Top College Football Transfers and Their Impact
Coaches and Their Influence on Transfers
Some of this season’s top college football transfers chose new schools by following their coaches. Eric Morris, the former North Texas coach, is now leading Oklahoma State, bringing 21 of his former players. Among them is Drew Mestemaker, who led the FBS in passing yards with 4,379 last year. Mestemaker emphasized the importance of Coach Morris in his decision: “Wherever he went, that’s probably where I was going to be.” This approach is not uncommon among players.
John Henry Daley, a standout with 11½ sacks for Utah, joined Michigan with his coach, Kyle Whittingham. Similarly, Matt Campbell, now at Penn State, has added about two dozen of his former Iowa State players, such as quarterback Rocco Becht, who left Iowa State after proving himself with 9,274 passing yards and 64 touchdowns.
Success Stories from the Transfer Portal
Transfers can bring remarkable success to new programs. Indiana provides a vivid example. Curt Cignetti took over the program with 13 of his former James Madison players. This group significantly contributed to Indiana’s College Football Playoff berth in 2024 and a national title win last season.
Transfers like these believe familiarity with their coaches offers stability and strong foundations in new environments. Daley praised Coach Whittingham, saying, “You know what you get with Coach Whittingham… Discipline, hard work, and the expectation to win games.”
Notable Transfers This Season
Texas WR Cam Coleman (Auburn):
Cam Coleman, once the nation’s No. 3 high school prospect according to 247Sports, moves to Texas after two productive seasons at Auburn. Despite 93 catches for 1,306 yards and 13 touchdowns, he didn’t have the chance to play with a quarterback as talented as the Longhorns’ Arch Manning. A video of Coleman making a notable catch during practice recently attracted social media attention.
Indiana QB Josh Hoover (TCU):
Josh Hoover seeks to fill the shoes of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza at Indiana. A consistent performer at TCU, Hoover amassed 9,629 passing yards and 71 touchdowns. His new targets include former Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh and Boston College’s running back Turbo Richard.
LSU QB Sam Leavitt (Arizona State):
Sam Leavitt joined LSU after his time at Arizona State, where a playoff berth was achieved in 2024. Despite injury setbacks, Leavitt has an impressive record of 4,652 passing yards and 36 touchdowns. His dual-threat capabilities also include 816 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He’ll be supported by Jordan Seaton, a strong addition at left tackle from Colorado.
Miami QB Darian Mensah (Duke):
Darian Mensah, instrumental in Duke’s ACC title success, is now part of a Miami team that fought for the national championship last year. In his third school year, Mensah has shown consistent productivity, completing 66.5% of his passes and totaling over 6,000 yards across Tulane and Duke.
Oregon S Koi Perich (Minnesota):
Koi Perich, an All-Big Ten honoree, joins Oregon after strong performances at Minnesota. Known for versatility, Perich not only recorded 82 tackles last season but also contributed on the offensive and special teams since his freshman year.
BYU LB Cade Uluave (California):
Cade Uluave makes his move to BYU after being a defensive force at California. Honored with second-team AP and first-team conference selections, Uluave has proven his capability with 237 tackles and notable plays like six sacks over his time at Cal.