2025/26 Transfer Portal & Roster Changes Thread

I believe there is both a philosophy and a science to building a successful cfb team. For example, a very effective offensive line may may come from all five starters being hungry 3*s with great coaching. I'm hoping that Coach Campbell sees these types of things clearly and that the 2026 unit will have great fundamentals and play as a unit. I guess, kind of like what Indiana is doing.
 
LudicrousSpeedGO! said:
My thoughts on those you offered up.

1) Coleman was gone after the Ohio St game when their staff member offered on camera at the conclusion of the nationally televised game. He probably burned bridges. Now it is looking like Ohio St is backing off because they know they openly tampered and were caught on national TV. Coleman is still a hot commodity and places like Tennessee may overpay for this. Tennessee has plenty of cash and don't necessarily use it wisely. Mission accomplished for Ohio St. They will grab a prospect that they don't have to overpay and they've taken a top prospect away from PSU without inviting more scrutiny.

2) Fisher wasn't going to start next year. He has reached his potential. He doesn't want to be a backup in his final year if they grant another year.

3) Harris was benched for awhile earlier this year and young players at that position are ready to take the job anyway.
Click to expand...
I agree with #1 & #2 but I struggle with #3. Harris was 3rd team All BiG in 2024 and was 1st team pre season All BiG in 2025. He was projected as a 1st round draft choice. But something happened and his performance suffered. Maybe it was confusion about Knowles' scheme. I don't think he lacked talent to start.
 
bdroc said:
Your comment about Coleman supports my point that PSU DOES NOT have more money than all be a handful of schools. I also wonder if his lack of PT during the season was all due to injury. I wonder if there were disciplinary issues.

Fisher is a PA kid who is leaving without completing his degree. He could have started and finished his degree. Harris performance really declined this year. He actually got benched at one point and perhaps that didn't go down very well.

Each player has their own reasons but the fact is kids who would have received significant PT have left PSU in greater numbers than at other schools. Maybe the players dislike Kraft. Maybe it's the uncertainty about the staff but I hoped that Terry Smith would be able to hold them together.
Click to expand...
I don't see how it supports that. Every school will prioritize players and player positions differently so even if every school had equal money the offers to individual players would vary widely.

And even if there were equal offers to the same player that player has other priorities that enter in. Some want different coaching, some want their best chance at a NC. Others may want to go close to home, other may want to go far from home. Some just want a change.

Generalizations with this mess seem useless to me.
 
LudicrousSpeedGO! said:
We'll see if he gets what he thinks he is worth. My guess is that these agents are telling kids they are worth more than they'll get most of the time and the agents get a bigger cut when they work a new deal.
Click to expand...
Over 20% of the total number of players are in the portal. Some of these players are going to find themselves out in the cold. This would not seem to imply to the players leaving PSU, but I think you are right. Agents, and maybe families, are overvaluing the player's worth.
 
LudicrousSpeedGO! said:
Wonder if that LB that Rojas was working on was an indication that Cambell was already gone. The question is if we can upgrade and what is the cost?
Click to expand...
Campbell played well down the stretch of the season. He isn't yet rated by 247, but the top two LB's in the portal are Biles from Pitt and the LB from Cal, Uluave, that I believe Rojas is campaigning for, both at .93. It would seem that Amare Campbell would be at least a .90 and possibly higher. Some of the other PSU transfers are rated pretty high. Reynolds at .94. Gilliam at .94, Fisher at .92, Harris at .90, Coleman at .98, Wylie and E.Washington both .87. Campbell would seem to be as competent a starter at Fisher and possibly Gilliam although Gilliam being young gives him more value and upside. An upgrade would be great but just getting another competent Mike would be great.

Should be interesting to see how Campbell and his staff go for LB's in the portal. It would seem PSU obviously needs a Mike and at least one more experienced LB that can play inside or outside. I believe Rojas was playing Will which would seem to be the best place to utilize his exceptional range. Maybe Wylie sees that the grass isn't greener and comes back.

ISU has some LB's in the portal with none rated higher than .87.

Good news that Denmark wants to stay and compete at WR in 2026. He's a PA kid with some talent and he's probably looking forward to a fresh start in Blue & White.
 
Last edited:
Nemo said:
Over 20% of the total number of players are in the portal. Some of these players are going to find themselves out in the cold. This would not seem to imply to the players leaving PSU, but I think you are right. Agents, and maybe families, are overvaluing the player's worth.
Click to expand...
It's 4500 of 12000 D1 last I heard. That's close to 40% of all players. It's going to become a buyers market.
 
More incoming from ISU

Carson Hanson .88 portal
6'2", 220lb 2023 class RB

Kuol Kuol II .86 portal
6'6" 290lb 2025 class OT

Cael Brezina .87 portal
6'3" 235lb 2024 class LB

Alex Manske .86
6'3", 225lb 2025 class QB

Caleb Bacon Unrated
6'4" 245lb 2021 Class LB

Will Thompkins .85 portal
6'5" 300lb 2025 class OT

Brett Eskildson .89 portal
6'1" 200lb 2024 class WR
 
UPDATE: Position Groups (Rooms) that have improved/dropped off so far from portal acquisitions IMHO (quality of room scale 1-10; does not consider graduating or NFL-bound "drop-outs")...
WR: ☝️ 4.5 -> 7
LB: ☝️ 5.5 -> 7
QB: ☝️ 6.5 -> 8
RB: 👎 7 -> 5.5
OL: ☝️ 7 -> 8
DT: ☝️ 6.5 -> 7
DE: ☝️ 6.5 -> 7.5
CB: 🤙 7 -> 7
S: ☝️ 7 -> 7.5

Just get all rooms up to an 8 and 2026 should be good to go.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top