We lost Jack Kelly and Marq Collins to the transfer portal today I am afraid anytime we get a good to great player they will hit the transfer portal it is so sad the smaller schools don't have a chance anymore. I will bet Jack Kelly will be a Cougar and if so I will be very disappointed in Jay Hill but not surprised. I know former Wildcat players that transferred to BYU have been to a game this year so I would bet they were doing some recruiting and telling the players how great it is at BYU. I appreciate the players we have here now and hope they stay I really enjoy going to the games and fighting for the playoffs every year
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Transfer Portal
- Thread starter sas123abc
- Start date
Chex
Active member
sas123abc said:
Honestly, I’m upset that the AD scheduled BYU for two football games. Jay Hill will probably just recruit players during pregame warmups.
Of course, Hill may be fired by then. The BYU fans are already upset at going 5-7 this year
. I don’t see BYU being able to finish in top tier of Big 12. Sitake may only have one more year before they give Hill a 2-3 year stint.Hoping Mental can prove to be a great recruiter. The way football is now, FCS is a league to pull from unless you are in Montana and the Dakotas where FCS is the highest level being played, so you will have to replace a whole team some years.
All we can say is thank you for your time as a Wildcat. Good luck going forward. Personally, I would stay. Granted, I'm sure someone is passing sweet nothings into their (especially Kelly's) ears about NIL deals, etc. To me, taking this chance should all depend on the athlete's ultimate goal.
Looking at the guys who transferred last year, only Heckard improved his professional chances. Also, if he was wise, he earned some good NIL money and finished a chunk of a graduate degree (shocking: he is the big winner). I would argue that all the other guys would have had "bigger" more productive years at Weber.
*Eichorn saw limited mins at the Y and the OL coach just got canned. He might not have a spot next year, for sure a new coach who will want his guys.
*Garrett played a lot of mins for the Y, but went backwards. If he wants a shot at the pros, going to the Y hurt it. Yes, he played against better competition, but he had the chance to be All-Conference and an All-American at Weber. He got a uniform in a picture frame and a lei.
*Barron played in a couple of games. Got shellacked at Ohio State and never saw the field again. I think it is fair to say, his career is over (Western Kentucky).
*McMillian played in a couple of games, mostly returning kickoffs. Yes, Bankston would have been the #1, but he would have been the #2 and would have been the guy (to me this is the saddest loss). With McMillian Weber wins two games. He did nothing at Eastern Michigan.
*Sellesin is a walkon at the Y and wasted a year of eligibility. He would have been a contributor on the DL at Weber and will only get garbage mins.
So...like I said, it is all about goals. If the aforementioned guys wanted to go to the "league" only one has a chance. If it was to earn a "better" degree, transferring doesn't help; especially to a private religious school or out-of-state. If it was about playing time? Ha! All failed. Finally, if it was too make money or get NIL rewards, once again, only one really saw life-changing profits as a college student. Not enough to survive on after college. NIL ENDS.
I will admit that Jack Kelly has great closing speed and sees the field well. If I were him, I would stick around for another year and build off of what I accomplished as a sophomore. Two years would get him more opportunities than one. Kelly reminds me a lot of another Wildcat LB who left after a stellar freshman season. very similar body types and playing style. He went to the U and was never heard from again. Sure Kelly might get something from NIL from a bigger school ($1500 a month, a lease on a car [who pays insurance], and hubris of telling everyone I played FBS football), but everything else is a huge if. I wish him the best, but if I were him, I'd stay around another year. At Weber, he knows he is the starter, he knows the competition, can be part of a team that has a chance of pursuing a national title and has a chance of being an All-American next year, if not the DPOY for the Sky. Jack, give it another year at Weber. Finish a degree, pad your stats and then make your move. Too early bud.
Looking at the guys who transferred last year, only Heckard improved his professional chances. Also, if he was wise, he earned some good NIL money and finished a chunk of a graduate degree (shocking: he is the big winner). I would argue that all the other guys would have had "bigger" more productive years at Weber.
*Eichorn saw limited mins at the Y and the OL coach just got canned. He might not have a spot next year, for sure a new coach who will want his guys.
*Garrett played a lot of mins for the Y, but went backwards. If he wants a shot at the pros, going to the Y hurt it. Yes, he played against better competition, but he had the chance to be All-Conference and an All-American at Weber. He got a uniform in a picture frame and a lei.
*Barron played in a couple of games. Got shellacked at Ohio State and never saw the field again. I think it is fair to say, his career is over (Western Kentucky).
*McMillian played in a couple of games, mostly returning kickoffs. Yes, Bankston would have been the #1, but he would have been the #2 and would have been the guy (to me this is the saddest loss). With McMillian Weber wins two games. He did nothing at Eastern Michigan.
*Sellesin is a walkon at the Y and wasted a year of eligibility. He would have been a contributor on the DL at Weber and will only get garbage mins.
