FAYETTEVILLE — Even with the transfer portal becoming a larger part of the college football landscape, what unfolded this past offseason between Arkansas and LSU was pretty unique.
The Razorbacks saw a pair of starters in the secondary, Joe Foucha and Greg Brooks Jr., leave to play for the Tigers, but also brought in two defenders — Landon Jackson and Dwight McGlothern — from LSU. It was essentially a two-for-two trade amongst SEC West rivals.
In the moves, head coach Sam Pittman lost a team captain and three-year starter who had combined to play more than 4,000 defensive snaps during their time in Fayetteville. Both are now starting for the No. 7 Tigers.
“They did everything they possibly could for Arkansas,” Pittman said. “I’m glad they’re both playing and having success at LSU. It will be, obviously, different because the last time I saw them on the field was for us versus Penn State. Obviously it will be different. They’re doing well, playing well, and it seems to have worked out for them.”
Most Arkansas football fans immediately ripped Brooks and Foucha for joining the enemy, or downplayed their departures entirely, but their former teammates — as is usually the case — were understanding.
Both players were from the New Orleans area and players are typically advocates for other players doing what’s best for themselves. For the most part, that was the messaging this week, but safety Simeon Blair admitted to having mixed feelings.
“It hurt me because I had been there with those guys for about three, four years — that’s almost my entire college time,” Blair said. “It was times when…I didn’t want them to leave for sure because those were my guys, those were my friends. We built bonds. But also, Louisiana is where they’re from. It could have been a dream of theirs to go back and play for their home town.”
The Return for Arkansas Football
More insight on how Greg Brooks Jr. and Joe Foucha have done at LSU can be found in our Transfer Tracker below. As for what Arkansas football got in return, Dwight McGlothern and Landon Jackson hadn’t played a ton at LSU, but have each started multiple games for the Razorbacks this season.
Despite spending a good chunk of fall camp with the third-team defense, McGlothern has been a starter since Week 1. He’s arguably been the best member of the Razorbacks’ struggling secondary, with three interceptions and a 73.2 grade on Pro Football Focus. That even landed him on some midseason All-American teams.
“I think he’s adjusted well,” Pittman said. “He obviously has to be a more physical corner. I think Auburn went after him in the run game early. He’s getting better at that. But we’re real happy with Nudie, we’re really happy he’s on the team and he’s done an outstanding job for us.”
It took a little bit longer for Jackson to assert himself as a starter, but he’s been a contributor on the defensive line all year. The 6-foot-7, 274-pound defensive end has 20 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, plus one pass breakup, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble.
Perhaps the biggest play Jackson has made this season was against Auburn, which he blocked the field goal that sparked the Razorbacks’ rout of the Tigers.
“He’s been a really good addition to us,” Pittman said. “Gives us a little bit of a pass rush threat. He came off that knee (injury, and) I think he’s he’s getting better each week.”
Assessing the Arkansas-LSU “Trade”
Even though the 2022 season is winding down, it’s still too early to determine who won the “trade” between Arkansas and LSU.
The Tigers certainly have a strong case at the moment, especially if Foucha and Brooks continue playing a key role on their defense and they win the SEC West — or even make the College Football Playoff. Throw in how much the Razorbacks have missed them because of injuries and issues in the secondary and LSU probably does have the edge at the moment.
However, this is Foucha’s final year of eligibility and Brooks is a senior who could choose to pursue an NFL career after this season. If they both prove to be one-year mercenaries, there’s a chance Arkansas could make an argument for winning the “trade” — if Jackson and McGlothern continue to develop.
McGlothern looks like the best player of the group so far, but he’s a junior and technically eligible to enter the NFL Draft. If he returns for one (or even two) more years and continues to get better, that’d be a notch in Arkansas’ case.
As a second-year player, Jackson has to come back for at least one more year. Another year removed from the ACL injury he suffered as a freshman and with a full season in the system under his belt, he could possibly evolve into a legitimate SEC pass rusher.
