This is where we can chat about the losses and gains from the portal.
We have six entering the portal so far. The biggest loss to me is Moe. Secondly is Speedy Luke even if he was not used properly last year. Too much talent to be sitting on the bench in our pathetic O.
There are no gains thus far. This thread will continue as the portal opens soon.
I am just here to say that I felt that we had a little SEC pipeline forming with Bill Norton under Jedd and I think it is closed now with Brennan for the most part, but I would really like to see Brennan try to pluck some 3rd and 4th string type veteran SEC players and put together a team of Real players who just didn't get a chance at "Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, etc". Put enough of those types together and it should be able to challenge and contend in this type of Big12.
Keyan Burnett announced today he was hitting the portal. I love this kids ability and see it as a big loss even if he did not see the field a lot. Especially after losing another strong TE already, but again, it is hard to blame the players when the staff was so bad last year.
Quote from: Little George on December 07, 2024, 07:16:40 PMKeyan Burnett announced today he was hitting the portal. I love this kids ability and see it as a big loss even if he did not see the field a lot. Especially after losing another strong TE already, but again, it is hard to blame the players when the staff was so bad last year.
I noticed that. I feel like he made the right decision. Brennan had all year to order his staff to get many player involved. I have many posts discussing how they could have helped Noah out with a better run game. How they should have gotten the ball to Montana Lemonius Craig, but didn't - and ironically to me, when the Sporks tried to spike our A at the 50 Yard Line, MLC was the primary Wildcat who prevented it. With full Pride he went out to defend our shield. A completely dishonored player who will forever be remembered by me at least for that.
Burnett could have alleviated some pressure on Noah as well. It just wasn't within the Staff's ability to draw up some X's and O's apparently. I have no idea what they were all paid to do this season. The comment of "If a fan can see what is coming from the stands, then it's not good enough" or something to that effect hit hard to me. I am very tired of seeing the product deteriorate like this. Every time this program gets momentum it takes that giant leap forward then many giant leaps backwards. Like Rich Rod and his cancel culture situation really set us back. Now Jedd had the ball rolling. He could have get Bill Bellichick's son Steve come in this year for us and kept the show going. We would have probably been dancing into this wild 12 Team CFP. Jedd easily could have parlayed it into an even bigger opportunity too.
Garcia is also in the portal now. QB is paper thin.
Johnson as well and now the RB room is real thin.
Hmmm. What next?
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2024/12/8/24315016/arizona-wildcats-football-recruiting-ncaa-transfer-portal-2024-2025-brent-brennan-roster
We now have 19 players in the portal. Would love to keep a few of them, but
Quote from: Little George on December 09, 2024, 06:59:53 PMWe now have 19 players in the portal. Would love to keep a few of them, but
Just like in business - people don't leave companies - they leave bad managers
(https://media1.tenor.com/m/If6TUZTxexUAAAAC/donnie-darko-transfer-portal.gif)
22 players in the portal
We are now at 28 players in the portal with MANY of our starters. Things are NOT looking good at all.
IF we cannot retain some of these guys this program is sunk to a level lower than the Scumlin years.
We may very well surpass the John Mac years where we could not have beaten many HS teams. Yes, THA BAD!
Treydan Stukes, Dalton Johnson, Tacario Davis, Gunner Maldonado, Emmanual Karnley, all among the DBs in the portal. I guess keeping Akina as DBs coach doesn't help much?
Also the LBs are hit just as hard. Jacob Manu and Kamuela Kaaihue both in there.
Stukes, Davis and Manu hurt. We'll definitely pull in other transfers that want immediate playing time but I don't know if they can be coached by this staff. It'll be a short leash, especially if this team falls to Hawaii in the opener.
Didn't anybody in charge know that this
is exactly what was going to happen?
https://247sports.com/college/arizona/article/arizona-lands-commitment-from-new-mexico-wide-receiver-transfer-luke-wysong--242036021/
We have now gotten commitments from three players in the portal.
The first two concerned me because they were from small schools. Their individual performances and highlights are good, but, lesser competition.
This third one from SJSU really has me baffled. Are we recruiting HS level players?
This kid did not perform at SJSU.
I'd rather have Georgia rejects than CC stars at this point.
The direction ee are headed is straight down the wrapper.
IDK, unless the kid is coming in as a walk-on player?
Quote from: Little George on December 16, 2024, 08:38:50 AMWe have now gotten commitments from three players in the portal.
The first two concerned me because they were from small schools. Their individual performances and highlights are good, but, lesser competition.
This third one from SJSU really has me baffled. Are we recruiting HS level players?
This kid did not perform at SJSU.
I'd rather have Georgia rejects than CC stars at this point.
