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Following two transfer portal windows and the NFL draft, college football fans might need Apple AirTags to track where their favorite players wound up.

This space is dedicated to those who decided to stay — commitments who boosted their teams’ College Football Playoff hopes. Penn State’s 2022 recruiting class could take up half the list: quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton and defensive tackle Zane Durant are all back from the Nittany Lions’ CFP semifinal run.

“When we all committed here coming out of our ’22 class, that was one of our goals coming in as Penn Staters, we wanted to compete for championships, both Big Ten and obviously national championships,” Allar said. “And obviously we had a taste of that last year, and we know how close you are, so it’s just building off that and trying to make another run at it.”

Here’s a look at 13 players from 11 schools and representing five different leagues whose decisions to either forgo the NFL draft or sidestep the portal have beefed up their respective teams’ playoff chances.

1. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

The decision: Forgo the 2025 NFL draft

What his return means: Nussmeier, a fifth-year senior, and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan are entering their second season together and aiming to improve upon a stellar debut, which will help the Tigers contend for the SEC title. Nussmeier threw for 4,052 passing yards last year, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Even if LSU can’t win the league, Nussmeier’s return can help the Tigers earn an at-large CFP bid — especially if he makes a similar jump to his predecessors, Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels, who both won the Heisman Trophy in their second seasons in Baton Rouge. Nussmeier’s dad, Doug, will be nearby as the Saints’ offensive coordinator after winning a Super Bowl as the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach. With four new starters on the Tigers’ offensive line, there’s going to be an adjustment period, but if the “Nuss Bus” gets the time he needs, this should be a breakout season and his draft stock will rise with LSU’s playoff chances.

2. Drew Allar, QB, Penn State

The decision: Forgo the 2025 NFL draft

What his return means: Penn State has something Ohio State and Oregon don’t — a starting quarterback with playoff experience. The Nittany Lions might finally have the pieces in place to return to the top of the Big Ten and contend for a national title. Allar, who’s entering his third season as the starter, will be surrounded by NFL talent on the offensive line and in the running game, and could make a case to be Penn State’s first Heisman Trophy winner since John Cappelletti in 1973. Last season, he had 3,327 passing yards, the third most in a season in school history. With a second season under coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, and more options at wide receiver — plus a still-loaded tight end room — there will be no shortage of options for Allar to push the ball downfield more.

3. Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson

The decision: Forgo the 2025 NFL draft

What his return means: On paper, Clemson has enough offensive firepower returning to elevate the Tigers into a deeper CFP run than their first-round exit in 2024 and they should have the Heisman-contending quarterback the program has desperately missed. Klubnik leads a Clemson offense that is No. 1 in the FBS in returning production (81%), according to ESPN’s Bill Connelly. Klubnik reestablished himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country following a down season in 2023. Last year, his 308 completions, 3,639 passing yards and 36 passing touchdowns all ranked among the best seasons in program history. As he enters his third season as a starter under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, Klubnik’s understanding of the offense and his relationship with Riley has grown, positioning Klubnik for what should be his best season with the Tigers.

4. Nicholas Singleton/Kaytron Allen, RBs, Penn State

The decision: Forgo the 2025 NFL draft

What their return means: The nation’s best running back duo returns intact, and they’ve got playoff experience along with familiarity and knowledge of the offense in coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s second season, all of which should boost the Nittany Lions’ hopes of winning the Big Ten and returning to the CFP. Singleton and Allen were projected by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. to be the Nos. 5 and 6 running backs available in the 2025 draft after becoming the first combo in Penn State history to each have at least 1,000 rushing yards in the same season. Penn State ran for more than 200 yards in 10 games last season, and the Nittany Lions led all Power 4 teams and Notre Dame in rushing with 3,237 yards. Of course, it helps to have 6-foot-4, 350-pound offensive guard Olaivavega Ioane blocking.

5. LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina

The decision: Avoid the transfer portal

What his return means: Sellers absolutely drew interest from other teams in November and December, but he re-signed quickly with the Gamecocks — and his commitment could be the difference between receiving or not receiving a CFP bid. The same can be said for edge rusher Dylan Stewart, who also attracted attention after 10.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks last year. South Carolina made a playoff case with Sellers leading the offense last year, but the CFP selection committee didn’t rank the No. 15 Gamecocks high enough for inclusion. He improved throughout the season last fall, increasing his Total QBR from 52 in his first six games to 81 over the last six. This year, he’ll be working with Mike Shula, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.

6. Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois

The decision: Avoid the transfer portal (twice)

What his return means: Illinois can be a CFP sleeper team by competing for the Big Ten title and earning an at-large bid if it doesn’t win the league. The importance of Illinois retaining its starting quarterback after a strong spring push from Tennessee can’t be understated. The Illini have a chance to be this year’s Indiana — a Big Ten contender with a manageable schedule that can play its way into the selection committee’s rankings with a standout quarterback and his supporting cast. After public speculation he might transfer for his final year of eligibility, Altmyer announced in December he would return to the team. He did it again in April, following the drama at Tennessee. Altmyer passed for 2,543 yards, 21 touchdowns and only five interceptions last year, leading Illinois to a 9-3 regular season and a top-20 ranking in the Associated Press poll.

7. Avery Johnson, QB, Kansas State

The decision: Avoid the transfer portal

What his return means: K-State can win another wide-open Big 12 race and earn an automatic bid into the playoff as one of the five highest-ranked conference champions. Johnson never entered the transfer portal, but he attracted interest, especially after Tennessee lost Nico Iamaleava. “We got a damned wall built around him,” a K-State source told ESPN. “They better bring the Tennessee National Guard.” Expectations will be higher this year for Johnson, who threw for 2,712 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his first full season as a starter last year. He also had 605 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. With the depth at wide receiver, K-State’s passing game could flourish this fall.

8. Jake Slaughter, OT, Florida

The decision: Forgo the NFL draft

What his return means: A veteran offensive line that includes four returning starters from a group that allowed the third-fewest sacks in the SEC last season (20). It also means better protection for quarterback DJ Lagway, who could be one of the best in the country if he can stay healthy — and Lagway’s health is the most critical component to Florida’s success this year. According to Pro Football Focus, Slaughter allowed one sack, one QB hit, six QB hurries and eight pressures — with only three penalties — in 728 snaps. The Gators again have one of the toughest schedules in the country, and Slaughter is the kind of veteran they need up front to help Lagway survive it.

9. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

The decision: Forgo the NFL draft

What his return means: That the Buckeyes didn’t lose everyone from their national championship defense. Styles had an outstanding 2024 season with 100 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and five passes defended. His draft stock rose as the Buckeyes ascended through the CFP bracket, but he told reporters at their national championship celebration that he “wasn’t ready to leave yet.” Styles still has room to improve and grow, and his draft stock will continue to rise. He’s now in a position of leadership as one of just three returning starters on defense and the most experienced player among the rising seniors.

10. Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon

The decision: Forgo the NFL draft

What his return means: The Ducks retained a 6-foot, 175-pound receiver who played a key role in advancing them to the top seed in the 2024 CFP, and they’ll need his help again — especially with the departure of Tez Johnson, who entered the NFL draft after leading Oregon with 83 receptions for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns his senior season. Stewart is Oregon’s only returning receiver who had more than 30 receptions in 2024. Stewart, who transferred to Oregon from Texas A&M, had 48 catches last season for 613 yards and tied for the team high with five receiving touchdowns. He was Oregon’s second-most targeted receiver in an offense that finished 13th nationally in passing yards. Stewart’s role will increase, and his decision to return will help the Ducks’ new starting quarterback, which could be former UCLA QB Dante Moore.

11. Michael Taaffe, S, Texas

The decision: Forgo the NFL draft

What his decision means: The Longhorns have leadership, playoff experience, NFL talent and a familiar face returning to a defense that again has to replace multiple starters from the previous season. Taaffe, a rising senior who ascended from walk-on to All-American, had 71 tackles, 6 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 10 passes defended, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. His decision to return was driven in large part by the desire to win a national title at Texas and the devastation he said he felt following the loss to Ohio State. Taaffe will get another chance at the Buckeyes in the season opener.

12. Braxton Fely, DT, Boise State

The decision: Withdrew name from portal

What his return means: The Broncos were able to retain top talent from their 2024 CFP run, which featured one of the nation’s top defensive fronts, a huge boost for coach Spencer Danielson as he tries to own the Group of 5’s guaranteed spot as one of the nation’s five highest-ranked conference champions. Fely took visits to Miami and Cal before announcing on social media he planned to return to Boise. Fely, who spent the past three seasons at Boise State, started 28 games in the past two seasons. He had nine TFLs last year and 5.5 sacks.

Florida Dealt Huge Recruiting Loss by National Championship Contenders originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Florida Gators have fielded a fair share of defensive stars. The group includes Wilber Marshall, Jack Youngblood and Reggie Nelson. Class of 2026 five-star safety Jireh Edwards has chosen not to try to join that pantheon.

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Edwards, a standout at St. Frances Academy (Md.), opted to join the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, spurning Billy Napier and the Florida Gators.

Unfortunately for Napier, Edwards further bolsters an already stacked class for a conference foe. According to On3, he’s the fifth five-star commit for the Crimson Tide, joining receiver Cederian Morgan, cornerback Jorden Edmonds, linebacker Xavier Griffin and running back Ezavier Crowell.

Alabama nestles into the top five of both the 247Sports Recruit Team Rankings (No. 4) and Rivals Industry Team Rankings (No.5).

Other than Florida, Edwards chose Kalen DeBoer’s program over Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs, Mike Elko’s Texas A&M Aggies and Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks.

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Florida Gators head coach Billy NapierMatt Pendleton / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The whiff on Edwards shouldn’t sound the alarm for the Gators, however. Napier has shown the ability to woo high-level talent, most notably five-star quarterback DJ Lagway in the 2024 class. Napier also signed five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray in the same group.