Only time will tell how that plays out, but fans will get a big data point this weekend when Arkansas hosts LSU for the Battle for the Golden Boot at 11 a.m. CT Saturday.
“When you switch to a different team, for whatever reason, you always want to go back and show, ‘This was the best decision for me,’” Arkansas defensive tackle Isaiah Nichols said. “You’re going to play the hardest game you can just to prove to everybody that you made the right decision and maybe even to prove to yourself.”
Here’s an update on all former Arkansas football transfer playing elsewhere in college football this season…
*walk-on at Arkansas
Arkansas Football Transfers this Offseason
DT Andy Boykin — Southern (FCS)
At Arkansas: Despite being a high three-star recruit who announced his commitment on National Signing Day, Andy Boykin never appeared in a game for the Razorbacks. After two seasons in Fayetteville, he entered the portal and dropped down to the FCS level.
At Southern: After originally committing to East Tennessee State, the 6-foot-4, 290-pound defensive tackle ultimately ended up at Southern, where he’s appeared in just one game and not recorded any statistics.
DB Greg Brooks Jr. — LSU
At Arkansas: A former four-star recruit, Greg Brooks Jr. started 30 games at nickel during his three seasons at Arkansas. However, he split reps with freshman Jayden Johnson last year and even came off the bench in three games late in the season, which might have played into his decision to transfer.
At LSU: After playing nickel for the Razorbacks, Brooks earned a starting job at safety with the Tigers this year and has started every game. He’s tied for fourth on the team with 39 tackles — a total that includes two tackles for loss and one sack — plus has three pass breakups, one interception and one forced fumble. According to Pro Football Focus, Brooks has played a team-high 570 defensive snaps and has a 65.8 overall grade. However, one issue that plagued him at Arkansas has followed him to Baton Rouge, as he also has a team-high 12 missed tackles.
LB Kelin Burrle — Grambling State (FCS)
At Arkansas: The Razorbacks didn’t have many transfers after spring ball, but that is when linebacker Kelin Burrle decided to enter the portal. He left after missing most of the spring with an injury and never appeared in a game during his two seasons with the Razorbacks.
At Grambling State: Burrle found a landing spot back in his home state of Louisiana in the FCS ranks, transferring to Grambling, where he reunited with former teammate Devin Bush. He’s appeared in seven of nine games this season and has 21 tackles. Pro Football Focus gives him a 50.6 grade on 92 defensive snaps, but that doesn’t include the Tigers’ most recent game.
DB Devin Bush — Grambling State (FCS)
At Arkansas: One of several four-star recruits in Arkansas’ heralded 2019 signing class, Devin Bush never got consistent playing time in the secondary. Injuries likely played a part in that, as he played just 61 total defensive snaps in three seasons with the Razorbacks. He entered the portal after not dressing out for the Outback Bowl.
At Grambling State: Bush originally committed to Southern before flipping to arch rival Grambling. He’s played in just two games and appeared on defense in only one of them, getting a total of three snaps against Northwestern State, according to Pro Football Focus.
K Vito Calvaruso — Wisconsin
At Arkansas: The best kickoff specialist in college football during the regular season, according to Pro Football Focus, Vito Calvaruso was the Razorbacks’ most notable portal departure before the Outback Bowl. He had the fourth-best touchback rate in college football (85.1%) and the second-best average hang time on kickoffs (4.26 seconds). As good as he was on kickoffs, Calvaruso likely wasn’t going to overtake Cam Little as the placekicker, so he transferred somewhere he could have a shot to do that.
At Wisconsin: Despite battling an injury during the offseason, Calvaruso still won the starting job at Wisconsin to open the year and made all five extra points and a 28-yard field goal against Illinois State. However, he had two ugly misses — from 51 and 43 yards — the following week and hasn’t played since then because of a right leg injury.
