfer portal as of Jan. 9, and another 110 portal athletes had signed or committed to conference schools.
Of course, those numbers are subject to change between now and the traditional signing period in February as schools pursue remaining portal prospects. While we wait for those transactions to occur, here’s a brief look at the early signing period highlights for all 14 of the AAC’s football playing programs, including Army.
ARMY
2023 REVIEW: Playing as an FBS independent, Army won its final four games, including a 17-11 victory against rival Navy, to finish 6-6.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 164 nationally by 247Sports.com; No. 80 nationally by Rivals.com; No. 175 nationally by On3.com.*
*Note: Army will join the AAC for the 2024 season. Because the Black Knights weren’t AAC members in 2023, their class isn’t rated with other league teams this cycle.
BY THE NUMBERS: Army will become the 14th member of the AAC in football starting in 2024. … Because the military academies don’t traditionally announce their football signees until the spring there is no official signing day list for Army. … 247Sports.com lists Army with 33 commitments, Rivals.com has the Cadets with 78 pledges and On3.com has them with 59. … The Cadets signed at least three pairs of prospects from the same high school. … Quarterback ASHTON DICKENS (6-2, 195) and offensive tackle BRADY STEPHENSON (6-2, 275) were teammates at Lockhart High in Texas, wide receiver ADEN SELF (5-11, 195) and offensive tackle EVERETT CHAMPLIN (6-4, 280) played together at The Woodlands High in Texas. … Defensive lineman JACOB COTTERILL (6-4, 246) and defensive back RYLAND MITCHELL (6-0, 172) are from Summerville (SC) High. … The Cadets have had six recruits back off verbal commitments, including three-star athlete JORDAN BELL from Munford, Texas. … Bell, a talented prep quarterback, gave his verbal to Army in June. But he decommitted in June and eventually signed with Memphis.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: Army has at least six quarterback prospects who have signed certificates of commitment, but the most intriguing is 5-10, 180-pound LUKE KNIGHT from Wiregrass Ranch High in Zephyrhills, Florida. Knight represents a change for Army’s offense, which will shift from an option running attack to the shotgun in 2024. Knight is a guy who can air it out, hence his 3,872 yards and 42 touchdowns passing as a prep senior. JAYLEN JONES (6-1, 190) is a three-star safety prospect from Chandler, AZ, who also entertained offers from Indiana, Kent State, Louisiville, Nevada-Las Vegas and Western Kentucky. Running back RANDALL NAUDEN (5-11, 200) backed off a pledge to Navy in December to join Army’s class. Nauden rushed for more than 1,400 yards and scored 15 touchdowns as a senior. Winter Park, FL, defensive end/edge NOAH DANIELS (6-4, 250) recorded 16 tackles for loss as a senior. Daniels also had offers from Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Tulane.
PORTAL WINS: Normally, the service academies don’t take players from the transfer portal because of the strict entrance requirements. But Army made an exception this cycle for offensive lineman KYLE KLOSKA (6-3, 280). Kloska was a preferred walk-on at Central Michigan but didn’t play in a game last season. Although it appeared he’d make the depth chart at left guard next fall, Kloska decided to hit the transfer portal. Luckily, Army allowed him entrance, and he’ll reunite at West Point with brother Timmy, a running back on the academy’s prep squad.
PORTAL LOSSES: Some prominent players are among the six former Cadets in the transfer portal. Foremost is the team’s top receiver for the last three seasons, ISAIAH ALSTON. Alston caught 49 passes for 1,031 yards and six touchdowns over four years at West Point. Linebacker TANOAI LETULI, who was a valuable reserve last season, has moved on to San Diego State, while backup quarterback LARRY ROBINSON has also exited the program for the portal.
CHARLOTTE
2023 REVIEW: Finished 2-6 to tie for 11th place in the AAC; Ended 3-9 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 5 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 72 nationally; No. 8 by Rivals.com in AAC and No. 93 nationally; No. 7 in AAC by On3.com and No. 83 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: The 49ers locked down 30 prospects during the early signing period, gaining 14 through the transfer portal, three from the junior college ranks and 13 high school seniors. … The recruits are from 13 different states and Australia. … North Carolina, with seven, produced the most players in the class, followed by Georgia with six. … The class consists of eight defensive backs, six offensive linemen, four wide receivers, four linebackers, three defensive linemen, two quarterbacks, two running backs and a tight end. … Two prospects backed off commitments to Charlotte prior to signing day. … Most prominent was edge rusher MALIK MOSES from Snellville, GA. … A June pledge to the 49ers, Moses re-opened his recruitment in November and wound up signing with Bowling Green.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: DE’GABRIEL FLOYD (6-3, 235) originally signed with Texas back in 2018 out of Westlake High in California, where he was rated a four-star linebacker prospect. But he medically retired from football in December 2019 without playing a down for the Longhorns. Floyd, now a hybrid linebacker-rush end, staged a comeback in 2022 at Alabama A&M (16 tackles in 9 games) before moving to East L.A. Community College this season (37 tackles, 9 games). The 49ers scored their biggest recruiting coup of the cycle from the transfer portal by securing quarterback MAX BROWN (6-2, 220) from Florida. Brown, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, spent two seasons in Gainesville but saw his only action this season. He played in six games for the Gators, making his first college start against rival Florida State. Charlotte coach Biff Poggi calls Brown “a program changer.” ISAIAH MYERS (6-5, 185) is a still developing receiver prospect who collected 40 catches for 683 yards in 10 games at Independence Community College this season.
PORTAL WINS: The 17 portal transfers came from 14 different FBS programs. Twelve of the portal transfers who have announced their intention to play for Charlotte signed during the early period. Quarterback MAX BROWN, who was mentioned above, will be happy to see MITCHELL MAYES (6-4, 305) arrive from Clemson to help protect him. Mayes has been a fixture in the Tigers’ blocking corps at guard for four seasons, playing in 32 career games with nine starts. CARTEVIOUS NORTON (5-11, 225) will add power to Charlotte’s offensive backfield. Norton rushed for 655 yards and five touchdowns over two seasons at Iowa State, including 393 yards and three scores this season.