Per 247Sports, Florida has had the No. 7 and No. 9 recruiting classes in 2024 and 2025, respectively. The Gators are ranked No. 16 overall in the 2026 class at the moment, behind SEC competition in Georgia (No. 2), Texas A&M (No. 3), Alabama (No. 5), LSU (No. 10), Texas (No. 12) and Tennessee (No. 15).

Napier will have some work to do to climb on that list.

Related: Nation’s No. 1 QB Names College Football Powerhouse He Envisions Himself Playing At

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.

It’s an exciting year for the Texas Longhorns, as quarterback Arch Manning, the former No. 1 recruit in the class of 2023, per On3 industry rankings, is set to take the reins from Quinn Ewers.

Of course, the program also holds some hefty expectations going into 2025, with ESPN Bet giving them the best odds to win the SEC (+225) and the second-best odds of winning the national championship (+500).

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Unfortunately for Manning, as the offseason continues to roll on, the Longhorns are continuously hit with transfer portal departures, with their latest coming on Friday in the form of offensive lineman Malik Agbo.

Coming out of high school, Agbo was a big piece of Texas’ 2022 recruiting class, with On3 industry rankings naming him a four-star player, the No. 19 offensive tackle and the No. 364 player in the nation.

In 2024, he appeared in 16 games for the Longhorns, which included their SEC Championship Game loss to the Georgia Bulldogs and all three College Football Playoff matchups.

What makes this development even worse for Manning is that Agbo joins a growing list of offensive players to leave, including three-star wide receiver Freddie Dubose Jr., three-star tight end Amari Niblack (Texas A&M) and three-star wide receiver Reece Beauchamp.

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Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and offensive lineman Malik Agbo.Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Despite the numerous departures, head coach Steve Sarkisian has not been very active in making additions through the portal, with the only incoming offensive player being three-star wide receiver Emmett Mosley (Stanford).

It remains to be seen if Manning and this Texas roster, which has been through an abundance of change, will be ready when the season begins Aug. 30 with a matchup against defending national champion Ohio State in Columbus.

Related: Florida Dealt Unfortunate Recruiting News On Thursday

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The college football offseason used to feature slight to moderate turbulence from December to February, followed by a period of calm. Not anymore.

The offseason comes in waves, upending rosters and coaching staffs, sometimes more than once, before things settle down. Every team must be prepared to minimize losses and make significant gains. Those who succeed can make history. Those who fail can also make history. Just look at Indiana and Florida State in 2024.

ESPN college football reporters Adam Rittenberg, Max Olson, Eli Lederman and Bill Connelly set out on the herculean task of ranking the offseasons for every Power 4 team, as well as national runner-up Notre Dame. Certain teams had more players enter the NFL draft or simply run out of eligibility than others. We took these losses into account but truly focused our analysis on three areas:

Retention of key (non-draft-eligible) players Retention of key coaches or staff upgrades Player additions, primarily through the transfer portal but also high school recruits

All three elements matter as these teams build for conference relevance and College Football Playoff bids. An impressive portal haul doesn’t always equate to a great offseason, especially if the team is also losing players and coaches it wanted to keep. Teams that didn’t add much from the portal, but retained coveted players and assistant coaches, meanwhile, end up with offseasons to be celebrated.

Here are our conference-by-conference rankings and team breakdowns, as well as a national list of the 10 best offseasons.

Jump to a conference:

ACC | Big 12

Big Ten | Notre Dame | SEC | Overall top 10

ACC

Key additions: DE Will Heldt, WR Tristan Smith, LB Jeremiah Alexander

Key departures: RB Phil Mafah, LB Barrett Carter, DB R.J. Mickens

Top incoming recruits: DT Amare Adams, RB Gideon Davidson, DE Ari Watford

Biggest coaching move: The Tigers needed a defensive shake-up, and coach Dabo Swinney landed a big name in defensive coordinator Tom Allen, who left national semifinalist Penn State for Clemson. Allen, a former Indiana head coach, oversaw a Penn State defense that finished No. 8 nationally in points allowed and will bring experience and energy to a Clemson unit that fell off sharply last fall.

What went wrong: There’s not much to critique within what was a relatively quiet, if effective offseason for a Clemson roster that returns well-positioned for another playoff run. If we’re nitpicking, it’s worth looking at the Tigers’ lack of proven, high-end replacements for 1,115-yard rusher Phil Mafah and two-time All-America linebacker Barrett Carter. Four-star freshman Gideon Davidson might emerge as one of the nation’s top first-year rushers, and 2024 freshman All-America linebacker Sammy Brown looks like Clemson’s next great linebacker, but the Tigers’ postseason aspirations will be reliant at least in part on developing underclassmen at a pair of key positions.

What went right: Clemson finally dipped into the transfer portal for a big fish. Allen arrived to revamp a limp Tigers pass rush, and Swinney & Co. gave him a top player to work with in Purdue transfer edge rusher Will Heldt, a third-year pass rusher who logged 56 tackles and five sacks last fall. Adding Heldt to a returning defensive line unit led by T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, Allen and Clemson have the makings of a fearsome defensive front in 2025. Transfer pass catcher Tristan Smith (Southeast Missouri State) turned heads with a standout spring game performance and joins a loaded Tigers wide receivers room after catching 76 passes for 943 yards and six touchdowns in 2024.

Connelly’s take: The Tigers lead the nation in returning production and potentially made an upgrade at defensive coordinator. That’s a pretty good offseason! The only thing holding them back here is a merely fine recruiting haul. It’s good that Swinney is using the transfer portal now, but he’s still only barely using it.

Key additions: QB Carson Beck, DB Xavier Lucas, DT David Blay

Key departures: QB Cam Ward, WR Xavier Restrepo, LB Francisco Mauigoa

Top incoming recruits: OC S.J. Alofaituli, CB Jaboree Antoine, WR Joshua Moore

Biggest coaching move: Miami needed to reboot on defense, and coach Mario Cristobal turned to Corey Hetherman, who had successful FBS coordinator experience at Minnesota and James Madison. Hetherman oversaw a Gophers defense that ranked No. 5 nationally in yards allowed and No. 9 in points allowed last fall.

What went wrong: Miami missed on a handful of transfer portal quarterbacks to replace Cam Ward, including Ward’s former Washington State teammate and Oklahoma transfer John Mateer, before landing Carson Beck. The same UCL injury that ended Beck’s 2024 season kept him sidelined during spring camp and will be a story to watch into the fall. Seven NFL draft picks — the program’s highest count since 2017 — and more than a dozen portal exits leave the Hurricanes with loads of production to replace, particularly at wide receiver.

What went right: Cristobal got Beck and added skill talent all around him in a renovated Miami offense this offseason. Transfer wide receivers CJ Daniels (LSU), Keelan Marion (BYU) and Tony Johnson (Cincinnati) present intriguing new options on a team that lost its top six pass catchers from 2024. Former Alabama and TCU center James Brockermeyer joins what could become Cristobal’s strongest offensive line unit since taking over the Hurricanes, with North Dakota State transfer CharMar Brown arriving alongside Mark Fletcher Jr. and Jordan Lyle in a deep backfield. Hetherman’s first priority will be to repair a leaky secondary that struggled over the back half of the 2024 season. A deep cast of transfer newcomers headlined by Xavier Lucas (Wisconsin), Charles Brantley (Michigan State), Ethan O’Connor (Washington State) and Zechariah Poyser (Jacksonville State) gives the first-year coordinator plenty to work with.

Connelly’s take: Recruiting? Good. Defensive coordinator change? Necessary. If Hetherman is the right hire and Beck is healthy and awesome, Miami made itself better this offseason. But that’s a pair of mighty ifs.

play 3:43 Hottest takes for the 2025-26 CFB season Each member of the SEC Now crew goes over their boldest predictions on who will have a breakout year, take home the SEC Championship, and potential Heisman candidates.

Key additions: QB Darian Mensah, DT Josiah Green, DB Caleb Weaver

Key departures: G Caleb Krings, DT Kendy Charles, WR Jordan Moore

Top incoming recruits: DE Bryce Davis, OLB Bradley Gompers, WR Jamien Little

Biggest coaching move: Manny Diaz’s ability to retain both of his primary coordinators and others following a nine-win season is noteworthy, and he filled a vacancy at running back with Northwestern’s Chris Foster. He brings experience within the state from East Carolina and Appalachian State, has coached standout backs such as Keaton Mitchell, and will work with veteran back Jaquez Moore, who returns from an injury-plagued season.

What went wrong: The Blue Devils lost a lot at wide receiver with the departures of Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol, who combined for 115 receptions for 1,659 yards and 17 touchdowns. Duke really needs a lift from transfers Andrel Anthony, who played only eight snaps last season as he recovered from a knee injury, and Cooper Barkate, an FCS All-America selection at Harvard. The Blue Devils also were light on defensive transfers despite losing many of their top performers on that side of the ball, including top tacklers Ozzie Nicholas, Alex Howard and Cameron Bergeron.

What went right: After a nine-win season in Diaz’s first year, Duke showed no signs of dropping off. Although quarterback Maalik Murphy set records in his lone season as a Blue Devil, Duke boldly landed transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, a better fit for coordinator Jonathan Brewer’s offense. Mensah has three years of eligibility left. The Blue Devils also retained many of their top non-seniors, including standout cornerback Chandler Rivers and offensive tackle Brian Parker II. They didn’t add a lot of defensive transfers, but Josiah Green and Jaiden Francois should help. Diaz kept almost his entire staff together.

Connelly’s take: Diaz landed one of the top quarterbacks in the portal and will enjoy solid continuity heading into Year 2. The turnover in the skill corps and at linebacker hurts a little, though.