WR Kendall Catalon — Abilene Christian (FCS)
At Arkansas: The older brother of Arkansas star safety Jalen Catalon, Kendall Catalon began his career in the FCS ranks and was pretty productive at Southern before deciding to join his brother in Fayetteville. Although he received steady praise from coaches, he was never a factor on the field. Rather than sitting on the bench again in 2022, Catalon opted to use his super senior season elsewhere and ended up back in the FCS.
At Abilene Christian: Despite dropping down a level, Catalon still ended up on ESPN — but not in a good way. In Abilene Christian’s game at Missouri, he — for some reason — called for a fair catch on a punt he fielded inside the 1-yard line, getting him a mention during the C’Mon Man segment of ESPN’s NFL Countdown show in Week 2. Other than that play, he’s caught 21 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown, plus rushed for 38 yards and a score on two carries and returned 15 punts for 124 yards.
QB Lucas Coley — Houston
At Arkansas: A three-star recruit coming out of Cornerstone Christian in San Antonio, Lucas Coley signed with the Razorbacks in the 2021 class and redshirted during his lone season in Fayetteville. This offseason, he split third-team reps with walk-on transfer Cade Fortin until entering the portal midway through spring ball.
At Houston: Expected to be the third- or fourth-team quarterback at Houston this season, Coley has emerged as Clayton Tune’s backup the last two weeks. He made a move during the Cougars’ bye week and has now played four total offensive snaps in Houston’s last two games, against South Florida and SMU. In that limited playing time, Coley is 3 of 3 passing for 8 yards and has one carry for 1 yard.
OL Ray Curry Jr. — Alabama State (FCS)
At Arkansas: Originally committed to Missouri, Ray Curry Jr. flipped to Arkansas late in the process after Sam Pittman hired the Tigers’ head coach (Barry Odom) and offensive line coach (Brad Davis). The three-star recruit was buried on the depth chart during his two seasons in Fayetteville, though, and never appeared in a game.
At Alabama State: Curry changed his mind again coming out of the portal, originally committing to Alabama A&M before flipping to SWAC rival Alabama State. He’s listed as the backup right tackle on the depth chart, but yet to appear in a game for the Hornets.
S Joe Foucha — LSU
At Arkansas: The most surprising Arkansas football transfer of the offseason, even more so than Brooks, was Joe Foucha choosing to leave the Razorbacks and play his super senior season elsewhere because he was a team captain last year and played 2,323 career defensive snaps in Fayetteville. In 2021, he finished fourth on the team with 73 tackles and had an interception in the Outback Bowl.
At LSU: Less than a week after entering the portal, Foucha landed at LSU in his home state of Louisiana. He found himself in a battle to start during the offseason and ultimately lost that battle because of a four-game suspension for academic issues with his transfer. Since returning, though, he’s started four of five games and played 222 defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus gives him a 65.2 grade and he’s been very productive, racking up 20 tackles, one tackle for loss, two pass breakups, an interception and one forced fumble in his limited time.
DB Jermaine Hamilton-Jordan — Hutchinson C.C. (JUCO)
At Arkansas: Despite being the most vocal recruiter among Arkansas’ 2021 commitments, Jermaine Hamilton-Jordan spent just one year in Fayetteville in which he was hampered by injury and never saw the field.
At Hutchinson C.C.: Going the junior college route, Hamilton-Jordan is at Hutchinson C.C., where Sam Pittman was a head coach back in the day. He’s played in seven of the Blue Dragons’ seven games and has four tackles, plus an interception. The pick came in the fourth quarter of a game Hutchinson C.C. won 65-7.
RB Josh Oglesby — Stephen F. Austin (FCS) / Unknown
At Arkansas: Although he was a successful football player in high school, Josh Oglesby originally chose to just run track in college and came to Arkansas as a sprinter. He joined the football team after Pittman was hired and made some noise in fall camp before being sidelined with a season-ending injury. Unfortunately for him, Oglesby then got buried on the depth chart in 2021 and appeared in just one game, rushing three times for 17 yards against Georgia Southern.
