ACC storylines to watch as December portal window approaches
The NCAA transfer portal might be quiet now, but it never sleeps. The “transfer windows” that the NCAA enacted Sept. 1 allow for two periods that college football players can enter their name into the transfer portal – graduate transfers and players whose coach were fired during the season do not have to wait for their sport’s transfer window.
The first transfer window for FBS football is set to open Dec. 5, the day after bowl selections are announced. So, we’re looking two months down the road to project top storylines in the ACC for what should be a very exciting December.
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1. Who will look for an upgrade at quarterback?
Quarterbacks, quarterbacks, quarterbacks. Which teams will seek to bring in a passer from the portal? A few programs might go this route.
Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong is in his final season of eligibility and his backup, sophomore Jay Woolfolk, has appeared in seven games and thrown 41 passes during his time with the Cavaliers. Virginia might bring a portal QB in to push Armstrong in camp.
At Virginia Tech, Grant Wells could use his COVID year next season. If he doesn’t return that leaves the Hokies with current true freshman Devin Farrell.
Finally, at NC State, Devin Leary is a fifth-year QB who could go pro. That would leave the Wolfpack with freshman M.J. Morris and a high school signee who just underwent shoulder surgery. Ben Finley was not on the depth chart for the Pack’s most recent game. If Finely returns that would give NC State only three scholarship quarterbacks.
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2. Will any coaching changes result in a mass exodus?
How players enter the portal due to a coaching change will depend, in large part, on who is hired.
Geoff Collins was dismissed at Georgia Tech last week, so the Yellow Jackets are already on the clock, so-to-speak. Thus far none of the Yellow Jackets have taken advantage of the 30-day period during which they can be entered into the portal. In Louisville, Scott Satterfield’s seat is warm and now his quarterback Malik Cunningham, is day-to-day after taking two hits to the head in a loss at Boston College last Saturday.
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3. Can the Portal King do it again?
The portal story of the year in the ACC is Florida State. The last time the Seminoles (4-1, 2-1 ACC) started a season 4-0 was 2015. FSU was ranked, until losing to Wake Forest last week, for the first time since the opening week of the 2018 season.
Mike Norvell has a multitude of transfers playing important roles for Florida State this season, including quarterback Jordan Travis (Louisville), receivers Johnny Wilson (Arizona State) and Mycah Pittman (Oregon) and three of the five starters on the offensive line.
On defense, six of the top 20 to earn snaps this season arrived via the portal. That includes edge rusher Jared Verse (Albany), defensive tackle Jarrett Jackson (Louisville), second-leading tackler Tatum Bethune (UCF) and cornerbacks Greedy Vance Jr. (Louisville) and Jarrian Jones (Mississippi State).
Will Norvell rely on the transfer portal so heavily again in 2022? We’ll be watching.
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4. Will Clemson finally embrace the portal?
When Dabo Swinney did look to the portal to add to his roster he brought one of his former players back to Clemson – quarterback Hunter Johnson.
There is zero doubt that Swinney and his staff are recruiting gorillas. Clemson has signed a top-10 class every year from 2018 through 2022, with the 2020 class earning a No. 2 ranking. The Tigers won three ACC championships, made three College Football Playoff appearances, won a national title and played for another during that time span.
Swinney has avoided added transfers and it has worked for him because he and his staff have done a superb job of identifying, recruiting and developing talented high school prospects. We don’t see Swinney changing his philosophy just for the sake of adding a transfer.
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5. How will teams slated for NY6 bowls or the CFP be impacted?
In recent years many players have decided to opt out of playing in a bowl game to begin preparation for the NFL Draft. Could we see a player leave his team to enter the transfer portal? Count on it. Obviously it won’t be starters or major contributors who make this decision but we will see players skip the bowl game and enter the portal since the next window for entering the portal isn’t until May 1-15. By that time many available roster spots will be filled and the opportunity to take part in spring practice at a new school will be lost.