So...like I said, it is all about goals. If the aforementioned guys wanted to go to the "league" only one has a chance. If it was to earn a "better" degree, transferring doesn't help; especially to a private religious school or out-of-state. If it was about playing time? Ha! All failed. Finally, if it was too make money or get NIL rewards, once again, only one really saw life-changing profits as a college student. Not enough to survive on after college. NIL ENDS.
I will admit that Jack Kelly has great closing speed and sees the field well. If I were him, I would stick around for another year and build off of what I accomplished as a sophomore. Two years would get him more opportunities than one. Kelly reminds me a lot of another Wildcat LB who left after a stellar freshman season. very similar body types and playing style. He went to the U and was never heard from again. Sure Kelly might get something from NIL from a bigger school ($1500 a month, a lease on a car [who pays insurance], and hubris of telling everyone I played FBS football), but everything else is a huge if. I wish him the best, but if I were him, I'd stay around another year. At Weber, he knows he is the starter, he knows the competition, can be part of a team that has a chance of pursuing a national title and has a chance of being an All-American next year, if not the DPOY for the Sky. Jack, give it another year at Weber. Finish a degree, pad your stats and then make your move. Too early bud.
talhadfoursteals said:
Well stated!!! The NFL is peppered with guys from high level FCS schools. Weber has nearly as many guys playing in the NFL as does Utah or BYU and more than most low level FBS schools.
Granted not as many players from Weber State or other Big Sky schools get drafted as players from BYU or Utah, but NFL teams love to give these guys tryouts and many, many make NFL rosters and go on to become big stars in the NFL. Jonah Williams (starter on DL for the Rams) along with Adam Rodriguez (super star in USFL - had NFL offers, but chose to stay a superstar in the USFL instead.) Rashid Shaheed made it to the Saints last year and is expected to sign a huge free agent deal at the end of this season. Taron Johnson has become a superstar with Buffalo. Opeta (forgot his first name) is a big star for Philly on the offensive line. There are many, many others who are making or made a living playing football that came from Weber State.
The examples you gave of the transfers from last year I thought you described their situation very well. Only Heckard really improved his chances of getting drafted. All others failed if that was their goal.
One thing these guys sometimes forget. The "new kid on the block" is at a significant disadvantage. Once you leave a school where you have been very successful, you're now the "new kid on the block" and therefore you are at a significant disadvantage [both competitively & culturally at the new school.] The grass in NOT always greener on the other side of the fence nor in other pastures.
If a player is totally dissatisfied where he/she [remember women can transfer in other sports as well] then entering the transfer portal may be beneficial to them. It's not always bad. Weber State's men's basketball team has four excellent transfers [Steven Verplancken, Handje Tamba, Blaise Threat & Arnaud Revaz] who are all excellent players and will make significant contributions to this team and program. Perhaps I'm biased, but I think those guys made a very good choice to transfer to WSU. Spencer Johnson -- who managed to get himself into Randy Rahe's doghouse -- has found success after transferring to BYU.
But I believe most transfers end up worse than they were before. I remember when Randall Johnson & a really good receiver from Nevada-Las Vegas transferred here and everybody thought they'd be superstars. Both flamed out. Bronson Barron beat out Johnson as the starting QB & then transferred and flamed out at Western Kentucky and would likely have reached superstar status had he remained a Wildcat.
I think the Transfer Portal has had both positive and negative results for college athletes & college programs. Coaches promise the world to guys to enter the portal and then go to their school. They are not necessarily held accountable for these "pie in the sky" promises which can leave many student athletes losing their once in a lifetime opportunity to be a college athlete.
But more than that -- even if the coaches [which I believe most coaches are honest with the athletes] are upfront with them, being the new kid on the block with the competitive & cultural disadvantages that come with that can make it an unsuccessful change.
But there are still many successful stories of student athletes finding increased success in their new situation. Many transfer from larger programs to smaller programs to find more playing time. Tamba & Revaz are a good examples of that. Others find they have the talent to compete on a higher level and transferring is good for them and the new program. Blaise Threat is an excellent example of that. As much as it hurts us, Eddie Heckard is also a good example of that.
The transfer portal is good for the student athletes because it has given them a much bigger say and has helped remove the near involuntary servitude that many suffered under the old system since transferring schools was so difficult. But it has also opened up a potential Pandora's Box if student athletes do not properly research and evaluate the pros & cons of their transfer or don't transfer decision.
NIL is the much bigger gorilla in the room and a much more dangerous Pandora's Box. I don't want to discuss that now.
Looks like three more are gone. WR TreyShun Hurry, P Jack Burgess, and QB Hollingshaus.
I agree the portal is good and bad. Players need to have the mobility to get out of a situation that is not working. It holds coaches responsible which is a good thing. In my experience playing there are a lot of bad coaches and unkept promises and at that time there was not much the player could do about it.