At Stephen F. Austin: Seeking a clearer path to playing time, he dropped down to the FCS level and transferred to Stephen F. Austin, which is less than three hours away from his hometown of Katy, Texas. Although the Lumberjacks announced him on signing day last year, Oglesby is not listed on their roster this season. Best of Arkansas Sports was unable to find any further information about him.
LB Andrew Parker — Appalachian State
At Arkansas: The Razorbacks had to hold off late pushes by Texas and Texas A&M, but ultimately signed Andrew Parker as part of Chad Morris’ first recruiting class. In four seasons at Arkansas, he became a backup linebacker and special teams contributor. Instead of sticking around as a fifth-year senior, Parker entered the portal and found his new home at the Group of Five level. He originally committed to Middle Tennessee, but ended up at Appalachian State.
At Appalachian State: After originally committing to Middle Tennessee, Parker ended up at Appalachian State, where he’s a started seven of nine games this season. That includes the Mountaineers’ upset of Texas A&M back in September. He graded out poorly in that game (41.6) and against North Carolina (35.2) to open the season, but has since been solid, with a Pro Football Focus grade of 61.6 on 346 snaps. His 45 total tackles are tied for second on the team and include 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
*K/P Matthew Phillips — Tennessee State (FCS)
At Arkansas: Matthew Phillips got some playing time at punter as a freshman in 2018 and made a field goal as a redshirt sophomore in 2020, but the former walk-on likely wouldn’t have seen much playing time moving forward because Arkansas has Little as its placekicker, Jake Bates as its kickoff specialist and two punters — Reid Bauer and Max Fletcher — on scholarship.
At Tennessee State: After beginning the season as the Tigers’ kickoff specialist, Phillips added punting duties in recent weeks before not playing in their latest game. He’s punted six times for a 43.2-yard average and only one touchback. On kickoffs, he has just four touchbacks on 23 attempts. Phillips has not attempted a field goal or PAT this year.
RB Trelon Smith — UTSA
At Arkansas: The Razorbacks likely could have used Trelon Smith in 2019, when Chad Morris described him as a “scout team Heisman” during his NCAA-required redshirt after transferring in from Arizona State. Instead, they had to wait until 2020 to see him in action and he eventually replaced Rakeem Boyd as the starting running back. He remained the starter until being surpassed by Dominique Johnson and Rocket Sanders late last season. In two seasons with the Razorbacks, Smith ran for 1,308 yards and 10 touchdowns.
At UTSA: With a deep running back room looming at Arkansas, he opted to pursue his super senior season elsewhere and — after a brief commitment to TCU — ended up at UTSA, where he reunited with former Arkansas running backs coach Jeff Traylor, now the Roadrunners’ head coach. Smith opened the season as the backup running back, but has seemingly slipped to third in the pecking order in recent weeks. He has just 190 yards and two touchdowns on 54 carries — a 3.5-yard average.
DE Mataio Soli — Hawaii
At Arkansas: Another four-star signee in the Razorbacks’ heralded 2019 class, Mataio Soli was actually a legacy recruit, as his father, Junior, was an All-SEC nose guard for Arkansas. He made an immediate impact, starting 11 games as a true freshman despite a broken hand requiring him to play with a large cast, but his playing time dwindled the last two years.
At Hawaii: Entering the portal midway through spring ball, Soli landed at Hawaii. On a defense that had to replace nine starters, he quickly asserted himself as a starter for the Warriors. Unfortunately, after starting the first five games of the season and playing 185 total defensive snaps, he suffered an injury and applied for medical retirement.
LB J.T. Towers — Ouachita Baptist (DII)
At Arkansas: A two-star recruit coming out of Joe T. Robinson in Little Rock, J.T. Towers was a late addition to Arkansas’ 2020 class and then never saw the field over the last two years.