Key additions: QB Tommy Castellanos, WR Duce Robinson, CB Jeremiah Wilson

Key departures: CB Azareye’h Thomas, DT Joshua Farmer, WR Ja’Khi Douglas

Top incoming recruits: RB Ousmane Kromah, DT Kevin Wynn, OT Chastan Brown

Biggest coaching move: After a stunning backslide from 13-1 to 2-10, coach Mike Norvell had to shake up his staff, bringing in splashy coordinators Gus Malzahn (offense) and Tony White (defense). Malzahn is the big name — the former head coach at UCF, Auburn and Arkansas State, who has mentored Norvell — but White might be even more impactful, as a Rocky Long disciple with a track record of improving defenses.

What went wrong: The Seminoles likely welcomed a heavy dose of roster turnover following the program’s disastrous 2024 campaign, but they did lose several former blue-chip recruits, such as quarterback Luke Kromenhoek, wide receiver Hykeem Williams and defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. The spring portal exit of junior college wide receiver Jordan Scott — who joined the program in January — marked another disappointment. A series of late adds in the 2025 recruiting cycle only did so much to make up for decommitments from 10 ESPN 300 prospects last fall.

What went right: The fall will tell the full story, but Norvell appears to have taken a pair of positive steps toward a turnaround with the coordinator hires of Malzahn and White, and both will have a bevy of transfers to work with. Tommy Castellanos arrives with fresh weapons in 6-foot-6 Duce Robinson and former Tennessee speedster Squirrel White behind a new-look offensive line. On defense, White brings 2024 breakout pass rusher James Williams (5.0 sacks last fall) with him from Nebraska to a front seven revamped with seven total transfers. Jeremiah Wilson, No. 11 in ESPN’s spring portal rankings, comes over from Houston and marks a potential impact addition in the secondary.

Connelly’s take: We’ll see how much improvement is possible after an almost unprecedented collapse, but Norvell washed as much stink off the program as he could, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

After a 2-10 season, FSU overhauled its coaching staff and brought in a number of key transfers. Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire

Key additions: QB Chandler Morris, WR Jahmal Edrine, S Devin Neal

Key departures: S Jonas Sanker, WR Malachi Fields, C Brian Stevens

Top incoming recruits: QB Cole Geer, OLB Isaiah Reese, WR Isaiah Robinson

Biggest coaching move: There’s status quo in Charlottesville as coach Tony Elliott retained his entire on-field staff from 2024, when the team made a two-win improvement. After an aggressive transfer portal push, Virginia is banking on continuity with coordinators Des Kitchings (offense) and John Rudzinski (defense), and a staff that has tried to build back the program.

What went wrong: Not a whole lot as Virginia had its smoothest and most productive offseason under Elliott. The team lost its top receiver in Malachi Fields to Notre Dame, though, as well as No. 1 tight end Tyler Neville. Although Jahmal Edrine is an interesting addition, he has a lot riding on him to reboot the passing attack with Chandler Morris. Jonas Sanker was Virginia’s only first-team All-ACC selection in 2024, and he leaves a significant void after leading the team in total tackles (98) and tackles for loss (8.5). Virginia’s offensive line turns over quite a bit from last season with seven additions via the portal. Experienced transfers should help there, but the group still must figure out how to jell.

What went right: Virginia ramped up its investment and aggressiveness in the portal to give Elliott what should be his best roster since taking over as head coach. The team added an experienced quarterback in Morris, who had 3,774 passing yards and 31 touchdowns for North Texas last season, as well as some nice insurance in Nebraska transfer Daniel Kaelin. Edrine is among the key additions on offense, and Virginia bolstered its return game with James Madison’s Cam Ross. Virginia made a strong push for offensive line transfers, and its defensive additions could really stand out, including linebacker Mitchell Melton (Ohio State), safety Devin Neal (Louisville) and cornerback Ja’son Prevard (Morgan State).

Connelly’s take: Elliott kept his coordinators and added some exciting playmakers through the portal. That’s good, though the fact that he needed this many transfers after three seasons isn’t an encouraging sign of a strong culture taking root.

Key additions: QB Miller Moss, LB Clev Lubin, WR TreyShun Hurry

Key departures: QB Tyler Shough, DE Ashton Gillotte, CB Quincy Riley

Top incoming recruits: DE C.J. May, ILB Caleb Matelau, WR Kamare Williams

Biggest coaching move: Deion Branch had been part of Louisville’s support staff and even served as interim head coach for a bowl win in 2022, but in February he joined the on-field coaches at a position he knows well — wide receiver. The MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX starred for Louisville, earning first-team all-league honors, and will now coach a group that includes seniors Caullin Lacy and Chris Bell.

What went wrong: Between the graduations of Michael Gonzalez and Jonathan Mendoza and portal exits by Monroe Mills (Virginia) and Austin Collins (Syracuse), the Cardinals are down four of their top five offensive linemen, in terms of snaps, from a year ago. Louisville has supplemented with the additions of six transfer linemen this offseason. That group is led by Mahamane Moussa (Purdue), Naeer Jackson (Florida International) and Makylan Pounders (Mississippi State), but this unproven offensive line unit remains a potential liability for an otherwise loaded offense. The Cardinals experienced similar turnover in the secondary, where the program brought on five transfers — only one of them from the Power 4 — to replace four starters on the back end of the defense.

What went right: The Cardinals retained running backs Isaac Brown (1,527 all-purpose yards in 2024) and Duke Watson and added portal pass catchers Dacari Collins (NC State) and TreyShun Hurry (San Jose State) alongside veteran receivers Lacy and Bell. Together, they’ll surround USC quarterback transfer Miller Moss, who arrives to replace Tyler Shough in an offense that finished 13th nationally in yards per game (449.2) a year ago. Clev Lubin (Coastal Carolina) joins the Cardinals after notching 9.5 sacks in his first FBS season last fall, landing as a prized offseason addition alongside three other transfer newcomers on a defensive line unit replacing six players who combined for more than 200 tackles last fall.

Connelly’s take: Coach Jeff Brohm has quickly become one of the nation’s more reliable portal shoppers, and his Cardinals return some serious star power at running back. But having to fill tons of holes at receiver, offensive line, defensive line and defensive back opens up so many opportunities for regression.

Key additions: WR Eric Rivers, OT Malachi Carney, DL Akelo Stone

Key departures: WR Eric Singleton Jr., TE Jackson Hawes, DT Zeek Biggers

Top incoming recruits: OT Josh Petty, S Tae Harris, DT Christian Garrett

Biggest coaching move: After losing defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci to the NFL, coach Brent Key selected Texas assistant Blake Gideon to lead the unit. Gideon hasn’t been a defensive coordinator — he oversaw special teams at Houston and Ole Miss — but brings extensive experience in the secondary, where he starred at safety for Texas before coaching defensive backs at four programs.

What went wrong: Eric Singleton Jr.’s departure wasn’t totally unexpected, but it certainly stings, as he brought elite speed to Georgia Tech’s passing game, averaging 13.5 yards per reception. The Yellow Jackets lost other notable transfers such as offensive tackle Corey Robinson II, an honorable mention All-ACC selection who landed at Arkansas, and linebacker Romello Height, who left for Texas Tech. Santucci’s departure after only one season creates the potential for disruption on defense. Although Gideon projects well, he hasn’t been a primary defensive coordinator before.

What went right: After a season in which Georgia Tech won some big games but could have won more overall, the roster is set up for potentially big things this fall. Key retained his starting offensive backfield of quarterback Haynes King and running back Jamal Haynes, as well as backup quarterback Aaron Philo, who could be key, given King’s injury history. Receptions leader Malik Rutherford also is back after briefly considering a transfer in December. As colleague Dan Murphy recently detailed, safety Clayton Powell-Lee came very close to entering the portal before returning. Gifted offensive playcaller Buster Faulkner is also back to work with King.

Connelly’s take: Keeping the Faulkner-King combo was great, as was adding maybe FIU’s two best players to an already speedy skill corps. Considering how important physicality was to 2024’s success, however, turnover in the trenches is worrisome.

Key additions: DE Jahkai Lang, OG Addison Nichols, DT Jeffrey M’Ba

Key departures: RB Brashard Smith, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, DE Elijah Roberts

Top incoming recruits: OT Dramodd Odoms, QB Ty Hawkins, WR Daylon Singleton

Biggest coaching move: Coach Rhett Lashlee kept his staff intact after reaching the ACC title game and the CFP, which provides great continuity entering 2025. Defensive coordinator Scott Symons has been in the mix for head coaching roles but will return to SMU for his fourth season to oversee a playmaking unit.

What went wrong: Can the Mustangs sustain their 2024 success and follow up on the 11-3 finish that took SMU to the conference title game and a playoff appearance in the program’s ACC debut? Hanging on to Symons and offensive coordinator Casey Woods will help. But failing to add a proven, impact newcomer to step in for 1,332-yard rusher Brashard Smith or a replacement for top pass catcher Roderick Daniels Jr. could bite the Mustangs. Symons’ steel will be tested as well, with SMU potentially preparing to replace upward of 80% of its starting 11 on defense, including top tackler Kobe Wilson and defensive tackles Jared Harrison-Hunte and Elijah Roberts.

What went right: The Mustangs made size and depth on both sides of the line of scrimmage a priority ahead of their first ACC season last fall. That paid off for an offensive line that allowed only 18 sacks (T-30th nationally) and paved the way for the league’s seventh-ranked rushing attack. SMU accounted for the losses of center Jakai Clark and right guard Justin Osborne with Oklahoma transfer Joshua Bates and Arkansas’ Addison Nichols, a 12-game starter last fall, along with veteran Miami transfer Zion Nelson. The Mustangs drew similar dividends on a defensive line that finished seventh in rushing yards per game (100.7). Jeffrey M’Ba, Damarjhe Lewis and Texas State portal newcomer Terry Webb will be given the tall task of replacing Harrison-Hunte and Roberts.