PORTAL LOSSES: A total of 19 players from Charlotte’s 2023 roster had entered the transfer portal as of Jan. 9. Linebacker DEMETRIUS KNIGHT was the 49ers top defender in 2023 with 96 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Knight, who started his career at Georgia Tech, spent just one season at Charlotte before heading to South Carolina for the ’24 season. No. 2 tackler, linebacker DEREK BOYKINS (73 tackles, 9 tackles for loss), has also entered the portal. Defensive lineman MIGUEL JACKSON, a starter at end in 2022, is moving on to Utah State.
COACH SAID IT: “Exciting, exciting day. As of this morning, according to the Transfer Portal Report, Charlotte is number five in the nation, including Power Five and Group of Five, and number one in the nation in the Group of Five. Our staff, starting with our recruiting staff, have done an unbelievable job finding and evaluating talent. It is an extremely talented class, and it fills the needs we needed filled.” – Charlotte head coach Biff Poggi
EAST CAROLINA
2023 REVIEW: Finished 1-7 to tie for 13th place in the AAC; Ended 2-10 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 4 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 76 nationally; No. 4 by Rivals.com in AAC and No. 68 nationally; No. 4 in AAC by On3.com and No. 71 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Pirates reeled in an early signing class of 20 players, including 18 high school seniors and two junior college transfers. … The class features five offensive linemen, four receivers, three defensive backs, three defensive linemen, a running back, a quarterback, a tight end, a linebacker and one player listed as an athlete. … The prospects come from nine different states. … Four each list Georgia and South Carolina as their home states, while three each are from Florida and North Carolina. … There are also two from Virginia, and one each from Alabama, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. … ECU had three recruits decommit during the cycle with Florida linebacker CHAR’QUEZ LEE opting to stay home to play at Florida Atlantic and cornerback ELIJAH MCDOWELL from Georgia signing with Georgia Southern. … Edge TIYYAN ROBINSON from Durham, NC, left ECU’s class in November and signed with Middle Tennessee State.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: Quarterbacks COLE HODGE and KATIN HOUSER headline ECU’s recruiting Class of 2024. Hodge (6-2, 193) is one of the most productive quarterbacks in Kentucky high school history. He directed his Christian Academy of Louisville team to consecutive state championships, including this season when he passed for 4,104 yards and 57 touchdowns. The performance earned him Gatorade State Player of the Year honors. Houser (6-3, 215) hasn’t been officially announced as a member of the class, but he made his commitment to ECU public in December after two seasons at Michigan State. Houser, who has three years of eligibility left, started the final seven games for the Spartans in 2023 as a redshirt freshman. He passed for 1,132 yards and six touchdowns during that span and is expected to step in immediately as the starter at ECU next fall. Junior college transfers KENDARIUS SMALL (6-5, 305) and JAYSON TARPEH (6-6, 315) will compete for starting jobs next fall on the offensive line. Defensive lineman JAVON WILLIAMS (6-2, 291), from Largo, FL, made an incredible 83 tackles for loss and 23 sacks in 32 career prep games.
PORTAL WINS: In addition to Houser, the Pirates picked up some impressive talent via the portal at wide receiver. O’MEGA BLAKE (6-2, 180), ANTHONY SMITH (6-2, 190) and WINSTON WRIGHT JR. (5-10, 183) are all battle tested players from major programs who are capable of stepping right into ECU’s receiver rotation. Blake caught 19 passes for 250 yards and two scores this season in 12 games for South Carolina, while Wright arrives after piling up 133 catches for 1,375 yards and seven touchdowns in four years at Florida State. Smith is a speed merchant who played in 34 games at N.C. State, making 13 catches for 243 yards and three touchdowns during that span. The Pirates will also receive a boost on the offensive line from QAE’SHON SAPP (6-4, 325), who spent the last two seasons at Florida State, and DARIUS BELL (6-5, 315), a two-year starter at FCS Maine.
PORTAL LOSSES: The Pirates have lost a total of 25 players to the transfer portal. Most significant among the departed are TEAGAN WILK, a regular in the ECU secondary the last four seasons who is headed to Houston, No. 5 tackler and linebacker TEYLOR JACKSON (Liberty), offensive lineman ISAIAH FOOTE (29 games, 13 starts at ECU), offensive lineman RICHARD PEARCE (New Mexico) and linebacker RARA DILLWORTH (Troy). MASON GARCIA, once considered ECU’s quarterback-of-the-future, exits after losing his starting job this season. Garcia will move on to Austin Peay next season.
COACH SAID IT: “We’re very excited about the class that we signed today. A total of 20 new Pirates, 18 of those are high school signees and two are junior college signees. We signed 12 offensive players, eight defensive players, and a good scattering of where they’re from in terms of background from all over the east coast up and up and down the eastern seaboard. I’m very pleased with the way the class ended up.” – East Carolina head coach Mike Houston
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
2023 REVIEW: Finished 3-5 to tie for eighth place in the AAC; Ended 4-8 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 7 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 78 nationally; No. 4 by Rivals.com in AAC and No. 68 nationally; No. 8 in AAC by On3.com and No. 84 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: Coach Tom Herman’s first complete early signing class consists of 17 players — 15 high school seniors and two junior college transfers. … Thirteen of the 17 signees are from Florida., and seven are Miami-area recruits. … The Owls also signed one prospect each from Arkansas, Georgia, Germany and Nova Scotia. … Offensive linemen MAURICIO HINDS (Nova Scotia) and KEON ROHE (Germany) are the seventh and eighth international recruits to play at FAU, and the third and fourth to play offensive line. … FAU signed six defensive backs, four offensive linemen, two wide receivers, two linebackers, two defensive linemen and one running back. … Only two players decommitted from the Class of 2024. Cornerback ELIJAH CANNON accepted a December offer to flip to Mississippi State and offensive tackle TYREEK MAJOR wound up moving to AAC rival South Florida.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: The aforementioned Hinds is a 6-5, 285-pound tackle that drew scholarship offers from the likes of Arizona, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, UCF and Wake Forest among others. Hinds initially committed to Minnesota last June before a late change of heart that led him to Florida Atlantic. He is the nation’s No. 105 offensive tackle prospect, according to 247Sports.com. 247Sports’ No. 72 edge rusher, GAVENCH MARCELIN (6-2, 230), stuck with his pledge to FAU despite a serious late run by Pittsburgh. The most recognizable name in FAU’s 2024 recruiting class? How about LEON WASHINGTON JR., the son of former Florida State and NFL running back LEON WASHINGTON SR. The younger Washington is an elusive receiver, who caught 52 passes for 1,005 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior at North Florida Christian School in Tallahassee.