The direction ee are headed is straight down the wrapper.
IDK, unless the kid is coming in as a walk-on player?
Similar direction Arizona Basketball is heading in. Over-Reliance on the Portal + signing Mid Major players with a Mid Major level ceiling to play Power 4 Ball.
https://247sports.com/player/jshawn-frausto-ramos-46102062/college-300692/
https://247sports.com/player/kris-hutson-46047149/college-308033/
Losing our top interior offensive lineman to Tennessee is pretty sad.
Many players leaving are Upgrading to better programs... Yet they couldn't play well this season under Brennan? Not like it was their first rodeo. They lit the world on fire 2 years ago together. Coaching is the problem here. Brennan is not my tribal chief. He needs to resign.
https://247sports.com/college/arizona/article/genesis-smith-announces-return-arizona-wildcats-242466389/
https://247sports.com/college/arizona/article/dalton-johnson-removes-name-transfer-portal-242509111/
Things continue to slightly improve. The better players appear to be returning to our below average defense!
Quote from: KansasCityCats on December 20, 2024, 08:06:44 AMThings continue to slightly improve. The better players appear to be returning to our below average defense!
The D was a disaster up front with injuries in the back end.
The DL would eat blocks allowing our PBs to thrive. Last year the DL tried to be aggressive which allowed clean blocks on our LBs. Thus Manu was not as effective. Also, the weight room dropped off in a change in conditioning which was a total failure. We destroyed our own team from the I side out by terrible coaching decisions.
Did we learn from it? We got rid of the OC, put Akina back with the pass coverage where he shines, and are looking at ST and D for coordinators.
My biggest concern outside of returning these players is the strength and conditioning which was as big a failure as the OC.
Who is next?
Wendell Moe to Tennessee committed
JT Hand to Oregon State committed
Demetrius Freeney to Boise committed
AJ Jones to MTSU committed
Taitai Uiagalelie has crystal ball picks to Washington
Keyan Burnett has crystal ball picks to Kansas.
Genesis Smith has withdrawn
Dalton Johnson has withdrawn
Pick ups:
Luke Wysong from New Mexico. Solid receiver
Jshawn Frausto-Ramos from Stanford is a solid safety.
Michael Dansby is a nice CB, but I am not sure about P5, P4, or whatever it is.
Chancellor Owens looks good on video, but the competition Northwestern State faces is not the same.
Jay'vion Cole from Texas? He was originally at SJSU. Did not make the cut at Texas. IDK.
Kris Hutson is another solid receiver! Coming from WSU ain't a bad thing.
New addition
https://247sports.com/player/ty-buchanan-46100516/college-285656/
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2024/12/20/24326083/arizona-wildcats-football-ty-buchanan-texas-tech-keyan-burnett-kansas-jordan-brown-georgia-tech
DL Bryce Echols commits to Nevada
Keyan Burnett commits to Kansas
We pick up two OL.
From TTU and Georgia Tech
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2024/12/20/24326200/arizona-wildcats-football-jacob-manu-ncaa-transfer-portal-washington-huskies-jedd-fisch-servite-2025
Gunner Maldonado transfer to Kansas State
We would normally have about 7 spots left to fill, but now thanks to the scholarship limit going to 105 in 2025, there is like a million open spots to fill if we choose to use them all.
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2024/12/25/24328979/arizona-wildcats-football-ncaa-transfer-portal-update-2025-analysis-projections-brent-brennan
While I do not dislike any of the guys coming in, the Power rejects from the SEC etc...haven a much higher success rate than the stars at the lower level moving up. YES, we need to take the stars coming up if they choose to be Wildcats, but the primary focus should be on the bigger stronger potential players. Now with the roster expanding we can do both, but so will everyone else. We still have to target the bigger players from bigger schools first.
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2024/12/25/24328979/arizona-wildcats-football-ncaa-transfer-portal-update-2025-analysis-projections-brent-brennan
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2024/12/26/24329819/arizona-wildcats-football-riley-wilson-ncaa-transfer-portal-montana-edge-marquis-groves-killebrew
Nice to get depth on the D-Line. That kid plays with a motor.
MGK was AWFUL at corner. Not upset that he's leaving. The kid was either 1) burned off the line of scrimmage, or 2) called for PI (when opposing QB's threw in his direction).
The personnel seems to be improving. Let's see if the staff can coach.
Is Brent Brennan winning the off season?
https://www.si.com/college/arizona/news/arizona-wildcats-among-biggest-losers-college-football-winter-transfer-portal
Quote from: CactusCat on December 29, 2024, 01:46:29 PMIs Brent Brennan winning the off season?
https://www.si.com/college/arizona/news/arizona-wildcats-among-biggest-losers-college-football-winter-transfer-portal
The season was such a big failure. Expectations so high.