Connelly’s take: Lashlee held on to his quarterback and both coordinators. That’s an undeniable plus, but it’s pretty easy to be a little worried about the receiving corps as well as a defense that could have as many as nine new starters.

Key additions: OT Kendall Stanley, WR Cataurus Hicks, DE Blaine Spires

Key departures: OL Branson Taylor, TE Gavin Bartholomew, WR Konata Mumpfield

Top incoming recruits: OT Jordan Fields, WR Bryce Yates, DE Trevor Sommers

Biggest coaching move: Coach Pat Narduzzi didn’t change much on the staff after an active offseason the year before. Offensive coordinator Kade Bell, who helped Pitt rise to No. 15 in passing in his first season, received a new contract with a raise earlier this year. He remains an intriguing name to watch in upcoming coach cycles.

What went wrong: Pitt followed a 7-0 start last fall with six consecutive losses to close the season, then suffered a pair of blows on defense via transfer portal exits of cornerback Ryland Gandy (Indiana) and defensive end Sincere Edwards (UCF). Tack on the graduations of All-ACC safety Donovan McMillon and third-leading tackler Brandon George and Pitt has holes to fill as it rebuilds a defense that finished 91st nationally in points allowed last fall (28.4). The Panthers could have a replacement for Edwards if Blaine Spires can rediscover his 2023 form. Redshirt sophomore Cruce Brookins will be among the returners Pitt hopes will step in to fill the void left by McMillon’s exit.

What went right: For at least one half of the 2024 season, Pitt proved it could play winning football with quarterback Eli Holstein and all-purpose running back Desmond Reid guiding the offense. The Panthers will need to identify a replacement for Konata Mumpfield, but they’ve crucially reinforced an offensive line that struggled mightily last fall with the transfer additions of offensive tackles Jeff Persi (Michigan) and Kendall Stanley (Charlotte) along with guard Keith Gouveia (Richmond). If that group can find cohesion, Bell should be able to get more out of an offense that averaged 19.2 points per contest over its final five regular-season games.

Connelly’s take: Narduzzi retained all the sparkly offensive puzzle pieces that produced improvement last season, which is good. But we’ll see whether incoming transfers can provide a boost for what has been a mediocre defense for two straight years.

Key additions: OL Tomas Rimac, RB Terion Stewart, DE James Djonkam

Key departures: RB Bhayshul Tuten, DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland, CB Mansoor Delane

Top incoming recruits: WR Micah Matthews, ILB Brett Clatterbaugh, QB Kelden Ryan

Biggest coaching move: Coach Brent Pry had to fill two coordinator roles — Chris Marve was fired, Tyler Bowen left for Ohio State — and took different routes with the replacements. He tapped former Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery, who has coordinator experience from Baylor and other stops, to lead the offense. Sam Siefkes is a lesser-known name but has FCS and Division III defensive coordinator experience and spent the past four seasons with two NFL teams.

What went wrong: Turnover was the theme of the Hokies’ offseason after a disappointing 7-6 finish last fall. But not much of it was especially good as Virginia Tech saw more than two dozen players exit via the transfer portal and lost a handful of key contributors to the NFL. Among those gone in 2025 are top rusher Bhayshul Tuten, sack leader Antwaun Powell-Ryland and all five starters from a defensive back unit that finished in the top half nationally in passing yards allowed per game (215.9). With the portal departures of left tackle Xavier Chaplin (Auburn) and center Braelin Moore (LSU), the Hokies could feature five new starters on the offensive line this fall.

What went right: Virginia Tech held on to redshirt senior quarterback Kyron Drones and added reinforcements in the portal to help Montgomery turn around an offense that finished 88th nationally in yards per game (367.8) last fall. Running back transfers Terion Stewart (Bowling Green), Marcellous Hawkins (Central Missouri) and Braydon Bennett (Coastal Carolina) make for an intriguing trio to replace Tuten and former backup Malachi Thomas (Purdue transfer). Former Tennessee running back Cameron Seldon is expected to play wide receiver for the Hokies in 2025, and Virginia Tech added needed experience at the position in pass catchers Donavon Greene (Wake Forest) and Isaiah Spencer (Jackson State). Tomas Rimac, a 29-game starter at West Virginia, represents the program’s most experienced newcomer on a renovated offensive line.

Connelly’s take: Pry’s first three seasons in Blacksburg have been decent but unspectacular, and having to make major changes — two coordinators, double-digit defensive transfers — could make things much better or much worse. The range of possible outcomes for Tech is enormous this season.

Key additions: S Jeremiah Johnson, OT Teague Andersen, OLB Joseph Adedire

Key departures: OT Anthony Belton, WR Kevin Concepcion, S Bishop Fitzgerald

Top incoming recruits: RB Deandre Desinor, OT Ta’Khyian Whitset, OC Isaac Sowells Jr.

Biggest coaching move: After his 12th season as coach, Dave Doeren replaced both coordinators, promoting veteran playcaller Kurt Roper to oversee the offense and bringing in D.J. Eliot, who has Big 12 and SEC defensive coordinator experience and spent time in the ACC at Florida State, to call the defense. Roper and Eliot worked together at Colorado in 2018, and their familiarity should help as NC State comes off its worst season since 2019.

What went wrong: After a disappointing 2024 season, NC State took some hits in the portal, namely with Kevin Concepcion, who led the team in receptions (48) and touchdown catches (6) and landed at Texas A&M. Bishop Fitzgerald, an honorable mention All-ACC selection, had three interceptions and eight pass breakups. NC State also lost linebacker Kamal Bonner, No. 3 rusher Kendrick Raphael, cornerback Brandon Cisse and others. The bigger transfer losses seemed to come on defense, which will have a new system under Eliot and possibly a steeper learning curve.

What went right: Despite the changes, NC State has a clear vision on offense with quarterback CJ Bailey, who completed nearly 65% of his passes with 17 touchdowns as a freshman. Bailey has gone through the entire offseason as the starter and has familiarity with Roper, who has coached the quarterbacks. NC State retained leading rusher Hollywood Smothers as well as tight end Justin Joly and wide receivers Noah Rogers and Wesley Grimes, who should help account for Concepcion’s departure. The team didn’t add a ton of surefire defensive starters in the portal but picked up depth with players such as linebacker Kenny Soares (Northwestern), end Sabastian Harsh (Wyoming) and cornerback Jamel Johnson (Temple).

Connelly’s take: The defense’s sudden collapse needed to be addressed, and Doeren brought in an experienced (if uninspiring) coordinator and lots of new transfers. That’s good, though it’s hard to feel too strongly, good or bad, about the overall moves here.

Key additions: QB Gio Lopez, DE Pryce Yates, OL Daniel King

Key departures: RB Omarion Hampton, DE Beau Atkinson, OT Howard Sampson

Top incoming recruits: QB Bryce Baker, WR Adrian Wilson, DT Nicco Maggio

Biggest coaching move: All is quiet at UNC except for six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick taking over as coach, hiring sons Steve and Brian to the staff, and adding other notable names such as former UConn coach Bob Diaco and former North Carolina and NFL running back Natrone Means to the staff. The “Chapel Bill” era will be quite the experiment, as North Carolina is going all-in on football.

What went wrong: There was some expected turbulence around the Belichick hire and a brand-new way of operating. North Carolina lost several starters, including Beau Atkinson, who led the team in sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (12) last season, and linebacker Amare Campbell (6.5 sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss in 2024). Both could have been centerpieces for the defense, which already loses tackle Jahvaree Ritzie, linebacker Power Echols, cornerback Alijah Huzzie and others. North Carolina also lost a likely depth option on the offensive line in tackle Zach Rice, ESPN’s No. 8 overall recruit in the 2022 class.

What went right: North Carolina found its quarterback in the spring portal with Gio Lopez, a dual-threat left-hander who ranked 22nd nationally in total offense (274.7 YPG) last season for South Alabama. Lopez gives coordinator Freddie Kitchens a building block, and North Carolina brings back wide receiver Kobe Paysour and adds speed threat Aziah Johnson from Michigan State. Omarion Hampton’s loss certainly will be felt in the run game, but North Carolina added Michigan transfer Benjamin Hall to the group. The new staff seemingly made some gains with its defensive transfers, including Pryce Yates and Gavin Gibson, a productive nickelback at East Carolina last fall. North Carolina also added some good options to boost its offensive line depth.

Connelly’s take: Hiring one of the best football coaches of all time was certainly a nice start, but the off-the-field drama hasn’t been encouraging, and aside from maybe the defensive front six, it’s hard to guarantee that the Heels have a single unit that is more talented than it was a year ago.

Bill Belichick going to North Carolina was the offseason’s biggest coaching move. Ben McKeown

Key additions: G Tommy Matheson, OT Amir Johnson, QB Dylan Lonergan

Key departures: DE Donovan Ezeiruaku, OT Ozzy Trapilo, C Drew Kendall

Top incoming recruits: OLB Griffin Collins, RB Mekhi Dodd, QB Shaker Reisig

Biggest coaching move: The Eagles hired Jordan Thomas to oversee a defensive line that loses standout pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku and others. Thomas spent the past three seasons as assistant defensive line coach with the Cleveland Browns, but he’s a former player and assistant at San Diego State, an increasingly popular coaching tree because of the defensive success under Rocky Long.

What went wrong: Boston College’s best teams are built at the line of scrimmage, and the Eagles will feel the departures of Ezeiruaku, Ozzy Trapilo, Drew Kendall and others. Ezeiruaku was ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and the Eagles didn’t add many obvious impact transfers on defense. Transfers such as Michigan linebacker Jason Hewlett have potential, but Boston College will need holdovers such as KP Price, Daveon Crouch and Carter Davis to carry the unit. The running game will have a different look as Kye Robichaux and Treshaun Ward move on. BC added transfer Vaughn Pemberton, a backup at Ball State.