Usually I don't think regulations are the answer but I think there has to be some type of restrictions in the future. I suppose there are as many FBS guys not getting time looking to transfer down as there are high level FCS guys looking to move up, but it sure seems like FCS programs are getting gutted. Almost feels like the FCS is becoming JC.
Getting rid of booster deals would be a good start. All for players getting paid off of name, image, likeness, social media and marketing deals. Totally different thing to have a booster club putting together a foundation to pay players out of. At that point it's just about which institution has more money.
I agree the portal is good and bad. Players need to have the mobility to get out of a situation that is not working. It holds coaches responsible which is a good thing. In my experience playing there are a lot of bad coaches and unkept promises and at that time there was not much the player could do about it.
Usually I don't think regulations are the answer but I think there has to be some type of restrictions in the future. I suppose there are as many FBS guys not getting time looking to transfer down as there are high level FCS guys looking to move up, but it sure seems like FCS programs are getting gutted. Almost feels like the FCS is becoming JC.
Getting rid of booster deals would be a good start. All for players getting paid off of name, image, likeness, social media and marketing deals. Totally different thing to have a booster club putting together a foundation to pay players out of. At that point it's just about which institution has more money.
oldrunner
Active member
I feel that our coaches are taking the right approach to the transfer portal. They are on the side of the players and are helping them through the process. They have come right out and said that we will remain a developmental program, primarily focused on developing HS talent. If that HS talent later decides to transfer out, then they are still with them 100%.
We may get some young men who have bigger aspirations and that's okay. We will help them develop any way that we can. The transfer portal is certainly not our enemy. We are on the side of the players. We want them to succeed. If the players succeed, we succeed. It's really that simple.
We may get some young men who have bigger aspirations and that's okay. We will help them develop any way that we can. The transfer portal is certainly not our enemy. We are on the side of the players. We want them to succeed. If the players succeed, we succeed. It's really that simple.
oldrunner said:I feel that our coaches are taking the right approach to the transfer portal. They are on the side of the players and are helping them through the process. They have come right out and said that we will remain a developmental program, primarily focused on developing HS talent. If that HS talent later decides to transfer out, then they are still with them 100%.
We may get some young men who have bigger aspirations and that's okay. We will help them develop any way that we can. The transfer portal is certainly not our enemy. We are on the side of the players. We want them to succeed. If the players succeed, we succeed. It's really that simple.
Honestly, it is the best approach. Stay positive and involved. A few years ago, I remember hearing Coach Hill discuss the transfer portal. From what I remember, he said that if a player expressed a desire to transfer, coach would continue working with him. Hill wanted everything to be honest and open. He had started his collegiate career at Ricks (now BYU-I) and transferred to the U. He got it. Granted, a little different from today with majors recruiting committed/NLI signed DI players, but. For him and our current coaches, this is part of a recruiting strategy: stay positive, open, and involved. Out of everything, this is what I appreciate most from Coach Mental and his staff. Be positive and upbeat. What do you gain from being negative (remind me I wrote this if I get crazy about Coach Dufts offense :rofl: ).
Yet, to me...players really need to approach this realistically and goal-oriented (NIL, professional aspirations or academic opportunities). Weber State is a successful DI program. The Big Sky, along with the MVC, with 20 less scholarships, is as competitive as the MW, MAC, Sun Belt, AAC, Conference USA etc. Unless you are a star, like Heckard, the chances of cashing in on NIL isn't huge and even in his case isn't life changing. So, what is the goal? Weber's academics are strong and well-respected nationally. Weber has a lot of guys getting into the "league" and who have played professionally. I just don't see the appeal personally. A guy like Jack Kelly (I'm really sad he wants to leave BTW. Such a great kid.), only makes sense if he gets an offer from Utah, BYU, or a like program (Oregon State is nothing more than a MW team). As Coach Hill would say, stay positive and the player might decide to stick around. Who knows...like I wrote earlier, I would approach this like the "Greek Freak" did, another great year at the FCS level and then leave (he would have been drafted out of Weber, but he couldn't control getting injured at BSU).
talhadfoursteals
Active member
Tal, a player isn't gone until he signs somewhere else. Maybe Kelly is merely testing the waters? He can always come back and we would all welcome him back in an instant.
PURPLEFORLIFE
Active member
Talhad's goals are a good start, but there are other reasons why a player decides to stay or go. Coaching staff? Teammates? Style of play? Playing time? Facilities? Development potential? These should be factors as well. You get an offer to Oregon State, great by the way. First thing I'd do would be to look at how many other LB's are on the current on the roster, who played mins and if they are coming back and who the school is recruiting. Next, I would want to know who my coaches would be. Are they as good as my current coaches and will they help me to further my development. Lastly, do I like the guys on the team.
The Dan said:
Not surprised at all.
Should have played him on offense.
It’s a new era and developing high quality talent is no longer a choice nor option.
Play the hell out of them before they hit the portal. I think the portal changes the dynamics of coaching and it’s going to be interesting to see who can adjust.