At Ouachita Baptist: Playing at his older brother’s alma mater in Arkadelphia, Towers hasn’t started a game, but has played in nine of 10 games for the top-five Tigers. He has 10 tackles, including one for a loss.
WR Darin Turner — Alabama A&M (FCS)
At Arkansas: One of only four holdover commitments from the Chad Morris regime in Pittman’s first signing class at Arkansas, Darin Turner actually de-committed from the Razorbacks before jumping back on board when Justin Stepp was retained. After not seeing the field the last two seasons, he decided to enter the portal.
At Alabama A&M: It’s taken some time, but Turner has finally earned some playing time in recent weeks. He caught his first two passes of the season against Mississippi Valley State last week, totaling 17 yards, and — according to Pro Football Focus — he played 12 offensive snaps the week before that in the rivalry game against Alabama State. Before those two games, Turner had played just 10 offensive snaps in four games.
DB Nick Turner — Toledo
At Arkansas: A late flip from Georgia Tech in Pittman’s first signing class, Nick Turner actually played in nine of 10 games as a true freshman, including a start in the regular-season finale. However, despite carving out a heavy special teams role, he failed to build on that freshman season last year.
At Toledo: Transferring down to the Group of Five level, Turner has been a backup nickel back for the Rockets this season. He’s appeared in five of 10 games and made just eight tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s played 79 defensive snaps and earned a 50.0 grade.
*WR John David White — Central Arkansas (FCS)
At Arkansas: Coming from a large family of Razorbacks, John David White walked on at Arkansas following a standout career at Pulaski Academy. Even though he drew consistent praise from coaches and teammates, he never quite cracked the receiver rotation over the last three seasons, catching three passes for 46 yards.
At UCA: Following a familiar path for Razorbacks, White finally earned the scholarship he desired when he transferred down to the FCS level to UCA. He’s played in all nine games and caught 12 passes for 141 yards.
DT Jalen Williams — Southern Miss
At Arkansas: Head coach Sam Pittman was not shy when talking about Jalen Williams after he arrived in Fayetteville as a JUCO signee in the 2021 class, telling reporters that he wasn’t the same player they saw on tape in the recruiting process. After not appearing in a game during his lone season with the Razorbacks, Williams entered the portal.
At Southern Miss: Williams pretty quickly landed at Southern Miss, which is only about an hour away from his hometown in Mississippi. In his first season with the Golden Eagles, he’s actually be very productive. By Week 3, Williams was in the starting lineup and he’s been there ever since. He officially has 37 tackles, which is fifth on the team and includes seven tackles for loss and two sacks. He also has a team-high four quarterback hurries and has blocked a kick. It’s also worth noting that Pro Football Focus gives him a very good 72.7 grade on 327 snaps.
DT Solomon Wright — Oklahoma State (walk-on) / Unknown
At Arkansas: Another one-year defensive tackle, Solomon Wright flipped from Texas Tech to Arkansas in the recruiting process, but got buried on the depth chart. He never appeared in a game last season before entering the portal.
At Oklahoma State: Wright landed at Oklahoma State — where his father, Kenyatta, was a standout player — as a walk-on. He was there during the spring, but hasn’t been listed on the Cowboys’ roster this season.
Previous Arkansas Football Transfers
*QB Austin Aune — North Texas
A decade after he was set to be a freshman at TCU, Austin Aune is arguably one of the coolest stories in college football this season. He’s having a great year at North Texas, as his passer rating of 163.2 ranks 12th nationally, but what makes him unique is the fact that he’s 29 years old. Originally a TCU signee in the Class of 2012, Aune’s college football career was delayed by a stint in the Yankees organization. When he decided to try the sport again, his first stop was actually Arkansas. However, he spent just one spring in Fayetteville under Chad Morris before heading to North Texas, where he first became the starter last season.