PORTAL WINS: Florida Atlantic landed a proven starting quarterback in CAM FANCHER (6-1, 195), a dual-threat athlete who started the last season-and-a-half at Marshall. Fancher logged 17 starts during that time, passing for 3,720 yards and 21 touchdowns. LSU and N.C. State made overtures to Fancher once he entered the portal, but he opted for the Sunshine State instead. Fancher will be the lead contender to replace this season’s starter, DANIEL RICHARDSON, who entered the transfer portal and landed at Florida A&M. Two impact players arrive from Florida State in running back C.J. CAMPBELL (5-9, 196) and offensive tackle DAUGHTRY RICHARDSON (6-5, 316). Campbell was a reserve back and special teams ace for the Seminoles this season. He had 117 yards and a touchdown rushing, while notching seven special team tackles. Richardson is a former four-star prospect who played in three games over two seasons at FSU. Wide receiver MARLYN JOHNSON (6-4, 200) will spend his sixth year of college football at FAU after collecting 40 catches for 495 yards and four touchdowns with Buffalo this season.
PORTAL LOSSES: Florida Atlantic suffered serious losses to the portal on offense. Leading the exodus were the program’s top two quarterbacks — DANIEL RICHARDSON and CASEY THOMPSON — along with the two leading receivers, LAJOHNTAY WEBSTER and TONY JOHNSON. Thompson was FAU’s starter when the 2023 season began but was knocked out by an injury. Richardson finished the year out as the starter, passing for 2,001 yards and 11 touchdowns. First-team All-AAC pick Webster had 108 catches for 1,168 yards and eight touchdowns this season, while Johnson had 37 receptions for 411 yards and four scores. Johnson is bound for Cincinnati, while the others are still searching for new schools. Linebacker JAYLEN WEBSTER, who had 114 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and two sacks the last two seasons, is also still on the portal market.
COACH SAID IT: “If they’re from the United States, they’re from the state of Florida. There always will be [an emphasis on homegrown players]. There are so many talented high school football players that are really well coached within 100 miles of our campus. That’s a real plus for our program, because we’re not just going to be able to go buy all these transfers.” – Florida Atlantic head coach Tom Herman
MEMPHIS
2023 REVIEW: Finished 6-2 for fourth place in the AAC; Defeated Iowa State, 36-26, in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl to end 10-3 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 4 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 70 nationally; No. 3 by Rivals.com in AAC and No. 64 nationally; No. 3 in AAC by On3.com and No. 70 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Tigers signed 34 players to start the early period, including 15 from the transfer portal, 14 from the high school ranks and five from junior colleges. … The group features nine offensive linemen, four wide receivers, two running backs, a quarterback, a placekicker, five defensive backs, five linebackers, five defensive linemen, a punter and an athlete (prep quarterback JORDAN BELL). … Memphis signed five players each from Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, four from Tennessee, two from South Carolina, and one each from Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Australia. … Three prospects backed off their pledges to Memphis, the most prominent of whom was safety CYRUS REYES, who decided to flip to Mississippi State two days before the early signing period. … Twenty-five of the signees will be enrolled for the spring semester.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: Lake Dallas (TX) wide receiver KEONDE HENRY (6-3, 190) is just the 11th four-star prospect to sign with Memphis in history. Henry is a big-play receiver with super run-after-catch skills who should start making contributions immediately in the passing game. Previously committed to both Purdue and Boston College, Lewis announced his intention to play for Memphis at 1 p.m. on signing day. The Tigers are losing two NFL-caliber offensive linemen, so 6-foot-5, 338-pound KEYDRELL LEWIS, TRENT HOLLER (6-2, 311) and JONATHAN YOUNG (6-5, 286) are experienced players ready to step in. Lewis, a tackle, has already logged 32 starts at the FBS level between San Jose State and Louisiana-Monroe, while Holler has been a starting center at both East Carolina and Marshall. Young, from Iowa Central Community College, is rated the nation’s No. 3 junior college offensive tackle prospect by 247Sports.
PORTAL WINS: Memphis added a significant punch to its running attack in 5-9, 200-pounder MARIO ANDERSON. Anderson is a former first-team FCS All-American (Newberry College) and this season led South Carolina with 707 rushing yards and three touchdowns. On defense, former four-star defensive tackle prospect PATRICK LUCAS JR. (6-3, 320) arrives from the SEC and Mississippi to bolster the front line, while the linebacker corps adds experience with Arkansas State transfer JAVANTE MACKEY (6-2, 222), MATT HUDSON (6-3, 230) from Harvard and JAYDEN FLAKER via N.C. Central. Flaker led Central with 85 tackles this season and Mackey ranked second among Arkansas State defenders with 84 tackles. Hudson was also second in tackles for the Crimson with 66.
PORTAL LOSSES: The Tigers had lost nine players to the transfer portal as of Jan. 9. Most prominent among those are cornerback TRAVEON WRIGHT and offensive tackle MAKYLAN POUNDERS, who moved on to Mississippi State. Pounders was Memphis’s starting left tackle this season. Interior offensive lineman DAVION CARTER is headed to Texas Tech after starting 23 games at guard the last two seasons for the Tigers. Backup quarterback TEVIN CARTER is also opting out of Memphis and has signed with Football Championship Subdivision Tennessee State.
