New college football coaches have a distinctively different way to rebuild rosters now, with the transfer portal’s emergence, than ever before.
Combining the portal with traditional high school recruiting has afforded coaches more ability to bring in talent left by players who are off to the NFL, graduating or transferring out.
Some high-profile programs have new coaches this season, and all have been diligently working to retool rosters and add in talent. Here is a look at some of the new coaches and where they’re at in the rebuilding process.
Initial needs: Quarterback, wide receiver, running back, safety
Needs filled: Quarterback, running back, safety
Even in returning a lot of secondary production from last season, Notre Dame’s biggest need came with departing safety Kyle Hamilton, a first-round NFL draft pick. Marcus Freeman and his staff addressed that by signing Northwestern safety Brandon Joseph, one of the better safeties to transfer this offseason.
At quarterback, Jack Coan transferred in from Wisconsin prior to the 2021 season, but his eligibility has run out. Notre Dame has Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner already on the roster, and Freeman signed Steven Angeli in the 2022 class. Buchner and Pyne will likely compete for the starting job, but Angeli had a good spring game and showed he isn’t going to roll over in the competition.
The running back position is going to need help with starter Kyren Williams gone. Williams had 1,002 yards and 14 touchdowns last season and the team did not bring in any transfers. Running back Chris Tyree is returning, as well as Audric Estime. The coaches signed ESPN 300 running back Jadarian Price, who turned heads in the spring game and should have a chance to make a big impact to help Tyree in the run game.
What they will need to find, however, is more playmakers at receiver. Tight end Michael Mayer is back, as is Braden Lenzy, who were the Nos. 1 and 3 receivers respectively last season. The team has lost receiver Kevin Austin Jr., Williams (who had 359 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns) and Avery Davis.
The Irish signed three ESPN 300 receivers in the 2021 class with Deion Colzie, Jayden Thomas and Lorenzo Styles Jr. All three will have a chance to make an impact and, quite frankly, will need to make an impact this season.
The Irish have some holes throughout the roster, but they also have talent in younger players who haven’t yet broken through. If those younger players step up, it could be a very good first season for Freeman as a head coach.
Initial needs: Quarterback, receiver, running back, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, secondary
Needs filled: Quarterback, receiver, running back, linebacker, secondary
Lincoln Riley has completely rebuilt this roster through the transfer portal, bringing in arguably the biggest transfer of the offseason in quarterback Caleb Williams. The Trojans lost quarterbacks Kedon Slovis and Jaxson Dart, and Williams will now take over at quarterback.
Riley added at receiver with arguably the second-biggest transfer of the offseason in Biletnikoff winner Jordan Addison, who transferred from Pitt this spring. The Trojans also added Mario Williams from Oklahoma, Brenden Rice from Colorado and Terrell Bynum from Washington. At running back, USC added Oregon’s leading rusher, Travis Dye, who can also help in the pass game.
On defense, Arizona State linebacker Eric Gentry transferred in, along with Auburn’s Romello Height and Alabama’s Shane Lee, providing a big boost to a unit that lost Kana’i Mauga and Raymond Scott.
The staff lost corners Chris Steele and Isaac Taylor-Stuart, as well as safeties Isaiah Pola-Mao and Chase Williams, but has done a good job bringing in talent via the portal and recruiting.
Riley and defensive coordinator Alex Grinch added corners Latrell McCutchin, Mekhi Blackmon and Jacobe Covington, as well as Ohio State safety Bryson Shaw, through the portal. They also recruited five-star corner Domani Jackson and ESPN 300 safety Zion Branch, along with ESPN 300 corner Fabian Ross, in the 2022 class.
As notable as those additions are, it may not be enough to push the Trojans into the College Football Playoff conversation yet. For starters, there are still questions at O-line, even after adding Virginia’s Bobby Haskins.
But the Trojans will still need someone to step up on the defensive line to help replace Drake Jackson, Jacob Lichtenstein and a few others. Regardless, Riley has the roster headed in the right direction and it shouldn’t be long before they are among the top tier teams if he keeps adding this type of talent.