WR Jarrod Barnes — Central Arkansas (FCS)
Now in his sixth year of college, Jarrod Barnes is finally enjoying a breakout season at UCA. The Cabot native caught 36 passes for 320 yards over his first two seasons with the Bears before not recording any statistics last year, presumably because of injury. Through nine games this year, he is UCA’s leading receiver with 33 receptions, 584 yards and five touchdowns. Barnes has also been the punt returner this year, racking up 187 yards and another score on 14 returns.
P George Caratan — UConn
Playing for one of the biggest surprises in the country this season, George Caratan has been UConn’s punter all year. He has a 40-yard average on 57 punts, with 16 pinned inside the 20-yard line, plus he’s had one blocked — which was an issue during his lone season with the Razorbacks. The Huskies are Caratan’s fourth team, as he began his career as a walk-on at Michigan, was on scholarship at Arkansas and then went to Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. before signing with UConn. They are 5-5 after going 4-32 over their last three seasons.
DT Collin Clay — Oklahoma State
Despite getting significant reps as a true freshman at Arkansas in 2019, Collin Clay decided to transfer closer to home. Unfortunately, injuries — including a torn ACL — prevented him from getting on the field the last two years. Now healthy, Clay has seen his role steadily increase. He’s actually started the last three games and played 216 total defensive snaps this season, earning a 60.9 grade from Pro Football Focus. Officially, he has 13 tackles, two tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries.
LB Kyrei Fisher — Oregon State
After an injury thrust him into action late last season, Fisher has asserted himself as a starter for Oregon State in 2022. The sixth-year senior has started all nine games and officially has 45 tackles — including 4.5 for a loss and half of a sack — plus three pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. Pro Football Focus gives him a 51.5 grade on 370 defensive snaps for the Beavers.
OL Nicholas Fulwider — Texas State
A defensive lineman who appeared in just one game over three seasons at Arkansas, Nicholas Fulwider transferred to Texas State and converted to offensive line. Listed at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds, he appeared in just one game for the Bobcats last season and has yet to see the field in 2022.
*WR Karch Gardiner — UTSA
Now in his second season at UTSA, Karch Gardiner has appeared in five games and played 17 snaps. That’s a significant increase from the one offensive snap he got last year. He was a walk-on at Arkansas before that and, despite drawing a lot of praise from coaches, never cracked the receiver rotation.
RB Chase Hayden — Illinois
Led by former Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema (and Barry Lunney Jr., who is now an offensive coordinator), Illinois has been one of college football’s biggest surprises. Unfortunately for him, Chase Hayden hasn’t really been a big part of it, managing only 87 yards on 22 carries and two receptions for 12 yards while playing 36 offensive snaps this season. That’s more action than he got last year, though, when he had just five attempts for 18 yards. Hayden is a sixth-year senior, having played three years at Arkansas, one at East Carolina and now two at Illinois.
DB Korey Hernandez — Eastern Michigan
Korey Hernandez played for current Arkansas running backs coach Jimmy Smith when he was the head coach at Cedar Grove High School and actually helped him win his first state title as a senior in 2016. He then signed with Bielema, but transferred to Iowa Western C.C. after redshirting his freshman year with the Razorbacks. Now in his fourth season at Eastern Michigan, Hernandez has been a contributor off the bench at cornerback and nickel, playing 132 defensive snaps and earning a 68.9 grade from Pro Football Focus. Officially, he has eight tackles, three pass breakups and one quarterback hurry.
DT Enoch Jackson Jr. — North Texas
A rotational piece on North Texas’ defensive line last season, Enoch Jackson — who appeared in just three games during his two seasons at Arkansas — opened the 2022 campaign as a starter. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury in Week 2 and missed three straight games. Although he’s returned to action, he’s come off the bench the last five games and hasn’t gotten as much playing time the last couple of weeks. Officially, Jackson has six tackles, including a sack, and two quarterback hurries in seven games. Pro Football Focus gives him a 53.8 grade on 222 defensive snaps.
