As we head into the summer months when recruiting normally picks up (who knows, things might be different this time around…), here’s the latest update regarding the #Stampede21 transfer portal madness that has ensued over the past week. Without further ado, let’s get after it!
#TransferPortalSZN – QBs Kirk Rygol and Kaden Frost Enter the Portal
It’s never a boring off-season and much of the same could be said this year with players coming and going from the transfer portal in 2020. Via Twitter, QB Kirk Rygol announced that he will be transferring out of the program due to financial reasons. With two years of eligibility left, Rygol enters the portal with 199 total yards of offense and 2 passing TDs for the Bulls in 2019. We wish Kirk nothing but the best moving forward and I think we can all say that he’s a little bit better than the Division 3 evaluation that he got from a coach in the past… (See below)
Along with Rygol, QB Kaden Frost has also entered the transfer portal per Will Turner of Bulls247 who confirmed that the QB has left the program. Just like Rygol, Frost was with USF for the 2019 season after coming in from Gardner-Webb in 2018. With two walk-on QBs gone, the only one that remains from 2019 is Augie Debiase. We wish Kaden nothing but the best moving forward and hope he finds a new program to suit up for in 2020!
#TransferPortalSZN WR Zion Roland Enters the Portal
To stay consistent with the theme of the article, WR Zion Roland has entered the transfer portal as first reported by RivalsPortal on Twitter. Roland started at USF in 2018 at WR, collecting 5 catches for 60 yards on the season before switching to CB where he appeared in seven games with a total of 3 tackles in 2019. Before spring camp, Roland made the decision to move back to WR before ultimately transferring on May 14th.
Mike’s Take: After hearing that Roland would be moving back to WR in 2020, I was excited to see what he could do at his former position heading into spring ball. Alas, Roland made the decision to look elsewhere and we wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors. For the WR group moving forward, Coach Jeff Scott and Co. will more than likely look at adding at least 3 WRs to the 2021 class with a possible transfer coming in next season depending on how the staff feels at the position.
#TransferPortalSZN Welcomes TE Mitchell Brinkman to the Bulls!
After missing on former FAU TE John Raine to Northwestern, it only seemed inevitable that the staff was looking to land a TE from the transfer portal before the 2020 season. In steps former Northern Illinois TE Mitchell Brinkman who joins the Bulls for one final year as a graduate transfer from the Huskies. As an on and off contributor for NIU in his first three seasons, Brinkman took the starting TE job and ran with it in 2019, collecting 34 catches, 445 receiving yards, and 3 receiving TDs on the year.
Mike’s Take: If you had any doubts about USF wanting to run a 2 TE offense in 2020, this pretty much eliminated those doubts. Before the Brinkman commitment, I felt comfortable with Jacob Mathis leading the charge at the position with the guys behind him battling it out for TE #2. Clearly the coaching staff wants to let those guys develop another year as Brinkman and Mathis should be the favorites for the position heading into fall camp. Keep an eye out for the TE position in the future though. Mathis and Brinkman are set to graduate in 2020 and with a plethora of talent behind them to take over in 2021, it’ll be really interesting to see who emerges as the two TEs in this offense come 2021.
#TransferPortalSZN – DE Tyrik Jones Enters the Portal
When they go, they go. Being the third USF player to enter the transfer portal in a week, DE Tyrik Jones threw his hat in the ring as well as first reported by NCAA Transfer Portal on Twitter. Jones was a member of the 2019 recruiting class, coming in from Arizona Western College as the 12th ranked weak-side defensive end at the junior college level. In his one year with USF, Jones saw action in seven games with 6 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, and a fumble recovery on the year.
Mike’s Take: If there is a position that you should be concerned about depth-wise, it’s the defensive end position. With Jones in the portal, USF returns just 6 DEs in 2020, making it a priority that CJS and Co. either find a grad transfer at the position this off-season and/or make a drastic push to reload the end spot in the 2021 class. It’s been noted on a few occasions that Defensive Coordinator Glenn Spencer will look to run more 3 down fronts this season and that should be your tell-tale sign on what a potential DL could look like come week one. Regardless, this is the time to see who shines at end in 2020 and it will definitely be a position to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
Leave your thoughts and comments down below and be sure to tune in later this month when I cover the #United20 Class of 2020 QB Room!
| Name | Pos. | School | 247 | Rivals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gunnar Greenwald | TE | Satellite Senior (Satellite Beach, FL) | 0.8527 | 5.6 |
| 2 | Jaelen Stokes | CB | Auburndale (Auburndale, FL) | 0.8453 | 5.4 |
| 3 | Timmy McClain | QB | Seminole (Sanford, FL) | 0.8430 | 5.6 |
| 4 | Davon Hicks | ILB | Vero Beach (Vero Beach, FL) | 0.8410 | 5.5 |
| 5 | Keeon Terrell | SDE | Fort Myers (Fort Myers, FL) | 0.8303 | 5.4 |
| 6 | CJ Ross | OLB | Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, FL) | 0.8265 | 5.5 |