Tennessee redshirt tight end Miles Campbell to enter transfer portal
Two seasons after arriving as a three-star tight end out of Douglasville, Ga., Miles Campbell announced Thursday of his intentions of entering the transfer portal with three years of eligibility remaining.
Campbell played in four games prior to redshirting in 2021, primarily on special teams. The upback on kickoff return team did return a pair of short kicks for 25 yards. The reserve tight end, who missed much time with injuries the past two seasons, made one appearance this season – playing 13 snaps on offense against UT Martin on Homecoming.
Tennessee’s tight end room now becomes thin with Princeton Fant out of eligibility and Campbell moving on. The coaching staff awaits the decision of senior Jacob Warren, who still has one year of eligibility remaining. Josh Heupel and staff will welcome On3 consensus four-star tight end commit Ethan Davis to campus at the midyear.
Understanding the portal
The winter transfer portal window opened on December 5th and runs for 45 days. The spring portal window runs from May 1-15.
Players don’t have to pick a school they are going to during those specific dates but those are the span of dates on when a player can enter the portal.
Those dates don’t apply to graduate transfers who can enter the portal whenever they wish. Also, if there’s a head coaching change, players can enter the portal outside of those dates.
Players who enter the portal in the 45 day winter window are trying to be somewhere for the spring semester.
For Tennessee the spring semester starts on January 23rd which is late compared to many schools around the country. Tennessee a year ago started a winter mini-term class that runs the first 3 weeks of January.
A year ago according to the NCAA 950 football players went into the portal. In 2020, there were less than 600 players who transferred. Coaches and media around the country feel like this year there will be a record number of players who go into the portal as one time transfers.
In fact some college coaches have said December is going to be total chaos with the early signing day and with the transfer portal becoming college football’s version of free agency thanks to NIL.
Vols have benefitted from the portal
The transfer portal can giveth and it can taketh away. For Josh Heupel it’s been much more of a positive than a negative for the Vols.
In fact the portal has accelerated the rebuild of the program the last two years. Every knows the impact of Hendon Hooker or the last two season’s via the portal. Quarterback transfer Joe Milton will be making his fourth career start in the bowl game.
Tennessee found left tackle help this past off-season in Gerald Mincey. Bru McCoy as a transfer has had a big impact. McCoy is the team’s second leading receiver with 619 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Defensively, transfers Kamal Hadden, Brandon Turnage, Wesley Walker, Juwan Mitchell, and D.J. Terry have all started games this fall helping Tennessee go 10-2. Their first 10 win regular season since 2003.