COACH SAID IT: “Today is a monumental day for the Memphis Tiger football program and this signing class. We added many different pieces right from the high school guys who we think can come in and help us to the junior college guys and four-year college transfers. We brought in a lot of pieces we’re excited about.” – Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield
NAVY
2023 REVIEW: Finished 4-4 to tie for fifth place in the AAC; Ended 5-7 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 13 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 129 nationally; No. 7 by Rivals.com in AAC and No. 83 nationally; No. 12 in AAC by On3.com and No. 120 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: Traditionally, the service academies don’t release their football signings until the spring, so these observations are based on public commitments to Navy by prospects. … Rivals.com currently lists Navy with 68 verbal pledges, On3.com has the Middies with 38 and 247Sports.com has them with 20. … Navy has had four prospects decommit from the Class of 2024, losing two of those to rival Army in Illinois running back RANDALL NAUDEN and Indiana linebacker JACOB HINTON. … The biggest decommit loss, however, was 6-foot-4, 270-pound offensive tackle DYLLAN DRUMMOND. A three-star prospect from Texas, Drummond committed to Navy in May, but backed off his pledge in October before eventually signing with UNLV.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: The Midshipmen did reportedly sign two prospects during the early period in wide receiver LANDON DOLHANCYK (6-4, 183) and fullback CHRISTIAN CROMER (6-0, 245) Brooksville, FL. Dolhancyk, from Peachtree City, Georgia, caught 70 passes for 1,047 yards and four touchdowns as a senior at McIntosh High. He also held offers from Army and Air Force. Cromer is a bull of a back who rushed for 4,566 yards and scored 76 touchdowns during his career at Nature Coast High School. Three-star safety AUSTIN STULL (5-11, 170) from Oakdale, CT, was originally pledged to Duke. But Stull pulled out of that commitment last May and chose Navy in July. Record-setting quarterback ALEX ERBY (6-2, 205) from Harrisburg, PA, was considered a major recruiting coup for Navy when he committed in October over offers from other FBS programs such as Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Connecticut, Duke, James Madison, Kent State, Louisville, Maryland, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Marshall and Rutgers. Erby capped his prep career as the all-time state leader in passing yardage (13,567) and touchdown passes (175).
PORTAL WINS: Because of the strict qualifications to receive an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, transfer portal additions are not an option.
PORTAL LOSSES: Navy had lost four players to the transfer portal as of Jan. 9. JACOB BUSIC was an effective performer the last three seasons on the defensive front, collecting 62 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. Busic wanted to return for a fifth year, but his request was denied by Navy, forcing him into the portal to continue his career at UCLA. Cornerback ELIAS LARRY made 40 tackles and two interceptions in 25 career games for Navy.
NORTH TEXAS
2023 REVIEW: Finished 3-5 to tie for eighth place in the AAC; Ended 5-7 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 6 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 79 nationally; No. 6 by Rivals.com in AAC and No. 76 nationally; No. 6 in AAC by On3.com and No. 80 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Mean Green signed a league-high 40 players during the early period. … A total of 27 are high school seniors and 13 were secured out of the transfer portal. … Ten of those 13 portal transfers are from other FBS programs. … The class features 10 defensive backs, eight offensive linemen, seven receivers, four running backs and four defensive linemen, four tight ends, three linebackers, a long snapper and a quarterback. … Thirty-four of the signees hail from Texas and one each from Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio and Oklahoma. … Eight players originally pledged to North Texas backed off their commitment, including two promising receiver prospects in JACQUES SPRADLEY-DEMPS from Pflugerville, Texas, and CHRISTOPHER BARNES from Houston. … The speedy Barnes had been part of UNT’s recruiting class since June, but when Washington State came calling in early December, he jumped ship to play for his hometown Cougars. … Spradley-Demps was also committed to UNT in June. But after receiving an offer from Kansas State in September he opted for the Wildcats.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: ASHTON GRAY (6-0, 195) is a sleeper prospect because he spent his prep career playing quarterback. But there is no denying his ability. He earned Arkansas State Player of the Year honors as a senior when he passed for 1,348 yards and rushed for 1,919 while producing 44 total touchdowns. Gray is a special athlete who’ll transition to running back at UNT. Defensive lineman JAEDON LANGLEY (6-3, 230), from Fort Worth, was headed to Arizona after committing to the Wildcats last June. The explosive edger rusher reversed that decision in December to play closer to home at UNT. Quarterback and running back were positions of priority for this class. The Mean Green secured some immediate help at running back by signing Minnesota transfer ZACH EVANS (5-9, 200) and LSU transfer TRE BRADFORD (6-0, 208). Evans, who is considered a game-changer athlete, showed his potential this season, rushing 52 times for 230 yards and a touchdown. Bradford has yet to live up to his four-star billing out of Lancaster, TX, but is a versatile athlete still young enough to fulfill that promise. Also keep an eye on 6-4, 205-pound quarterback CASH MCCOLLUM from China Spring, Texas. McCollum tossed a school-record 47 touchdown passes as a senior.
PORTAL WINS: An impressive array of 14 transfers had signed or verbally committed to UNT as of Jan. 9. Four of the eight offensive line signees came via the portal, and all should be in the blocking rotation next fall since the Mean Green has lost one starter to graduation and two others to the portal. Headlining the quartet is LANDON PETERSON (6-6, 300), a guard-tackle who appeared in 36 games with nine starts in five seasons at Texas Tech. JASPER LOTT (6-5, 305) is another tackle option arriving from Texas Christian, where he played in all 12 games this season. Virginia Tech transfer JOHNNY DICKSON (6-3, 300) and JUSTICE GUILLORY (6-3, 330) are experienced guard replacements. Guillory was an all-league performer this season at FCS Stephen F. Austin where he logged 37 starts.