Initial needs: Quarterback, running back, offensive line, secondary
Needs filled: Quarterback, offensive line, secondary
Brian Kelly took over at LSU and, similar to Riley, utilized the portal almost immediately to help rebuild the roster.
The team is losing quarterback Max Johnson, who threw for 27 touchdowns and six interceptions last season, as well as running backs Tyrion Davis-Price (NFL) and Corey Kiner (transferred to Cincinnati).
The offensive line took a big hit with Austin Deculus, Ed Ingram, Liam Shanahan and Chasen Hines all gone. Kelly was able to sign tackle Miles Frazier from Florida International, one of the bigger offensive line transfers this offseason, as well as Tre’mond Shorts from Eastern Tennessee. Through recruiting, Kelly signed five-star offensive tackle Will Campbell and ESPN 300 guard Emery Jones in the 2022 class.
At quarterback, Kelly brought in Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels and signed ESPN 300 dual-threat quarterback Walker Howard. The staff also has Myles Brennan and former ESPN 300 quarterback Garrett Nussmeier still on the roster as options.
Running back is still a position of weakness, though. The staff didn’t sign an ESPN 300 running back in 2022, and Penn State transfer Noah Cain totaled only 350 yards and four touchdowns last season.
The secondary was another unit that took a big hit with corner Eli Ricks, a former freshman All-American, transferring to Alabama, Dwight McGlothern transferring to Arkansas and losing Derek Stingley Jr., Cameron Lewis, Cordale Flott and Darren Evans, among others.
The staff did a good job replacing them in corner Greg Brooks Jr. and safety Joe Foucha from Arkansas, Jarrick Bernard-Converse from Oklahoma State, corner Sevyn Banks from Ohio State and safety Mekhi Garner from Louisiana.
There are still some holes and question marks, but Kelly is bringing in talent. He signed five-star linebacker Harold Perkins, along with Campbell, Howard and four other ESPN 300 prospects in the 2022 class.
Initial needs: Quarterback, running back, receiver, offensive line, defensive line, secondary
Needs filled: Quarterback, running back, offensive line, defensive line
New coach Brent Venables walked into a unique situation in which the top two quarterbacks in Caleb Williams and Spencer Rattler both left. The leading running back, Kennedy Brooks, who is now in the NFL, and four of the top-five receivers on the team are gone.
That is a lot to lose in one offseason for a new coach coming in, but Venables has done a good job filling holes and replacing those players.
At quarterback, he’s reuniting offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby with UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who played in only three games last season but threw for 3,570 yards and 32 touchdowns while rushing for two touchdowns in 10 games in 2020.
The coaches are losing leading rusher Kennedy Brooks, who had 1,253 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. Despite playing quarterback, Williams was the second-leading rusher on the team with 442 yards and six touchdowns.
Venables returns Eric Gray, who transferred in from Tennessee prior to the 2021 season, Marcus Major and a few others on the roster who don’t have much experience. The staff added in junior college running back Tawee Walker and signed two ESPN 300 backs out of high school in the 2022 cycle in Gavin Sawchuk and Jovantae Barnes.
Three offensive linemen have moved on, but Venables got McKade Mettauer from Cal and Tyler Guyton from TCU. He has a handful of former ESPN 300 recruits on the roster that now have some experience to step up, as well.
Receiver is probably the glaring hole that hasn’t been completely restocked. Jadon Haselwood led the team last season in touchdown receptions with six and has transferred to Arkansas, while Mario Williams (USC), Michael Woods II (NFL draft) and Jeremiah Hall (UDFA) also left Norman.
Oklahoma has recruited the position well over the past few years but will need some new and inexperienced players to chip in this season. The coaches have tried to replace some of those spots with Missouri receiver JJ Hester, Arizona State receiver LV Bunkley-Shelton and Missouri tight end Daniel Parker Jr. Marvin Mims, who led the team in receiving, is returning, and the staff signed two ESPN 300 receivers with Nicholas Anderson and Jayden Gibson, as well as four-star tight ends Jason Llewellyn and Kaden Helms out of high school.