What went right: The Eagles retained many of their top players, including wide receiver Lewis Bond and productive defenders such as Price, Crouch and Davis. Quarterback Grayson James, who took over for Thomas Castellanos down the stretch in 2024, went through the offseason as the team’s projected starter. Guard Logan Taylor, an honorable mention All-ACC selection, is back, and Boston College had some of its biggest transfer portal gains at offensive line, a signature position group under coach Bill O’Brien. The team avoided major shakeups to the coaching staff and the roster, and it has a chance to take another step in O’Brien’s second season.

Connelly’s take: The Eagles definitely lost more than they gained in the trenches, but it’s been a relatively quiet offseason for O’Brien & Co., and quiet definitely doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

Key additions: QB Steve Angeli, QB Rickie Collins, OT Kam Pringle

Key departures: QB Kyle McCord, RB LeQuint Allen, WR Trebor Pena

Top incoming recruits: S Demetres Samuel, OT Jayden Mann, ILB Antoine Deslauriers

Biggest coaching move: Coach Fran Brown retained offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon, despite some outside interest, and added two new assistants in special teams coordinator Ricky Brumfield and wide receivers coach Myles White, a former NFL and CFL wideout. Brumfield has ACC experience from Georgia Tech and Virginia, while White will oversee a new-look receivers room after spending 2024 working with the Green Bay Packers.

What went wrong: The Orange couldn’t do anything about the NFL departures of playmakers Kyle McCord, LeQuint Allen and Oronde Gadsden II or offensive line starters Savion Washington and Jakob Bradford. But the portal exits of Trebor Pena (Penn State), top defensive tackle Maraad Watson (Texas) and starting center J’Onre Reed (USC) took a hammer to Syracuse’s returning veteran depth after a 10-3 finish in Year 1 under Brown. The program struggled to retool at key positions via the portal, particularly in the skill spots on offense, leaving question marks hovering over a unit that led the nation in passing yards per game (370) last fall.

What went right: Syracuse might not have another quarterback like McCord, but at least there are options as the program moves forward without college football’s 2024 passing leader. The Orange added Rickie Collins in the winter portal window, and Brown named the former top-200 recruit as starting quarterback at the end of spring camp last month. Two weeks later, Syracuse added Steve Angeli, an experienced fourth-year passer from Notre Dame who could challenge Collins for starting snaps this fall. While so much else remains uncertain for the Orange, there’s solidity in the quarterback options.

Connelly’s take: Brown held on to Nixon and landed two intriguing new QBs. That’s good. The massive turnover at receiver and on the offensive line was discouraging, however, and a pretty shaky defense didn’t add any guaranteed difference-makers.

Key additions: OT Fa’alili Fa’amoe, DE Gabe Kirschke, C Devin Kylany

Key departures: C Luke Petitbon, CB Jamare Glasker, WR Horatio Fields

Top incoming recruits: QB Elijah Oehlke, DE Cole Funderburk, OT Will Saba

Biggest coaching move: New coach Jake Dickert made the cross-country move from Washington State and brought several assistants with him, but both coordinators, Rob Ezell (offense) and Scottie Hazelton (defense), were not on Dickert’s staff. Ezell is a dynamic up-and-coming assistant with Nick Saban ties who helped South Alabama rise to 19th nationally in scoring. At Wyoming, Dickert worked under Hazelton, who has been defensive coordinator at Michigan State, Kansas State and North Dakota State.

What went wrong: Wake Forest not surprisingly lost a big group to the portal amid the coaching transition, including three likely key contributors at wide receiver in Horatio Fields, Deuce Alexander and Donavon Greene. The team tried to backfill with transfers but will need several of the newcomers to be surprisingly productive. Luke Petitbon, a mainstay on the offensive line the past two seasons, transferred to Florida State, while another line starter, Keagen Trost, landed with Missouri. Other than running back and tight end, where Harry Lodge returned after spending the spring at Georgia Tech, Wake Forest will lean on transfers at every offensive position.

What went right: The team retained its best offensive player in running back Demond Claiborne, who eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards last season and has drawn excellent reviews from the new coaches. Wake Forest also brought back leadership and production on defense with players such as safety Nick Andersen (team-high 122 tackles in 2024) and linebacker Dylan Hazen (seven tackles for loss last season). Dickert delivered eight transfers from Washington State, including bolstering the offensive line with tackle Fa’alili Fa’amoe and center Devin Kylany and the wide receiver group with Carlos Hernandez. In quarterback transfers Robby Ashford and Deshawn Purdie, Wake Forest has two different but capable options to lead the offense.

Connelly’s take: After back-to-back 4-8 seasons, a complete overhaul isn’t the worst thing in the world. But this is a complete overhaul — new coaching staff, nine or 10 new offensive starters, eight or nine new defensive starters. Might take a while for things to jell.

Key additions: QB Devin Brown, DE TJ Bush Jr., LB Harrison Taggart

Key departures: QB Fernando Mendoza, RB Jaydn Ott, LB Teddye Buchanan

Top incoming recruits: QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, OG Justin Hasenhuetl, TE Jacob Houseworth

Biggest coaching move: Cal has two new coordinators, although Bryan Harsin, the former Auburn, Boise State and Arkansas State coach, is the headliner. He returns to coaching for the first time since 2022, overseeing a unit that includes Ohio State quarterback transfer Devin Brown and a new-look running backs room. Coach Justin Wilcox seeks continuity on defense, where he promoted Vic So’oto and Terrence Brown as co-coordinators.

What went wrong: Put simply, Cal has been crushed by outgoing transfers, particularly on offense, where the Bears lost 18 players from the team that finished 6-7 a year ago. A spring portal exodus from the program’s running backs room saw Cal lose its top five rushers, headlined by the departures of former All-Pac-12 selection Jaydn Ott and 2024 rushing yards leader Javian Thomas (UCLA). Combined with portal exits from Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), top wide receiver Nyziah Hunter (Nebraska) and lead tight end Jack Endries (Texas), plus multiple newcomers on the offensive line, Harsin will have his work cut out for him in his debut season overseeing a fully renovated Bears offense.

What went right: Although Cal lost its 2024 starter, the program secured its present and future at quarterback with the portal arrivals of Brown and freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, an ESPN 300 prospect who returned to the Bears following a signing day flip to Oregon. UNLV transfer wide receiver Jacob De Jesus is a two-time All-Mountain West special teamer with explosive potential on offense, and Cal added reinforcements up front with four offensive line transfers who combined for 40 starts last fall. If the spring portal stung Harsin’s offense, it was kind to So’oto and Brown — defensive end TJ Bush Jr. (Liberty), defensive tackle Zae Smith (Houston Christian) and linebacker Harrison Taggart (BYU) are among the latest members of a deep transfer class on defense.

Connelly’s take: Changing coordinators could turn out to be a good thing, but the sudden loss of production in the spring significantly changed the tenor of the offseason. Wilcox replaced Mendoza with some intriguing options, but the skill corps lost far more than it gained, and the secondary is starting over.

Key additions: WR C.J. Williams, OT Niki Prongos, LB Hunter Barth

Key departures: WR Elic Ayomanor, OLB David Bailey, WR Emmett Mosley V

Top incoming recruits: WR JonAnthony Hall, DE Adam Shovlin, DT Kole Briehler

Biggest coaching move: Troy Taylor’s firing in late March rocked the Stanford program ahead of his third season as head coach. New general manager Andrew Luck leaned on his own past in hiring Frank Reich, who coached Luck with the Indianapolis Colts and has spent his entire career in the NFL. Reich will coach Stanford for the 2025 season only, working with Taylor’s assistants.

What went wrong: Unexpected coaching changes always bring some bumps, and Stanford certainly wasn’t spared by Taylor’s dismissal. The Cardinal lost some of their best non-seniors this spring, including David Bailey, who led the team in forced fumbles (5), sacks (6), quarterback hurries (8) and tackles for loss (8) last season. He cashed in at Texas Tech, while Emmett Mosley V is headed to Texas after finishing second on the team in receptions (48) and receiving yards (525). Cornerback Julian Neal, a key transfer commit from Fresno State, reentered the portal after Taylor’s firing and landed with Arkansas. The roster is certainly in flux for Reich.

What went right: Not much. Stanford already was going through turnover at several key positions in the winter portal, and Taylor’s firing set off another personnel frenzy. The good news is Stanford brings back productive defenders like safeties Scotty Edwards and Mitch Leigber, outside linebacker Tevarua Tafiti and tight end Sam Roush. Taylor’s assistants are also staying on through the 2025 season, including primary defensive coordinator Bobby April, co-defensive coordinator Andy Thompson and Nate Byham, who was promoted from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator. Significant changes are coming, but not right away, which is good for the returning players.

Connelly’s take: Stanford made zero progress in two years under Taylor, so even an awkwardly timed coaching change doesn’t have to be a bad thing. But … it’s not automatically good either, and while actually using the portal is good, the Cardinal still lost more than they brought in.

Big 12

Key additions: DT Lee Hunter, OLB David Bailey, OT Howard Sampson

Key departures: RB Tahj Brooks, OL Caleb Rogers, WR Josh Kelly

Top incoming recruits: WR Bryson Jones, OG Connor Carty, OLB Brock Golwas

Biggest coaching move: Coach Joey McGuire has two new coordinators ahead of a much-anticipated season in Lubbock. Shiel Wood, who served as Troy’s defensive coordinator when the team won the Sun Belt and spent last season in the same role at Houston, will take over a Texas Tech defense that finished 121st nationally in points allowed. McGuire brought in Mack Leftwich, a rising star offensive coordinator much in the same mold as predecessor Zach Kittley, to lead the offense.