PORTAL LOSSES: The Mean Green also has the dubious distinction of the most portal losses among AAC schools with 24. Those include quarterback CHANDLER ROGERS, who passed for 3,383 yards and 29 touchdowns this season before heading West to play next fall for California. Four of the team’s top five rushers, counting Rogers, have also departed. Running backs AYO ADEYI (143 carries, 1,017 yards rushing, 6 TDs in 2023), OSCAR ADAWAY III (123-738-6 TD in 2023) and ISAIAH JOHNSON (37-235-3) are all currently in the portal, but only Adaway (South Carolina) has announced a new destination. Wide out JA’MORI MACLIN was UNT’s reception leader in 2023 with 57 catches for 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’ll be continuing his college career at Kentucky next fall. Starting center ETHAN MINER (Mississippi State) and third-team All-AAC guard FEBECHI NWAIWU (Oklahoma) have also found new homes.
COACH SAID IT: “First off, I’m super excited about this group. If you look at the numbers we’ve signed right now, it’s pretty remarkable in this day and age. But we have 13 transfers and 28 high school guys. Thirty-four of those are from the state of Texas, which is something that’s important to me. And it’s a really big high school class for us.” – North Texas head coach Eric Morris
RICE
2023 REVIEW: Finished 4-4 to tie for 5th in the AAC, 6-7 overall after losing 45-21 to Texas State in SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 12 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 93 nationally; No. 13 in AAC by Rivals.com and unranked nationally; No. 12 in AAC by On3.com and No. 120 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Owls signed 13 prospects during the early period, including eight prep players, four grad transfers and one undergraduate transfer. … The class features two quarterbacks, a running back, a wide receiver, tight end, three offensive linemen, a defensive lineman, linebacker, two cornerbacks and a punter. … Seven of the 13 signees hail from Texas, and one each from Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and New Jersey. … Five of the prospects have enrolled at Rice for the spring semester. … Three players decommitted from the class, most notably edge rusher ARMSTRONG NNODIM, who had been pledged to the Owls since February 2023. … Nnodim, from Mesquite, Texas, received a late offer in mid-June from Oklahoma State, which resulted in an official visit there in late June after which he flipped to the Cowboys.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: AAC fans are already familiar with E.J. WARNER (6-0, 190), the son of NFL Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner. The younger Warner spent the last two seasons making a name for himself at Temple, where he racked up 6,104 yards and 41 touchdowns passing. With two years of eligibility remaining, Warner should take over immediately for former Southern Cal and Georgia quarterback J.T. DANIELS, who directed the Rice offense in 2023. Two significant defensive additions are KALEB BLANTON (6-1, 205) and defensive lineman CHARLIE LOOES (6-3, 275). Blanton was a finalist for Houston Area Defensive Player of the Year honors at Manvel High this season after making 96 tackles and five tackles for loss. Looes comes to Rice after putting together an impressive resume at Dartmouth. He led the Ivy League with 7.5 sacks and had 9.5 tackles for loss along with 43 tackles. As a grad transfer, Looes will be called upon to immediately contribute on Rice’s defensive front.
PORTAL WINS: Looes and Warner were the big portal additions for Rice, but they weren’t the only wins. The Owls also picked up Looes’ Ivy League rival SPENCER CASSELL (6-6, 282), a second-team all-league pick on the offensive line this season for Harvard, as well as dynamic running back COLEMAN BENNETT (5-11, 185) from Bucknell. The versatile Bennett rushed for 1,056 yards, caught 78 passes for 671 yards and had 1,413 yards in kickoff returns in four seasons for the Bison. Bennett, by the way, is the son of Donnell Bennett Jr., who led the 1991 national champion Miami Hurricanes in rushing.
PORTAL LOSSES: As of January 9, Rice was one of the few Football Bowl Subdivision programs in the nation that hadn’t lost any players to the transfer portal.
COACH SAID IT: “I really like these guys. I know some haven’t been ranked by some services yet, but when they do, especially when you look at their Power Five offers, it’s going to bode well for this class. Especially in the per-player rank. We got stronger today.” – Rice head coach Mike Bloomgren
TEMPLE
2023 REVIEW: Finished 1-7 to tie for 13th place in the AAC; Ended 3-9 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 11 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 112 nationally; No. 11 by Rivals.com in AAC and unranked nationally; No. 11 in AAC by On3.com and No. 114 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Owls picked up 23 newcomers during the early signing period. … The group consists of eight high school seniors, eight junior college transfers and seven transfers from the portal. … By position, the class features six defensive backs, four defensive linemen, three linebackers, three offensive linemen, two receivers, one tight end, one running back, one safety, one quarterback and a kicker. … Temple signed prospects from nine states and two foreign countries. … Four each came from Georgia and California, three from New Jersey, two each from Maryland and Tennessee, one each from Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas. … Two others are from Germany and Sweden. … The Owls had three players decommit from the class, including two regional prospects in 6-5, 260-pound defensive lineman AHMAAD FOSTER from Wilmington, Delaware, and tight end-defensive end DOMINIC DELUCA from Greenwich, Connecticut. … Both three stars had been committed since August, but Foster reversed his decision to sign with Old Dominion while DeLuca cast his lot with Wake Forest.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: A pair of junior college defensive tackles will add immediate size and strength to Temple’s lineup. SEKOU KROMAH (6-3, 280) produced 20 career tackles for loss, including 15.5 in 2023, for Monroe College. The latter ranked eighth nationally among JUCO defenders. From Northwest Mississippi Community College, the Owls landed 6-4, 290-pound DIMONYAI LACEY. Linebacker KATIN SURPRENANT (6-2, 235) earned JUCO All-American honors this season at Mt. San Antonio after making 45 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack. On offense, Rutgers transfer EVAN SIMON (6-3, 205) will compete for the starting job at quarterback in the wake of E.J. WARNER’s departure via the transfer portal. Simon, who’ll have two years of eligibility left, played in 16 games for the Scarlet Knights in three seasons, throwing for 952 yards and five touchdowns.
PORTAL WINS: Temple had acquired 14 players from the transfer portal as of Jan. 9. In addition to quarterback Simon, they picked up receiver ANTONIO JONES (5-9, 175) from Grambling where he caught 43 passes for 595 yards and two scores this season. Safety ANDREAS KEATON (6-2, 200) was an All-Southern Conference pick this season at FCS Western Carolina after recording 67 tackles. Another big secondary win for the Owls occurred when former Texas-El Paso cornerback TOREY RICHARDSON (6-1, 185) transferred to Temple. Richardson started all 12 games in 2023 at UTEP, making 33 tackles and an interception.