Now we plummet down it seems.
Brent is a good coach. He definitely had the wrong OC and the wrong S&C program. Injuries did not help the D either along with the change up front.
Akina is one of the best at pass coverage, but DC is not his call. I think keeping with the DBs but not the DC will be a huge plus. The LBs have thrived before this year because the DL would eat blocks. Thy did not and the LBs had to then fight their way around blocks. Everything was first and foremost a failure of design. OC to strength and conditioning, to change in the DL play.
I really like the new OC, do we now have the talent to improve?
The strength and conditioning has to build strength first. The injuries were a direct relationship to the failure there.
The D can improve with healthy players and a better alignment of the front six.
IF we had not had a huge loss from the portal I would be more more optimistic. We had good talent last year.
Now I do like the players from the portal, but there are so many lower level guys that may not translate to the P4 level? Hmmm.
Guys from the best programs have a much higher success rate! Georgia rejects are a much better risk than lower level stars.
Only time will tell how these players develope.
We still have 20 plus opening with the new 105 player limit. The problem is that every school has that same opportunity to improve depth and quality.
I am hopeful but not as optimistic.
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2024/12/30/24331645/arizona-wildcats-football-cameron-barmore-transfer-profile-tight-end-mercyhurst-lakers-2025
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2024/12/30/24331665/arizona-wildcats-football-blake-gotcher-transfer-profile-linebacker-northwestern-state-demons-2025
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/4/24335284/arizona-wildcats-football-ncaa-transfer-portal-profile-tre-spivey-receiver-kansas-state-2025
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/5/24335329/arizona-wildcats-football-ncaa-transfer-portal-profile-jordan-brown-lineman-georgia-tech-2025
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/5/24335873/arizona-wildcats-football-ncaa-transfer-portal-profile-jshawn-frausto-ramos-stanford-2025
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/5/24335892/arizona-wildcats-football-ncaa-transfer-portal-profile-chancellor-owens-lineman-northwestern-2025
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/5/24335911/arizona-wildcats-football-ncaa-transfer-portal-profile-tristan-bounds-lineman-michigan-2025
https://247sports.com/player/ayden-garnes-46097908/college-307335/
He just committed today.
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/6/24337531/arizona-wildcats-football-ayden-garnes-ncaa-transfer-portal-west-virginia-cornerback-duquesne-2025
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/7/24338588/arizona-wildcats-football-recruiting-elijah-brown-juco-california-cornerback-2025-transfer
Quote from: Little George on January 07, 2025, 09:50:06 PMhttps://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/7/24338588/arizona-wildcats-football-recruiting-elijah-brown-juco-california-cornerback-2025-transfer
Concerned that a good amount of our signings have not played the level of competition that we are going to be facing and could struggle. Does Brennan know what he is doing? I don't believe so.
Quote from: arxpert on January 07, 2025, 11:06:18 PMQuote from: Little George on January 07, 2025, 09:50:06 PMhttps://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/7/24338588/arizona-wildcats-football-recruiting-elijah-brown-juco-california-cornerback-2025-transfer
Concerned that a good amount of our signings have not played the level of competition that we are going to be facing and could struggle. Does Brennan know what he is doing? I don't believe so.
Yes, my concern as well.
There is a much better success rate with taking major program rejects that just did not fit the system than in taking stars from lower level programs.
Many if our incoming players were not really stars even at that lower level.
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/8/24339381/arizona-wildcats-football-flavio-gonzalez-lineman-oregon-state-beavers-juco-pueblo-tucson-2025
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/8/24339416/arizona-wildcats-football-javin-whatley-receiver-ncaa-transfer-portal-chattanooga-mocs-2025
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/8/24339481/arizona-wildcats-football-braden-siders-wyoming-defensive-lineman-ncaa-transfer-portal-2025
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/9/24340056/arizona-wildcats-football-quincy-craig-portland-state-vikings-ncaa-transfer-portal-running-back-2025
https://247sports.com/Player/leroy-palu-46099559/
Big time commit
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/10/24341107/arizona-wildcats-football-recruiting-isaac-perez-ncaa-transfer-portal-lineman-portland-state-vikings
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2025/1/11/24340922/arizona-wildcats-football-max-harris-texas-state-bobcats-linebacker-ncaa-transfer-portal-2025
Older article, but some interesting takes
https://tucson.com/sports/college/football/wildcats/arizona-football-transfer-portal-class-2025-wildcats-brent-brennan/article_41d20a5a-c792-11ef-9198-43e24a25d38c.html