Initial needs: Wide receiver, offensive line, linebacker, secondary
Needs filled: Wide receiver, offensive line
Joey McGuire inherited a roster that has quite a bit returning from last season, which will help. There are some holes and positions that need more talent, including the offensive line.
McGuire will have to replace tackles Josh Burger and T.J. Storment, as well as center Dawson Deaton. To get help alongside returners Caleb Rogers and Weston Wright, McGuire landed transfers from New Mexico tackle Cade Briggs, Oklahoma State lineman Monroe Mills and Michael Shanahan from UT Martin. The coaching staff also signed three-stars Sheridan Wilson, Erik Gray, Seth Martin and Kaden Weatherby out of high school.
The staff is losing leading receiver Erik Ezukanma, who had 705 receiving yards and four touchdowns, Kaylon Geiger, the second-leading receiver, tight end Travis Koontz and receiver Dalton Rigdon.
Third-leading receiver Myles Price is returning, as is tight end Mason Tharp. The staff added in Minnesota receiver Brady Boyd, Kansas receiver Jordan Brown and former Texas A&M tight end Baylor Cupp.
The coaches lost their top two tacklers at linebacker in Colin Schooler and Riko Jeffers, along with Brandon Bouyer-Randle. The only transfer at linebacker was Dimitri Moore from Missouri State, so that is still an area where someone on the roster will have to step up.
Initial needs: Running back, wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker
Needs filled: Running back, offensive line
New coach Billy Napier has his hands full trying to remake this roster as the previous staff went 6-7 last season with lackluster recruiting over the past few classes. The Gators finished the 2022 recruiting cycle ranked No. 32 overall, last in the SEC.
Napier beat Georgia to land five-star safety Kamari Wilson, which was a significant win on the recruiting trail and will help in the secondary. He signed four other ESPN 300 recruits, including linebacker Shemar James, defensive lineman Chris McClellan, running back Trevor Etienne and offensive lineman Tony Livingston.
Adding Etienne will help at running back, where the team lost its top-three leading rushers in quarterback Emory Jones and running backs Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis. Napier also brought in Montrell Johnson from his previous team, Louisiana, who rushed for 838 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
Johnson wasn’t the only player from Louisville that joined Napier at Florida, as offensive linemen O’Cyrus Torrence and Kamryn Waites both transferred. Florida has quite a bit returning along the offensive line, but needs more talent and competition to help out up front.
The coaches lost quite a bit to the portal and weren’t able to fill every hole. At receiver, Jacob Copeland, who had four touchdowns last season, transferred to Maryland, and tight end Kemore Gamble, who also scored four touchdowns, transferred to UCF. On the defensive side, Khris Bogle left for Michigan State and linebackers Mohamoud Diabate signed with Utah and Ty’Ron Hopper with Missouri.
Defensive linemen Zachary Carter, Antonio Valentino and Daquan Newkirk are all gone as well, so the defensive staff has some work to do in the front seven to replace the production they had from last season.
Initial needs: Wide receiver, defensive line
Needs filled: Wide receiver, defensive line
New coach Mario Cristobal inherited a pretty good roster of returning talent. At quarterback, he’s bringing back Tyler Van Dyke, who threw for 2,931 yards and 25 touchdowns last season.
Leading rusher Jaylan Knighton returns, and the staff added Ole Miss running back Henry Parrish Jr. as well. There are some questions at receiver with Charleston Rambo and Mike Harley, who combined for 12 receiving touchdowns last season, no longer on the team.
Cristobal added Clemson receiver Frank Ladson Jr. to help replace that production and is also returning Key’Shawn Smith and tight end Will Mallory. ESPN 300 receiver Isaiah Horton signed with the Hurricanes in the 2022 class, which should provide more depth.
Along the defensive line, Miami lost its two sack leaders in Zach McCloud and Deandre Johnson. The staff went after defensive lineman aggressively and signed USC defensive end Jacob Lichtenstein, Antonio Moultrie out of UAB, Akheem Mesidor from West Virginia, Maryland’s Darrell Jackson and UCLA’s Mitchell Agude.
The defensive line now has quite a few options to create a better pass rush in 2022, and with the other pieces returning throughout the roster, Cristobal could have a very good season at Miami in 2022.