PORTAL LOSSES: Fifteen Owls had entered the transfer portal as of Jan. 9. The most significant was quarterback E.J. WARNER, who amassed more than 3,000 yards passing and threw for 41 touchdowns in two seasons as Temple’s starter. With two years of eligibility remaining, Warner decided to take his skills to Rice. Temple’s secondary absorbed some major losses via the portal with starting corners DOMINICK HILL and JAKE MCMURRAY, along with safeties BRENYEN SCOTT and ALEX ODOM, opting to find new schools. Starting right offensive tackle VICTOR STOFFEL is also in the portal.
COACH SAID IT: “I’m really excited about the class we’re able to put together. A lot of credit goes out to [the] coaching staff and supporting staff for really doing a great job organizing the process for us, so we can target the needs we have on this football team.” – Temple head coach Stan Drayton
TULANE
2023 REVIEW: Finished 8-1 in the AAC for second place; Lost 26-14 to SMU in the AAC Championship game, then lost 41-20 against Virginia Tech in the Military Bowl to end 11-3 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 8 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 92 nationally; No. 10 in AAC by Rivals.com and No. 92 nationally; No. 5 in AAC by On3.com and No. 77 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: Despite only being hired December 8 as Tulane’s head coach, Jon Sumrall, still added 17 players to the roster at the start of the early signing period Dec. 20. … Sumrall, who came to Tulane after directing Troy to back-to-back Conference USA titles, signed seven defensive backs, five offensive linemen and one defensive lineman, quarterback, running back, tight end and wide receiver. … Five signees are from Louisiana, four each from Florida and Mississippi, two from Alabama, one from Georgia and one from Texas. … Thirteen players in the class are high school graduates, three junior college transfers and one comes via the transfer portal. … Seven Tulane signees have been timed at 4.5 seconds or better in the 40-yard dash.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: ARMANI CARGO (5-10, 170) was one of the fastest athletes in the state of Louisiana at Ehret High in Marrero as a junior, winning the 5A titles at 100 (10.45) and 200 meters (21.15). Cargo can play safety or corner, where his elite track speed could make him a candidate for early playing time. TRISTAN FORTENBERRY (6-6, 275), from Pascagoula, Mississippi, was offered a scholarship by Ole Miss on Dec. 5, and appeared destined to join the Rebels. But Fortenberry threw a curveball and signed with Tulane instead. Because there are immediate holes to be filled on the offensive line, Northeast Community College transfer R.J. WHITEHEAD (6-5, 300) should compete immediately for a starting job at tackle.
PORTAL WINS: From Oklahoma State, the Wave secured safety LARDARIUS WEBBS JR., whose father Lardarius Sr. was part of the Baltimore Ravens 2013 Super Bowl championship team. The younger Webb was a JUCO All-American at Jones Community College before moving on to Oklahoma State this season where he appeared in four games. MICAH ROBINSON comes to Tulane after four seasons at Football Championship Subdivision Furman, where he played in 42 career games and made 103 tackles. Robinson was not announced with the initial group of signees on Dec. 20, but is still expected to join the Wave.
PORTAL LOSSES: At least 10 Tulane players have opted to enter the portal in the wake of the coaching change, including leading receiver CHRIS BRAZZELL (44 catches, 711 yards, 5 TDs) who signed with Tennessee. … Three others — linebacker COREY PLATT JR., safety KENTRELL WEBB and defensive end KEITH COOPER — are joining former coach Willie Fritz at Houston. Defensive lineman DEVEAN DEAL also departed for TCU, to join his brother Markis.
COACH SAID IT: “I’m pleased with the caliber of the young men who became part of Tulane football this week. We are ready to welcome them to Uptown and look forward to the positive impact that they’ll make on the culture of our program.” – First-year Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall
TULSA
2023 REVIEW: Finished 2-6 to tie for 11th place in the AAC; Ended 4-8 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 2 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 70 nationally; No. 2 by Rivals.com in AAC and No. 63 nationally; No. 2 in AAC by On3.com and No. 66 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: Tulsa introduced a recruiting class of 29 during the early signing period. … The group includes 24 high school seniors, one junior college transfer and four others from the transfer portal. … Fifteen of the prospects play defense (six defensive backs, five defensive linemen, three defensive backs and one linebacker). … Fourteen are offensive players (six wide receivers, four offensive linemen, three running backs and a tight end). … The recruits hail from Texas (18), Oklahoma (7), Arkansas (1), Georgia (1), Indiana (1) and Iowa (1). … Five of the signees committed over the final hours before the early signing period began on Dec. 20. … The Hurricane suffered only three decommitments with the most significant being three-star receiver TAMARCUS GRAY from Texarkana, Texas. Gray had been pledged to Tulsa since June before backing off in December to sign Louisiana Tech.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: The Hurricane enjoyed great success in this recruiting class flipping prospects previously committed to other programs. Edge rushers JAXON LEE (Nebraska) and WILL SMITH (Oklahoma State), wide receiver COREY SMITH (Minnesota), tight end JACKSON FORD (Oregon) and defensive lineman MASON FLEMING (Arizona) all first chose other schools before picking Tulsa. Lee (6-3, 220), from Frisco, Texas, is rated the nation’s No. 49 edge rusher by 247Sports.com. The 6-6, 242-pound Ford also had offers from Boise State, California and Texas Tech. Receiver ALEX GREEN (6-0, 195), from Hutto, Texas, led the state and was second nationally as a senior with 2,056 yards receiving (102 catches, 19 touchdowns).
PORTAL WINS: Five experience FBS players have landed at Tulsa so far from the transfer portal. Linebackers GAVIN POTTER (6-2, 225) and ZACH MARCHESELLI (6-2, 225) will reunite in Tulsa after playing their prep ball together at Oklahoma’s Broken Arrow High. Potter arrives from stints at Kansas and Arkansas State where he played in a combined 46 games with 25 starts. Marcheselli appeared in 43 games over four years at TCU, mainly in a reserve role. Running back A.J. GREEN (5-11, 205) led Arkansas in rushing this season with 312 yards and gained 953 during his 37 games with the Razorbacks. Linebacker-end MYLES JACKSON (6-2, 250) has 32 career games under his belt at Indiana and should be in line for immediate playing time with the Hurricane.