WR Jordan Jones — Missouri State (FCS)
Presumably getting a medical redshirt for the 2019 season he missed with an injury at Arkansas, Jordan Jones is a rare seventh-year senior this season. He spent four seasons with the Razorbacks — two under Bielema and two under Chad Morris — before transferring to and playing two years at Cincinnati, where he had a limited role on its run to the College Football Playoffs. Now at Missouri State and playing for Bobby Petrino, Jones started five of the Bears’ first six games, but came off the bench in the seventh game and has missed the last two. Despite playing 284 offensive snaps, he’s caught just 10 passes for 102 yards. One of those was a 19-yard reception in the Bears’ near upset win at Arkansas.
S Myles Mason — Louisiana Tech
After playing more than 700 snaps over three seasons at Arkansas, Myles Mason transferred to Louisiana Tech, where he got significant reps last year despite not starting. He missed the last five games of 2021 with an injury and also didn’t play in the first five games of 2022. Since returning, though, Mason has made an impact for the Bulldogs. He’s played 162 defensive snaps at nickel over the last four games, including a start against Rice, and has racked up 23 tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble. That’s helped him earn a 66.8 grade from Pro Football Focus.
DB Jarques McClellion — Florida State
A two-year starting cornerback at Arkansas who opted out of the 2020 season before transferring, Jarques McClellion converted to safety at Florida State last season and had a backup role on the Seminoles’ defense. Now a sixth-year super senior, he is still listed as a backup, but has appeared on defense in only five of nine games and played just 65 defensive snaps. McClellion officially has six tackles and Pro Football Focus gives him a 47.6 grade. He’s primarily been a special teams contributor.
OL Silas Robinson — Texas State
Forced into action because of an injury, Silas Robinson — one of the first commitments of the Chad Morris era — got his first significant playing time in college when he started four games at center last season. He opened this year as a backup, but has started three of the Bobcats’ last four games, earning a 57.2 grade on 319 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
*K Jared Sackett — UTSA
It’s become more common in this day and age of college football, but Jared Sackett has had quite an interesting journey. He was a back-to-back Lou Groza Award semifinalist as a freshman and sophomore at UTSA, and then transferred to Arkansas. He had to sit out the 2019 season because of old transfer rules and then transferred out after the coaching change. Following former special teams quality control coach Daniel Da Prato, he ended up at South Florida and made 5 of 7 field goals in 2020 before not playing last season. Now back at UTSA as a super senior, Sackett has made 12 of 16 field goals and is a perfect 37 for 37 on PATs, giving him 73 points. He’s also kicked off 42 times with 21 touchbacks.
DB Micahh Smith — Incarnate Word (FCS)
Now a seventh-year senior, Micahh Smith has been a backup cornerback for Incarnate Word this year after missing all of last season, presumably because of an injury. He’s come off the bench in seven games to make 13 tackles. Smith has also had a special teams role, blocking a kick and also notching a 16-yard punt return.
DE Blayne Toll — Arkansas State
After flipping back and forth from offense to defense several times as a freshman at Arkansas in 2020, Blayne Toll transferred to Colorado, where he appeared in three games and played 33 defensive snaps before hitting the portal again. Now back in the Natural State, he’s been a rotational piece at defensive end for the Red Wolves. He officially has four tackles and, according to Pro Football Focus, has played 82 defensive snaps. That includes a season-high 31 snaps against South Alabama in Arkansas State’s last game, on which he earned a respectable 65.5 PFF grade.
Arkansas Football Transfer Breakdown
The above list includes 31 scholarship players still on rosters elsewhere. Here’s a breakdown of the levels where those players ended up…
- Power Five: 7
- Group of Five: 13
- FCS: 9
- Division II: 1
- JUCO: 1
There are also five walk-on transfers listed above. Three of them went down to the Group of Five level, while two others dropped down to the FCS.
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