Bob Asmussen | Portal world means different strokes for different folks

Jan. 9—The numbers are shocking. And yet, not so much.

The Louisville and Indiana football teams have 22 transfer commitments.

Makes some sense for Indiana, which is under new management after the firing of Tom Allen. New coach Curt Cignetti is trying the quick-fix approach, landing players mostly from the Group of Five.

Of course, Cignetti has also raided his old school James Madison, with 10 of the Dukes moving to Bloomington, Ind. Not for basketball.

Louisville’s roster turnover is more of a puzzler. The Cardinals advanced to the ACC title game in Jeff Brohm’s first season as coach.

You wouldn’t think the need for change is as great in Louisville. But Brohm is always going to look to upgrade with the idea of returning to the ACC final in 2024.

To that end, Brohm added a pair of guys who give the Cardinals a fighting chance on offense. Toledo running back Peny Boone is moving to Louisville after a monster season with the Rockets. He ran for 1,400 yards with 15 touchdowns.

Louisville nabbed quarterback Tyler Shough, a two-time transfer who started his career at Oregon and later played at Texas Tech. Brohm will find a way to tap into all his potential.

Arizona State, which has a second-year coach Kenny Dillingham, also has 22 transfer commits. The Sun Devils are moving to the Big 12 and need an infusion of talent. Five years ago, Dillingham might have been looking at a multi-season rebuild.

Now, he can do it in a year … if he picks the right guys.

Major gainsRecruiting class rankings have been a part of college football’s offseason for decades.

Today, there is another list to consider: the portal rankings.

The three teams at the top shouldn’t be a surprise. Mississippi is led by Lane Kiffin, who has often used the coaching portal to skip from job to job. Kiffin is “settled” in Oxford, Miss., and has been able to lure 12…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bob-asmussen-portal-world-means-154700476.html

Author : The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

Publish date : 2024-01-09 15:47:00

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