PORTAL LOSSES: Tulsa took some big hits to the portal. It currently lists 18 players in the portal, seven of whom have already landed with other FBS teams. Quarterback BRAYLON BRAXTON, wide receiver CARL CHESTER and offensive lineman JEREMY JONES have all committed to Marshall. Jones was a four-year letterwinner for the Hurricane, while Braxton and Chester played key roles on the offense at times for Tulsa. Defensive lineman EVERITT ROGERS (64 career tackles) had departed for Houston and safety JAISE OLIVER (48 tackles, 4 interceptions) is moving on to TCU. Third-team All-AAC placekicker CHASE MEYER will play for Penn State next fall. Meyer converted 17 of 20 field-goal attempts this season for Tulsa.
COACH SAID IT: “There is still some recruiting to do, although we’ve got a lot of it done. I thought we did pretty well, at least, on paper. This class was built the old fashion way. It was built on relationships and getting to know guys, share with the educational opportunity, share with the value of the city and the chance to part of a program that is rebuilding.” – Tulsa head coach Kevin Wilson
UAB
2023 REVIEW: Finished 3-5 to tie for eighth place in the AAC; Ended 4-8 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 9 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 105 nationally; No. 12 by Rivals.com in AAC and unranked nationally; No. 9 in AAC by On3.com and No. 90 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Blazers added 17 newcomers during the early signing period. … The group consists of 12 high school seniors, one junior college transfer and one transfer portal player. … Seven recruits are scheduled to play offense (four offensive linemen, one quarterback, one running back, one wide receiver) and 10 are defenders (five defensive linemen, three linebackers, two defensive backs). … The recruits hail from Georgia (7), Alabama (6), Florida (2), Mississippi ( 1) and Texas (1). … Only one prospect backed out of a previous commitment to UAB’s Class of 2024. … Three-star Ohio tight end A.J. MILLER announced for the Blazers in June, but when home state Ohio University came calling in November he flipped to the Bobcats.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: ADRIAN POSSE (6-4, 220), a three-star quarterback from Miami, gave his initial commitment to Auburn in July 2022. But coaching changes there sent him back to the drawing board last January to ponder other offers from the likes of Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Notre Dame and Ohio State. Posse surprised many by choosing UAB in late June, giving the Blazers a pro-style passer to develop as a potential replacement for record-setting JACOB ZENO down the road. UAB also managed to flip JUCO linebacker/edge EDDY TOUSSOM (6-4, 245) from Minnesota in December. Toussom, from Waller, Texas, first committed to the Gophers on Dec. 10, but a visit to UAB six days later led to a change of heart. He registered 57 tackles and a team-leading 15 tackles for loss at Navarro this season.
PORTAL WINS: At least six players from other FBS programs have announced their intentions to play for UAB in 2024, although the school has yet to announce their signing. The most publicized of those occurred Dec. 30 when former Florida quarterback JALEN KITNA (6-4, 208) revealed he was transferring to UAB. Kitna, the son of former NFL QB Jon Kitna, had his career with the Gators end abruptly following his arrest in November 2022 on felony child pornography charges. The charges led to his dismissal from the Florida program after playing just four games for the Gators. He accepted a plea deal in Jully to dismiss the felony charges. Kitna will have three seasons of eligbility left. The Blazers also picked up linebacker O.C. BROTHERS (6-1, 240) from Purdue, where he appeared in 18 games with 10 starts over the last two seasons with 61 tackles. LSU transfer ARMONI GOODWIN (5-8, 193) adds experience and speed to the UAB rushing attack after playing in 13 games over the last two years with the Tigers. Goodwin racked up 267 yards and five touchdowns this season on 45 carries in seven games.
PORTAL LOSSES: As of Jan. 9, UAB had lost 17 players to the transfer portal. The biggest departures are on defense where a budding star at cornerback in B.J. MAYES and a seasoned veteran linebacker in JACKSON BRATTON have moved on. Mayes made 41 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games this season, which earned him scholarship offers from Arkansas, Kentucky, TCU, Utah and Wisconsin among other when he hit the portal. But the Houston native opted to return to his home state to play next fall at Texas A&M. Bratton, a former four-star prospect, was UAB’s No. 2 tackler in 2023 with 70 total hits. He’s taking his talents to Sun Belt Conference member South Alabama. Two prominent members of the receiving corps have also exited in FRED FARRIER II (18 catches, 166 yards, 1 TD in 2023) and SAMARIO RUDOLPH (25-205-1). Rudolph will be continuing his career at Conference USA member Jacksonville State.
COACH SAID IT: “The Blazers are significantly better as of right now than we were when the season ended. There’s a context here too. If you remember this time last year, we had coaches living dual lives. We had many coaches who were prepping for ballgames and trying to recruit for the Blazers. We didn’t have the personnel department in place, and we hadn’t hired an entire staff.” – UAB head coach Trent Dilfer
USF
2023 REVIEW: Finished 4-4 to tie for fifth place in the AAC; Defeated Syracuse, 45-0, in the Boca Raton Bowl to end 7-6 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 1 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 59 nationally; No. 1 by Rivals.com in AAC and No. 35 nationally; No. 1 in AAC by On3.com and No. 54 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: Head coach Alex Golesh signed a class of 25 players that is the consensus No. 1 among AAC schools and highest among all programs outside of the autonomous five conferences by Rivals.com. … The group features 16 prospects from Florida, six from Georgia and one each from Iowa, Ohio and Tennessee. … On offense, the Bulls added four offensive linemen, three wide receivers, two running backs, two tight ends and a quarterback. … Defensively, the signees included four linebackers, four defensive ends, three defensive backs and one defensive tackle. … Four players backed off pledges to USF, but only one — three-star linebacker JOSIAH TAYLOR (Florida International) — has signed with another program. … Kicker NICO GRAMATICA is the son of Tampa Bay’s All-Pro kicker MARTIN GRAMATICA.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: The Bulls landed a consensus four-star prospect in tight end JONATHAN ECHOLS (6-6, 245) from powerhouse IMG Academy. Echols, the nation’s No. 17 tight end prospect according to 247Sports.com, accumulated more than 30 FBS scholarship offers and originally committed to Tennessee in July. But he backed off that pledge on Dec. 8 and flipped to USF. Another significant flip for the Bulls occurred on the opening day of the early period when Daytona Beach linebacker RODNEY HILL switched his college choice from Tulane to USF. Hill was among the Wave’s highest-ranked recruits when he committed last summer, but the head coaching change at Tulane prompted his departure from the class. Immediate help for the Bulls on defense could come from defensive end JAYLEN PETTUS (6-3, 245), who earned JUCO All-American honors this season at Iowa Western.
