Transfer Bio Blast: Chip Trayanum

The first transfer portal window of the offseason officially opened on Monday, Dec. 4. To say this week has been a wild ride would be an understatement. Over the next 40-plus days, the entire college football landscape will continue riding the portal wave as teams prepare for bowl games with some being very limited as coaching changes and portal subtractions are made.

The silly season has arrived.

Wednesday was a busy day in the Bluegrass. Kentucky landed its next QB1 when Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff committed to the Wildcats before lunch time. Another notable offensive prospect emerged during supper time.

According to KSR’s Matt Jones, Ohio State tailback Chip Trayanum is a player to watch closely after the Akron (Ohio) Hoban product officially entered the transfer portal.

KSR’s Transfer Bio Blast is now going to take a closer look at the Big Ten transfer who has two years of eligibility remaining.

Blue-chip recruit who made a position switch

Playing for Akron (Ohio) Hoban, Chip Trayanum was a four-star prospect in the class of 2020 who was a top-300 recruit. The Ohio native was the No. 5 overall player in the Buckeye State, but did not follow the normal path you see from highly ranked players in the midwest.

Trayanum decided to move away from home for college and landed at Arizona State after taking official visits to Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin. Playing for head coach Herm Edwards, Trayanum rushed for 692 and 10 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per rush. However, the tailback decided to enter the transfer portal shortly after his redshirt freshman season ended. Many schools originally liked Trayanum at linebacker, and Ohio State welcomed the in-state product home to play defense.

That position switch did not last long.

Trayanum ended up getting some light work on offense in 2022 before making the full-time switch to tailback in 2023. As a redshirt junior, Trayanum carved out a significant role in Ryan Day‘s offense rushing for 373 yards and three touchdowns as a rotational tailback. The Pac-12 transfer scored the game-winning touchdown against Notre Dame as time expired in South Bend.

Looking to become RB1

Throughout his collegiate career, Chip Trayanum (5-11, 233) has never been allowed to be the guy at tailback. Out at Arizona State, the Ohio native played behind future third-round pick Rachaad White for two seasons. After dabbling with defense for a season at Ohio State, Trayanum found himself in a loaded tailback room at Ohio State that included TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams. Now the second-time transfer will be looking for a fresh start.

Kentucky has shown in the past a willingness to lean into a true RB1. The Wildcats have allowed Benny Snell, Chris Rodriguez, and Ray Davis to all become true go-to guys in the backfield. Each player became 1,000-yard rushers and All-SEC selections once featured in Lexington. Kentucky has been a place where 200-plus pound backs thrive. Trayanum could be a good fit at Kentucky.

Downhill rusher

Chip Trayanum has not been an explosive play generator at tailback throughout his collegiate career. Over his 227 career carries, only 13.2 percent have gone over 10-plus yards. The redshirt senior will not be a home run hitter but he can be a pile mover.

The Ohio State transfer is at his best as a downhill runner with 72.4 percent of his rushing production coming after contact in 2023, according to PFF data. Trayanum can be a big, physical bulldozer that moves piles and keeps the offense ahead of the chains.

Kentucky has a clear need for a power tailback on offense and needs more down-to-down efficiency. Trayanum could check a required box in Lexington.