What went wrong: Not much! McGuire, GM James Blanchard and billionaire board chairman Cody Campbell set out to build the most talented roster in Texas Tech history this offseason and spared no expense in their efforts to compete for the best players in the portal. McGuire also went out and got exactly who he wanted for his coordinator vacancies. The one player Tech didn’t want to lose, five-star wideout Micah Hudson, has already returned after a brief stint at Texas A&M. Post-spring attrition was expected after reserves were supplanted by newcomers, and a total of 22 scholarship players have moved on since the end of the 8-5 season.

What went right: If you’re willing to spend millions on transfers, can you get anybody you want? The Red Raiders came pretty darn close. They’ve assembled one of the best defensive lines in the sport with the additions of Hunter, Bailey, Romello Height (Georgia Tech) and Skyler Gill-Howard (Northern Illinois). They made massive upgrades to their offensive line with Sampson, Illinois State’s Hunter Zambrano and Miami (Ohio)’s Will Jados leading the way. Miami (Ohio) transfer receiver Reggie Virgil and Louisiana transfer tight end Terrance Carter should be big-time playmakers, and the list of impact additions certainly doesn’t stop there. It’s one of the most ambitious offseason overhauls in college football history, creating playoff-or-bust expectations for this coaching staff and the loaded roster.

Connelly’s take: Tech’s 8-5 record was a bit of a mirage last season, propped up by a 6-1 record in one-score games. Joey McGuire will therefore need to get even more improvement out of this amazing transfer class than you might think at first glance. But this was indeed a spectacular offseason in Lubbock.

Key additions: WR Jaren Hamilton, RB Kanye Udoh, WR Jalen Moss

Key departures: RB Cam Skattebo, OL Leif Fautanu, DB Shamari Simmons

Top incoming recruits: QB Cameron Dyer, ILB Isaiah Iosefa, S Joseph Smith

Biggest coaching move: After winning the Big 12 and reaching the CFP for the first time, Arizona State kept its coaching staff intact. Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, a finalist for the Broyles Award (nation’s top assistant) and the former UNLV head coach, could soon get another opportunity to lead a program, but he will be back with coach Kenny Dillingham in Tempe.

What went wrong: There’s not much to nitpick about how the Sun Devils’ offseason has played out. The name of the game this offseason was talent retention, and Dillingham succeeded in keeping this crew together. Five players who started 10-plus games in 2024 moved on, and all of them were seniors. In fact, only two of their outgoing transfers (WR Troy Omeire and TE Markeston Douglas) earned starts last season.

What went right: Dillingham must be thrilled with how everything is setting up for Year 3. Arizona State brings back a ton of experience from its CFP squad, including 25 players with starts last season. You didn’t hear rumors about Sam Leavitt, Jordyn Tyson or other returning starters testing the open market. The Sun Devils brought in Udoh to team with Kyson Brown and landed a trio of talented receivers in Hamilton, Moss and Noble Johnson (Clemson) to replace departing seniors. They also added help in the secondary, but for the most part, the Sun Devils were looking to boost depth. They’ve got more than enough to chase another Big 12 title and are eager to run it back.

Connelly’s take: ASU has one of the best returning production percentages in the country and kept both coordinators after a late-season breakthrough. Continuity makes plenty of sense, even though the Sun Devils did benefit from some close-game fortune (6-2 in one-score finishes).

Arizona State returns starting QB Sam Leavitt but has to replace some key pieces from the Big 12 title team. David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Key additions: WR Kobe Prentice, LB Travion Barnes, QB Walker White

Key departures: LB Matt Jones, LB Garmon Randolph, WR Hal Presley

Top incoming recruits: RB Michael Turner, DE Kamauryn Morgan, DT Jackson Blackwell

Biggest coaching move: Coach Dave Aranda became the defensive playcaller during Baylor’s rebound season in 2024, and he made key additions to his defensive staff this winter. Baylor hired Paul Gonzales, an assistant at rival TCU for the past 13 seasons, to be defensive passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Aranda also hired Carson Hall, a Western Kentucky assistant with SEC ties, to work with the outside linebackers.

What went wrong: Aranda and his staff got off the hot seat in 2024 with a stunning turnaround from 2-4 to 8-5. Now they look well positioned to be a Big 12 contender again with 14 returning starters. Defensive lineman Brendan Bett transferring to Florida was a tough post-spring loss, but this has been a largely successful offseason from a talent retention standpoint with only four other scholarship players departing for other Power 4 programs.

What went right: Sawyer Robertson was a revelation last season, producing an 83.7 QBR (fifth best in FBS) and powering an offense that averaged 41.3 points per game over the second half of the regular season (second most in FBS). He’s getting more help at receiver with the arrival of Prentice and Texas State transfer Kole Wilson. There are plenty of quality pickups to point to on defense, too. Barnes was the Defensive Player of the Year in Conference USA last season after racking up a league-high 129 tackles. Oregon transfer Emar’rion Winston and Tulane transfer Matthew Fobbs-White should help off the edge, and the Bears picked up four new DBs to bolster their secondary.

Connelly’s take: Like ASU, Baylor improved on both sides of the ball in 2024 (especially late in the season), kept its coordinators and now returns high production levels. That’s a good offseason right there.

Key additions: WR Chase Sowell, WR Xavier Townsend, DL Tamatoa McDonough

Key departures: WR Jayden Higgins, WR Jaylin Noel, CB Darien Porter

Top incoming recruits: DE Jack Limbaugh, DE Trey Verdon, RB Ryver Peppers

Biggest coaching move: Coach Matt Campbell has had to fill several vacancies on the offensive staff in recent years, and did so again with Tony Landry, who will coach ISU’s running backs after Tyler Roehl joined the Detroit Lions. Landry was offensive coordinator in 2024 for North Dakota State, which won the FCS national title, and also has coordinator experience from St. Thomas (Minnesota) and Wisconsin-La Crosse.

What went wrong: Starting defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim transferring to Texas A&M and safety Malik Verdon turning pro early then going undrafted were the only significant departures the Cyclones had to deal with this offseason. Four of the senior leaders of their first-ever 11-win season got drafted, and Campbell and his coaches were able to get through the portal windows with minimal issues.

What went right: The Cyclones knew they’d have to replace Higgins and Noel going into 2025 and landed the top two targets on their board in Sowell, a talented 6-foot-4 wideout from East Carolina, and Townsend, who had previously committed to the Cyclones in high school. Both lived up to big expectations in spring practice and should see a ton of targets from Rocco Becht this fall. There are new starters to plug in across the depth chart, but the fact this staff didn’t go heavy on portal pickups sent a clear message they like their depth, youth and momentum following a historic season for the program.

Connelly’s take: This was an extremely Iowa State offseason. Campbell brought in a couple of speedsters at wideout and needed to account for turnover on the defensive line, but this continuity-based program boasts plenty of continuity following its second AP top-15 finish ever.

Key additions: S Gunner Maldonado, WR Jerand Bradley, OL George Fitzpatrick

Key departures: RB DJ Giddens, DE Brendan Mott, CB Jacob Parrish

Top incoming recruits: TE Linkon Cure, OG Brock Heath, S R.J. Collins

Biggest coaching move: After one season as offensive coordinator but 12 on coach Chris Klieman’s staff, Conor Riley departed for the NFL. Klieman prioritized continuity in naming Matt Wells, the team’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, to the primary role. Wells is a former head coach at Texas Tech and Utah State. Klieman shifted Brian Lepak from tight ends to offensive line, which Riley oversaw, and hired veteran Big 12 assistant Luke Wells to coach the tight ends.

What went wrong: Three losses in November knocked K-State out of the Big 12 title race after it had climbed as high as No. 16 in the CFP rankings. The Wildcats will need to replace lots of valuable leadership and production from that squad but have Avery Johnson back for his second season as QB1 and good talent around him. The primary frustration for Klieman this spring was the fact he and his staff had to cut down the Wildcats’ walk-on roster to meet the expected new 105-man roster limit for 2025. For many Big 12 programs, strong developmental walk-on programs have been a crucial ingredient for long-term success.

What went right: The Wildcats successfully fought off any efforts to tamper with Johnson and lost only two scholarship players during the December transfer window who ended up signing with Power 4 programs. They were able to get Johnson more help with a trio of transfer receivers led by Bradley, who previously played for Wells at Texas Tech, plus Jaron Tibbs (Purdue) and Caleb Medford (New Mexico). Klieman and his staff also held off a strong late push from Oregon for Cure, the No. 66 recruit in the 2025 ESPN 300, and brought in one of the highest-rated signees in program history.

Connelly’s take: That Johnson will have his third offensive coordinator in three seasons is suboptimal, but K-State still boasts excellent continuity in most units, and Klieman was aggressive with portal additions both on the offensive line and in the secondary, enough so that the Wildcats have top-15 returning production levels.

Key additions: WR Jordan Dwyer, WR Joseph Manjack IV, DT Ansel Din-Mbuh

Key departures: WR Jack Bech, WR Savion Williams, OL James Brockermeyer

Top incoming recruits: DE Chad Woodfork, DE Jared Martin, WR Terry Shelton

Biggest coaching move: Coordinators Andy Avalos (defense) and Kendal Briles (offense) are back, but coach Sonny Dykes added new faces on both sides of the ball. Veteran assistants Brian Norwood (safeties) and Randy Clements (offensive line) came aboard, along with former Baylor star wide receiver Corey Coleman, who will work with the Frogs’ wideouts. Tre Watson comes over from Cal to coach the safeties and nickels, and Dykes grew both the on-field group and the personnel staff with men who have Big 12/Texas roots.

