Georgia Embarks On Transfer Portal Tear, Tennessee Shops For New Quarterback, & Arch Manning Cashes In
Kirby Smart & Co. landed three transfer portal commitments on Sunday, highlighted by four-star edge rusher Elo Modozie from Army.
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Dudes Of The Week 😤
Kyle Whittingham
Head Coach, Utah
Utah showcased its new look offense to over 6,500 fans on Saturday during the program’s “22 Forever Game,” a spring scrimmage held to honor the memories of late players Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe.
While many Power Four programs canceled spring games amid tampering risks and player retention concerns, Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham said that the benefits of receiving live action reps far outweigh looming threats.
“You can’t be scared to do everything,” Whittingham told reporters last week. “We have to get guys better. That’s our number one objective.”
Quarterback Devon Dampier, a highly touted transfer from New Mexico, thrived in his first showing under play-caller Jason Beck.
Dampier led the white squad to a 42-38 win. While no official stats were kept, he showcased his scrambling prowess and arm strength, highlighted by a 25-yard touchdown completion in the second quarter.
Kirby Smart
Head Coach, Georgia
No team had a more productive weekend in the transfer portal than Georgia, as Kirby Smart’s bunch landed three quality prospects who will likely serve as immediate contributors.
The Bulldogs picked up Illinois running back Josh McCray, Army pass rusher Elo Modozie, and Miami defensive lineman Josh Horton, with each prospect announcing their commitment on Sunday.
Both McCray and Modozie are set to arrive in Athens after productive 2024 campaigns. McCray ripped off 5.2 yards per carry and 10 touchdowns for the Fighting Illini last season, while Modozie tallied 34 tackles and 6.5 sacks during Army’s resurgent 12-2 effort.
Horton saw action in just seven games for the Hurricanes over the last two seasons, but as a former four-star prospect, he was widely regarded as one of the top players to enter the spring portal window.
Josh Hoover
Quarterback, TCU
In light of Tennessee’s decision to move on from starting gunslinger Nico Iamaleava last weekend, the Vols’ coaching staff has allegedly been shopping around for a proven plug-and-play asset under center.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Tennessee offered TCU quarterback Josh Hoover an offer that would’ve amounted to a “$1 million raise,” compared to his existing deal with the Horned Frogs.
The deal, which was first reported on Saturday, was instantly turned down by Hoover, who went 9-4 as a starter in 2024 with 3,949 passing yards and 27 touchdowns through the air.
While the heightened offer and opportunity to start in the SEC likely enticed Hoover, the Rockwall, Texas native deserves credit for remaining loyal to his program and state by electing to remain with Sonny Dykes’ bunch.
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Mood Tracker Across Fanbases 🤯
Auburn 📈
Faithful
After losing two defensive transfers last weekend, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze responded by landing the second-best uncommitted linebacker in the portal.
Maryland’s Caleb Wheatland pledged his intentions to play for the Tigers on Sunday after spending three years with the Terrapins.
Wheatland appeared in 11 games last season, totaling 42 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and four sacks.
With the addition of Wheatland, Auburn now holds the 7th-best transfer portal class nationally, highlighted by six four-star additions.
Michigan State 📈
Hopeful
Although Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith elected to bypass a spring game this April, the second-year leader believes that the Spartans have made substantial progress through 15 practices.
“We do feel good that we have a chance to be better,” Smith told reporters last week. “Now, [there are] no guarantees of that, and there’s still work to be done. But, we feel as a staff, we were just taking the other day — year one to year two — there’s a lot of areas we’ve made some serious progress.”
The Spartans lost just three players when the spring transfer portal window opened last Wednesday, and Smith’s staff has put together a top 25 portal class for the second consecutive season.
“I feel really good about the work that we’ve gotten done over the last five weeks,” Smith added. “Guys have stayed into it and continue to work.”
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Who Made Money This Week? 💰
Arch Manning
Quarterback, Texas
In terms of NIL, the rich tend to get richer, and that’s exactly the case with Texas’ prized signal caller Arch Manning.
The third-year Longhorn inked a multi-year NIL deal with Panini America last Wednesday to enhance monetization opportunities from autographed memorabilia.
“Launching my memorabilia collection with Panini America allows me to share a deeper connection with fans,” Manning said. “Panini has a long history of working with athletes all over the world for autographed memorabilia, and I’m excited to be a part of that group.”
While the specifics of the deal weren’t released, signed photos featuring Manning begin at $699.99, with jerseys and helmets starting at $999.99.
Per On3, Manning’s NIL valuation has skyrocketed to $6.6 million over the last few months.
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