PORTAL WINS: Although the school didn’t include them on the early signing day list, the Bulls do have verbal commitments from four portal transfers, including three from FBS programs. Cornerback DE’SHAWN RUCKER (6-0, 190) appeared in 24 games and made two starts at Tennessee the last three seasons. The Tallahassee native decided to return to his home state, announcing his decision on Christmas Day to join USF. Rucker will reunite in Tampa with former Godby High School secondary teammate KAJUAN BANKS. Banks was a special teams standout and reserve corner who played in 25 games at South Carolina the last two years. From Purdue, the Bulls picked up a key addition to their receiving corps in ABDUR-RAHMAAN YASEEN (6-2, 200). Yaseen caught 34 pases for 456 yards over four seasons with the Boilermakers.
PORTAL LOSSES: Eleven Bulls had opted to enter the transfer portal as of January 9. All played mainly reserve roles for USF. But linebacker BRIAN NORRIS, safety WILL JONES, cornerback JAMEEL SANDERS, offensive tackle DERRELL BAILEY and quarterback ISRAEL CARTER were all on the depth chart during the 2023 season. Norris played in 34 games for USF during a five-year stay, making 47 tackles. Jones and Sanders were backups at their respective positions in ’23, while Baily was the No. 2 left tacke. Carter was the team’s third-team quarterback, appearing in two games. Bailey has found a new home at Hampton University, while Sanders is headed to Florida A&M. Former Baylor quarterback GERRY BOHANON, who was expected to compete for the starting job at USF this season but was sidelined with an injury, will try to restart his career at Brigham Young.
COACH SAID IT: “It was a really cool day for our program in a lot of ways. One, we are practicing to play in a bowl game tomorrow, which I think has been monumental for our program moving forward. And then Signing Day. I’m super grateful to our staff for how they have attacked recruiting. I’m really, really proud about what we were able to do today. We addressed a bunch of needs.” – South Florida head coach Alex Golesh
USTA
2023 REVIEW: Finished 7-1 to place third in the AAC; Defeated Marshall 35-17 in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl to end 9-4 overall.
CLASS RANKINGS: No. 10 in AAC by 247Sports.com and No. 107 nationally; No. 10 by Rivals.com in AAC and unranked nationally; No. 10 in AAC by On3.com and No. 103 nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS: A USTA program that loses 18 seniors from its 2023 squad signed 15 newcomers on the first day of the early signing period. … Ten of the 15 signees are from Texas, and one each from Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Massachusetts and Australia. … The class features five offensive linemen, three receivers, a tight end, three defensive linemen, two safeties and a punter. … Nine of the recruits are high school graduates, one is a junior college transfer and four are transfers from other FBS programs. … USTA head coach Jeff Traylor said he’d like to add up to six more players to the class, including a quarterback, by the traditional signing period in February.
NAMES TO REMEMBER: KENYAN KELLY (6-1, 175) is a tackling machine from Denison, Texas, where he produced 174 tackles over his final two seasons. Kelly is rated the nation’s No. 46 safety prospect by Rivals.com. Massive JONAH MILLER (6-8, 285) was a consensus four-star prospect as a prep offensive lineman in Tucson, Arizona, and originally signed with Oregon. But after a redshirt season in 2022, Miller left the Ducks and enrolled at Santa Rosa Community College where he earned All-Northern California JUCO honors in 2023. He’ll be a candidate for the right tackle job next fall. Texas Tech wide receiver transfer J.J. SPARKMAN (6-4, 225) should become an immediate favorite target for sophomore quarterback OWEN MCCOWN, who led the Roadrunners to a bowl win against Marshall last month in his first career start. Sparkman played in 32 games at Tech and caught 23 passes for 245 yards and three scores this season.
PORTAL WINS: In addition to Sparkman, who is mentioned above, USTA picked up former four-star receiver prospect D.J. ALLEN (6-0, 205) a day after the early signing period started on Dec. 20. Allen is a speedy wide out (10.82 over 100 meters) who went looking another place to play after seeing action in three games in two years at TCU. The Roadrunners also landed New Mexico’s starting center from 2023 in C.J. JAMES (6-4, 295). James may fit in at guard at USTA, which graduates its top two players on the right side. DAEMIAN WIMBERLY (6-4, 260) also arrives from SMU to provide support on the defensive front.
PORTAL LOSSES: Eight Roadrunners had hit the transfer portal as of Jan. 9, including 2023 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year TREY MOORE. Moore earned the honor after recording 45 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and a school-record 14 sacks from his linebacker position. He’ll take his talents to Austin next season to play for Texas. USTA lost some depth at cornerback, too, with KAM ALEXANDER, SYRUS DUMAR and XAVIER SPENCER hitting the portal. None of the three had committed to a new school as of Jan. 9.
COACH SAID IT: “We just pretty much have a simple rule: If they can’t play for us or they can’t fit in our roster, we don’t take them. We’re going to go slow. We’re not into winning any kind of competition with the most commitments or having the most kids signed early. We want to make sure our roster gets better.” – USTA head coach Jeff Traylor.
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