What went wrong: After a bumpy 3-3 start, the Horned Frogs enjoyed a strong finish with six wins over their last seven games, pulling off a nice bounce-back from 5-7 in 2023. Dykes’ squad must replace 11 starters from a solid, transfer-heavy senior class that yielded two top-100 draft picks in Bech and Williams. But the Frogs did not lose too much to the portal over the offseason beyond Brockermeyer, their starting center, transferring to Miami and Hejny, the backup QB, moving on to Oklahoma State.

What went right: Several schools inquired about the availability of TCU starting QB Josh Hoover, whose 3,949 passing yards last season rank second-most among all returning FBS QBs behind LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier. But the redshirt junior had no interest in leaving Fort Worth and is locked in for another year. He’ll be getting veteran help at receiver with the arrival of Manjack and Dwyer, who put up 1,192 receiving yards and 12 TDs last season at FCS Idaho. UTSA transfer running back Kevorian Barnes, the C-USA Freshman of the Year in 2022, should help replace the production of Cam Cook. The Frogs also secured good transfer additions in the secondary to resolve those needs. An offseason with strong retention of the nine returning players who started more than six games in 2024 sets this team up to build on their progress and get back in the Big 12 title race.

Connelly’s take: The Frogs ended the year as one of the Big 12’s best and held on to Hoover and both coordinators. Dykes wasn’t overly aggressive in the portal, and we’ll see if Hoover gets what he needs from the skill corps. Experience levels are strong just about everywhere else, though.

Key additions: QB Devon Dampier, RB Wayshawn Parker, WR Ryan Davis

Key departures: DT Junior Tafuna, LB Karene Reid, CB Zemaiah Vaughn

Top incoming recruits: ILB Christian Thatcher, OLB Cyrus Polu, QB Wyatt Becker

Biggest coaching move: Utah coach Kyle Whittingham might be entering his final season, but he’ll have a new offensive coordinator in Jason Beck, hired to boost a unit that finished 102nd nationally in scoring last fall. Beck played quarterback at BYU and has coaching experience in the state, both at BYU and Weber State. He held coordinator roles at Syracuse and New Mexico, and he brought Lobos quarterback Devon Dampier with him to the Utes.

What went wrong: The preseason Big 12 front-runner endured a brutal 5-7 run through their first year in their new conference — a season wrecked by injuries, inconsistency and a seven-game losing streak. Whittingham isn’t just having to overhaul the offense this offseason. He needs to find good replacements for 27 departures (16 seniors, 11 transfers) who earned starts for the Utes in 2024. A total of 30 scholarship players transferred out of the program this offseason, creating lots of room for newcomers to help remake this roster.

What went right: Dampier was one of the most exciting playmakers at the Group of 5 level and a first-team All-Mountain West performer last season, leading the conference with 3,934 total yards of offense including 1,166 yards and 19 TDs in the run game. The 5-foot-11 junior gets to play behind perhaps the best offensive line in the Big 12 with all five starters returning and tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu already receiving first-round hype for next year’s NFL draft. Beck has loaded up with six new transfer receivers and a new trio of transfer running backs led by Parker. The defense added depth in the secondary and the D-line via the portal but appears to be in good shape with 10 returning players who started games last season.

Connelly’s take: Depth may be a concern on defense, but this offseason was all about resetting an offense that fell apart due to quarterback injuries and a lack of ideas. And damned if Whittingham didn’t do a pretty solid job in landing Beck, Dampier and a brand new skill corps. Utah could immediately become a conference contender again.

Key additions: OL Joe Cotton, WR Cyrus Allen, CB Matthew McDoom

Key departures: OL John Williams, OL Luke Kandra, RB Corey Kiner

Top incoming recruits: RB Zion Johnson, WR Giyahni Kontosis, QB Zebulin Kinsey

Biggest coaching move: Coach Scott Satterfield made adjustments to the defensive staff in hiring Adam Braithwaite, who has FCS coordinator experience, to coach safeties, and LSU senior analyst Eddie Hicks as cornerbacks coach. Linebackers coach Cortney Braswell also added a co-coordinator title and will work with Tyson Veidt after a strong season from the Bearcats’ backers.

What went wrong: Cincinnati endured a tough late-season slide in 2024, missing out on bowl eligibility by losing five in a row after a 5-2 start. What does it take to flip a 2-8 record in games decided by one-score margins? Continuity should help as Scott Satterfield enters Year 3. The Bearcats weren’t hit especially hard during the portal windows and lost a total of 16 scholarship players, but only four have landed at other Power 4 programs.

What went right: The Bearcats took care of business in December and got their top returning players re-signed, including QB Brendan Sorsby, defensive tackle Dontay Corleone and tight end Joe Royer. They landed proven newcomers along the offensive line in Cotton, one of the top players in the spring portal window, and Ball State’s Taran Tyo, and they added a trio speedsters at receiver in Allen, Colorado State’s Caleb Goodie and Lindenwood’s Jeff Caldwell. This staff does as good of a job as any of finding under-the-radar gems in the portal and did so once again this offseason.

Connelly’s take: The Bearcats enjoy solid returning production levels, and Satterfield made some necessary additions on defense (especially in the secondary). This is a decent offseason … but is “decent” enough after eight wins in two years?

Retaining Dontay Corleaone was Cincinnati’s biggest offseason move. Icon Sportswire

Key additions: DT Keanu Tanuvasa, TE Carsen Ryan, DT Justin Kirkland

Key departures: DE Tyler Batty, OL Caleb Etienne, CB Jakob Robinson

Top incoming recruits: OT Austin Pay, WR Lamason Waller, OT Siosiua Vete

Biggest coaching move: After an 11-win season, BYU retained top coordinators Jay Hill (defense) and Aaron Roderick (offense) and had minimal changes to Kalani Sitake’s staff. Hill, whose name surfaced for Utah State’s coaching vacancy, promoted Jernaro Gilford, the team’s cornerbacks coach, to defensive passing game coordinator. Gilford starred at cornerback for BYU and has been on the staff for the past decade.

What went wrong: The Cougars came up one game short of playing for a Big 12 championship in their second year in the league, rolling to a 9-0 start before back-to-back losses — by a combined margin of nine points — put them on the wrong side of a four-team tiebreaker. Now they must find a way to replace 12 of the 18 players who started nine or more games last season, with receiver Keelan Marion and linebacker Harrison Taggart joining the list as spring portal departures. The Cougars’ lone returning All-Big 12 performer entering 2025 is kicker Will Ferrin. This team has great returning leadership but will need lots of players to step up into more significant roles.

What went right: The Cougars have a dependable returning starting QB in Jake Retzlaff, who put up more than 3,300 total yards and 26 TDs in 2024, and bring back six more offensive starters from their Alamo Bowl rout of Colorado. They needed to reload along the defensive line with four senior starters moving on and pulled off some major portal additions with Tanuvasa, Kirkland and Texas transfer defensive end Tausili Akana, a former top-150 recruit. The post-spring addition of Stanford transfer receiver Tiger Bachmeier should help make up for the loss of Marion, and Ryan helped resolve a big need at tight end.

Connelly’s take: Returning your quarterback and both coordinators after a good year is never a bad thing, but the Cougars are replacing a number of starters and didn’t bring in much of a portal haul. Sitake will need to find some internal answers.

Key additions: DT Jehiem Oatis, WR Joseph Williams, QB Kaidon Salter

Key departures: WR/CB Travis Hunter, QB Shedeur Sanders, DL BJ Green II

Top incoming recruits: QB Julian Lewis, DE London Merritt, OT Carde Smith

Biggest coaching move: Coach Prime not only retained defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, who received NFL interest and landed a new enhanced contract with Colorado, but he also added another Pro Football Hall of Famer to the staff in Marshall Faulk. An NFL MVP and a three-time offensive player of the year selection, Faulk was one of the best all-purpose running backs ever and now will work with the Buffs’ backs.

What went wrong: Critics expected Coach Prime to move on after Year 2, but he’s fully committed to leading the Buffaloes into the future and earned a five-year, $54 million extension after a breakthrough 2024 season. This was always going to be a challenging offseason with two superstars and a bunch of seniors going pro. The Buffs did lose eight players — who earned starts last season — to the portal, and Sanders had to make new hires to replace four assistant coaches. But the program is rolling right along with two exciting options at QB and another big portal class.

What went right: Lewis, the No. 12 overall recruit in the 2025 ESPN 300, flipping from USC to Colorado last November was a massive moment for this program that kicked off another busy offseason of roster additions. The Buffaloes inked four ESPN 300 recruits, secured a proven 29-game starting QB in Salter and landed one of the most talented defensive linemen in the portal in Oatis. They’ve also done a nice job of addressing their needs at wide receiver and along the offensive line. While Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are irreplaceable talents, Colorado has added plenty of help this offseason to keep this program in Big 12 title contention.

Connelly’s take: Between Salter and Lewis, maybe no one in the conference has higher upside at QB than Colorado. But the Buffaloes lost about 17 starters — including nine from a good offense — and Sanders chose not to load up quite as much in the portal. That makes this feel like a transition year of sorts.

Key additions: QB Conner Weigman, TE Tanner Koziol, LB Carmycah Glass

Key departures: CB Jeremiah Wilson, S A.J. Haulcy, QB Donovan Smith

Top incoming recruits: QB Austin Carlisle, TE Wyatt Herbel, DL Travis Buhake

Biggest coaching move: After a rough first season at Houston, coach Willie Fritz will have two new coordinators. Austin Armstrong takes over the defense after two seasons at Florida, where he was the SEC’s youngest coordinator (31) when he took over in 2023. Slade Nagle, who worked under Fritz as a Tulane assistant from 2016 to 2023, will lead the offense, a role he held for Tulane in 2023.

