Thursday night transfer portal notebook: On Colorado losing 2 starters, a tight end reversing field and more
The fourth day of the FBS transfer portal open window was underwhelming compared to the first three days. As of 10 p.m. ET Thursday, 45 FBS scholarship players had gone into the portal on the fourth day – about 400 fewer than the first day. Overall, about 700 scholarship players have gone in this week.
2 Colorado starters decide to transfer
When Deion Sanders held his first team meeting Sunday with his new players at Colorado, his go-to phrase was, “I’m coming.” Well, two Buffs starters Thursday said, in a way, “I’m going,” as cornerback Kaylin Moore and center Austin Johnson entered the transfer portal.
Moore (5 feet 10, 185 pounds) started all 12 games this season and finished with 38 tackles and four pass breakups. He started two games in 2021 as a true freshman and ended the season with seven tackles and a PBU. Moore, from Los Angeles, has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Colorado had three starting defensive backs transfer out after last season and all three – cornerbacks Mekhi Blackmon (USC) and Christian Gonzalez (Oregon) and safety Mark Perry (TCU) – became key starters this fall at their new schools.
Johnson (6-4, 300) played in one game in his first two seasons, served in a reserve role in 2021, then became a starter this season. Johnson, from the Denver area, has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Austin Stogner headed back to Oklahoma
Tight end Austin Stogner transferred from Oklahoma to South Carolina after the 2021 season. This time around, he’s transferring from South Carolina to Oklahoma.
Stogner (6 feet 5, 250 pounds), who is from the Dallas area, had 20 receptions for 210 yards and a TD as the Gamecocks’ starting tight end this season. He was one of two South Carolina tight ends to enter the portal, joining Jaheim Bell.
Stogner had 47 receptions for 654 yards and eight TDs from 2019-21 at Oklahoma; he has one year of eligibility remaining.
Productive Mississippi State RB enters portal
Mississippi State RB Dillon Johnson (6-0, 215), a part-time starter this season, officially entered the portal Thursday. He had taken to Twitter earlier this week to say he intended to enter and also was disparaging of coach Mike Leach in the same tweet.
Johnson started eight games in 2021 and six games this season. He led the Bulldogs in rushing with 495 yards last season and was second this fall with 488. He also was an excellent receiver, with 65 receptions in 2021 and 48 this season; Johnson is tied for fifth in school history with 148 receptions. He had five career games with at least eight receptions.
Johnson, from Greenville, Miss., in the west-central part of the state, has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Bulldogs wide receiver Zavion Thomas (5-11, 190) also entered the portal. While he had just two receptions this season, he made his mark as a punt returner: He averaged 13.5 yards on 15 returns, including a 63-yarder for a touchdown against Georgia.
Thomas is from the New Orleans area and has three years of eligibility left.
Louisville lineman headed to Cincinnati
Guard Luke Kandra (6-4, 314), who started twice this season and played in 16 games in two seasons at Louisville before entering the transfer portal, announced Thursday that he was transferring to Cincinnati,
Kandra is a Cincinnati native; in addition, Louisville coach Scott Satterfield recently was hired for the same job with the Bearcats. Kandra considered Cincinnati during the recruiting process before signing with Louisville.
He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Transfers you may have overlooked
+ Ole Miss CB Miles Battle: Battle (6-4, 205) started three games this season after serving as a key reserve in 2021. Battle signed with the Rebels as a wide receiver in the 2018 class and didn’t move to corner until midway through the 2020 season. This season, he had 33 tackles, an interception and four pass breakups. In 2021, he had 22 tackles, a pick and eight pass breakups. Battle also played as a wide receiver in three games in ’21. Battle, a Houston native, has one year of eligibility remaining.
+ Coastal Carolina C Willie Lampkin: Lampkin (6-0, 275) was a three-year starter for the Chanticleers – and a three-time All-Sun Belt selection. He was a first-team pick this season after second-team selections at guard in 2020 (as a true freshman) and ’21. Coastal coach Jamey Chadwell recently was hired at Liberty, and Lampkin could follow. Lampkin is a good fit in Chadwell’s offense, and his lack of size could hamper him in a more “conventional” offense. Lampkin, from Lakeland, Fla., which is midway between Orlando and Tampa, has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
+ UNLV RB Aidan Robbins: Robbins (6-3, 230) was sixth in the Mountain West with 1,011 yards, and he rushed for nine TDs; he also had 23 receptions. Robbins transferred to UNLV from hometown Louisville after the 2021 season. He had three 100-yard games this season, including a 227-yard, three-TD outing against North Texas. Robbins rushed for 51 yards in 11 games at Louisville.
+ Fresno State CB Cale Sanders: Sanders (5-11, 180) was a starter for the Mountain West-champion Bulldogs this season after being a part-time starter as a true freshman last season. Sanders had 32 tackles and six pass breakups this season; he had 52 tackles, an interception and nine pass breakups in two seasons at Fresno State. Sanders, who is from the Houston area, has two seasons of eligibility left.
+ Arizona State C Ben Scott: Scott (6-5, 305) started at right tackle for the Sun Devils in 2020 and ’21 before moving to center this season. He started in all 28 games he played for the Sun Devils after redshirting in 2019. Scott, from Honolulu, has two seasons of eligibility left. He’s the second Sun Devils starting lineman to enter the portal this week; G LaDarius Henderson entered Monday and already has announced he will play next season at Michigan.
+ Others: UNLV C Leif Fautanu (6-2, 305) was a three-year starter for the Rebels. Fautanu, from Honolulu, has one season of eligibility remaining. … Louisiana WR Dontae Fleming (6-1, 170) had 58 receptions for 680 yards (11.7 yards per catch) and six TDs in three seasons as a reserve with the Ragin’ Cajuns. Fleming, who also saw some time as a return man, was Louisiana’s fifth-leading receiver this season and third in 2021. He’s from the New Orleans area and has two seasons of eligibility left.