What went wrong: Fritz’s debut season with the Cougars featured some encouraging moments, including upset wins over TCU and Kansas State, but an offense that averaged a Big-12-worst 12.9 points per game in league play made it tough to compete. The Cougars lost defensive coordinator Shiel Wood to Texas Tech, lost receivers Joseph Manjack IV (TCU) and Jonah Wilson (Texas A&M) to the portal after the season and lost three talented DBs in Wilson (Florida State), Haulcy (LSU) and Keionte Scott (Miami) after the spring. They’re counting on another big injection of transfer talent to help expedite this rebuilding process.

What went right: The addition of Weigman, ESPN’s No. 1 quarterback recruit in 2022, was a huge first step in the Cougars’ efforts to revamp their offense for Year 2. Transfer receiver Harvey Broussard (Louisiana) and the tight end duo of Tanner Koziol (Wisconsin) and Luke McGary (Tulsa) should boost their passing attack, and the offensive line got lots of veteran help. This staff found quality pickups at linebacker and in the secondary during the spring transfer window, bringing the portal class up to 28 signees. It’s not an exceedingly splashy group, but they found good players to help power this turnaround.

Connelly’s take: Fritz overhauled the offense in a very necessary way, and the passing game looks a lot sturdier now. That’s good. The defensive overhaul, however, was less voluntary, and the Coogs will need a number of newcomers to hit immediately.

Key additions: DE Kyran Duhon, OL Markell Samuel, CB Jaylin Davies

Key departures: WR Brennan Presley, RB Ollie Gordon II, LB Nick Martin

Top incoming recruits: DE Michael Riles, OT Jaylan Beckley, OLB Carl’veon Young

Biggest coaching move: The worst season in coach Mike Gundy’s long tenure brought expected major changes. Oklahoma State fired longtime offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn and brought back a familiar name in Doug Meacham, a former Cowboys lineman with Big 12 coordinator experience. Gundy made an even more notable hire on defense in Todd Grantham, the former defensive coordinator at Georgia, Florida and other college and NFL spots.

What went wrong: It’s been a fascinating offseason full of change in Stillwater. Gundy agreed to return in 2025 on a restructured deal with a $1 million pay cut after a brutal 3-9 season with a squad that was expected to contend for a Big 12 title. He replaced all 10 of his full-time assistant coaches. His university president stepped down in February. He and his new coaches fully leaned into portal recruiting to remake their roster with 26 scholarship players transferring out this offseason. After all the turbulence and turnover that followed the worst season of the Gundy era, the Cowboys will look totally different entering his 21st season.

What went right: This brand-new coaching staff has a ton of work and a ton of teaching to do with 38 new transfers coming in. But if they can pull this off, Oklahoma State could be one of the most improved teams in the Big 12 this fall. The combo of Zane Flores and TCU transfer Hauss Hejny at QB is young but promising, and the Pokes managed to land veteran starting offensive linemen in the portal. Grantham is working with a ton of new talent on defense, especially up front. Gundy’s willingness to get better faster might have been out of necessity, but this looks like a really solid portal class that could help flip the Pokes’ fortunes.

Connelly’s take: It’s hard to predict great success just because the Pokes will have new veteran coordinators and most of a new roster, but that transfusion was necessary after 2024’s collapse. The receiving corps additions are particularly intriguing. We’ll see if it’s enough for a turnaround.

Key additions: DL Jimmori Robinson, WR Cam Vaughn, CB Michael Coats Jr.

Key departures: OL Wyatt Milum, OL Tomas Rimac, QB Garrett Greene

Top incoming recruits: CB Dawayne Galloway, DT Taylor Brown, DE Brandon Caesar

Biggest coaching move: Rich Rodriguez is back at his alma mater, 17 years after his infamous departure to Michigan. His staff is filled with notable names, including assistant quarterbacks coach Pat White, the former WVU star, and Jeff Casteel, the Mountaineers’ former defensive coordinator. Rodriguez also brought in defensive coordinator Zac Alley, who held the same role under Rodriguez at Jacksonville State before spending last fall at Oklahoma.

What went wrong: Rodriguez is working on one of the more dramatic roster flips in the Power 4 during his first offseason back at West Virginia. The Mountaineers have had 47 scholarship players hit the portal during this transition. A bunch of proven starters moved on after the firing of former coach Neal Brown, including Rimac (Virginia Tech), running back CJ Donaldson Jr. (Ohio State), receiver Hudson Clement (Illinois) and linebacker Josiah Trotter (Missouri). Rodriguez and his coaches have loaded up with more than 40 newcomers via the portal to replace them, but this is going to be quite a reset for the roster with a ton of new faces filling the two-deep.

What went right: In this era of college football, it’s better to execute a roster makeover of this magnitude before Year 1 rather than after. The new staff has won battles for some coveted players in the portal including Robinson, who earned AAC Defensive Player of the Year last season at UTSA, and brought quality starters such as Vaughn and DB Fred Perry with them from Jacksonville State. They also managed to keep several key players like QB Nicco Marchiol and running back Jahiem White out of the portal. But these Mountaineers are going to look practically brand-new in 2025. If a lot of these waiver wire pickups work out and they can develop good depth, West Virginia could catch up quickly to their Big 12 peers.

Connelly’s take: Rodriguez was not shy in both bringing players from and seemingly sending players to the portal. WVU could have as many as 19 or 20 new starters in 2025, though between Alley and a few Jacksonville State transfers, he’ll recognize at least some of the faces around him.

Key additions: WR Emmanuel Henderson Jr., LB Bangally Kamara, LB Trey Lathan

Key departures: RB Devin Neal, CB Cobee Bryant, CB Mello Dotson

Top incoming recruits: QB David McComb, WR Jaden Nickens, OLB Malachi Curvey

Biggest coaching move: The Jayhawks will have their third offensive coordinator in as many seasons, but Jim Zebrowski is a familiar name after coaching Jalon Daniels and the KU quarterbacks for the past three seasons. Coach Lance Leipold also brought in Matt Lubick, a veteran coordinator who spent 2022 and 2023 as a senior analyst at Kansas, to serve as co-offensive coordinator.

What went wrong: The Jayhawks flashed their potential in November with a three-game win streak over top-25 opponents and a strong finish to a tough 5-7 season. The fact that the Jayhawks lost only nine scholarship players to the portal, even with Leipold making key changes to his coaching staff, shows there’s still a high level of buy-in to build on. Zebrowski and newly promoted defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald will put their own spin on things, but this offseason is all about getting back to playing with consistency after the ups and downs of 2025.

What went right: Kansas had to replace one of the most impactful senior classes in program history, but Daniels agreed to return for one final season. The sixth-year senior QB will lead a team that features 24 new additions via the portal. The staff did a nice job of restocking at wide receiver with Henderson, Cam Pickett (Ball State), Levi Wentz (Albany) and Bryson Canty (Columbia) and succeeded in landing veteran starters at linebacker. This staff has always been able to find gems while scouting the portal and should have enough competitive depth to get back to playing to the standard Leipold has set. Another key to bouncing back: The Jayhawks will be back on their home turf this season when the first phase of renovations at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium are completed.

Connelly’s take: KU wasn’t as bad as its record last season, but now Leipold must engineer a bounce back with two new coordinators and about 16 new starters. He wasn’t shy about using the portal to fill holes and could find the answers he needs, but in a conference loaded with continuity, the Jayhawks have less than most.

Key additions: WR Kris Hutson, CB Michael Dansby, RB Ismail Mahdi

Key departures: WR Tetairoa McMillan, OL Jonah Savaiinaea, CB Tacario Davis

Top incoming recruits: WR Isaiah Mizell, RB Cornelius Warren, CB Swayde Griffin

Biggest coaching move: Arizona’s win total dropped from 10 to four under first-year coach Brent Brennan, who not surprisingly overhauled his staff. Brennan promoted Danny Gonzales, the former New Mexico coach who served as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator in 2024, to oversee the defense. He brought in Seth Doege, who helped Marshall to a Sun Belt title last fall, as offensive coordinator. Craig Naivar comes over from Coastal Carolina to coordinate special teams.

What went wrong: Heavy attrition was to be expected after a disappointing 4-8 debut season, and the Wildcats have seen 37 scholarship players exit via the portal this offseason. Davis, LB Jacob Manu and DL Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei joined their former coaches at Washington. Gunner Maldonado (Kansas State) and Emmanuel Karnley (Virginia) were also tough losses for the secondary. Offensive lineman Wendell Moe Jr., a 26-game starter, is now at Tennessee, and the offensive line is a big question mark entering 2025 with lots of newcomers needing to step up. It’s telling, though, that only eight of Arizona’s 37 transfers have landed on other Power 4 rosters.

What went right: There’s reason for optimism about Arizona’s offensive direction under Doege after last year’s suboptimal setup. Brennan was able to keep Fifita on board and worked hard to get the roster flipped with more than 25 transfers. No one receiver is going to match McMillan’s production, but they appear to have done a nice job adding to that room. They trust their ability to evaluate with a significant number of newcomers coming from the FCS ranks. The Wildcats were in a tough no-man’s-land after winning 10 games in 2023, with win-now expectations for a new staff coaching in a new conference, and the results were brutal. This offseason brought a much-needed reset.

Connelly’s take: The staff overhaul was warranted, and while Brennan leaned heavily on the FCS ranks to solidify the defensive front six, he could field almost an entirely new lineup of players who were starters elsewhere if he wanted to. Experience levels will be solid.

Key additions: QB Tayven Jackson, DL Sincere Edwards, OL Carter Miller

Key departures: RB RJ Harvey, WR Kobe Hudson, DT Lee Hunter

Top incoming recruits: RB Taevion Swint, DT RyShawn Perry, CB Rukeem Stroud

Biggest coaching move: Scott Frost is back at the program he elevated to national prominence with a 13-0 season in 2017. Frost, out of college football since being fired by Nebraska early in the 2022 season, oversees a coaching staff with notable names such as defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, offensive line coach Shawn Clark and quarterbacks coach McKenzie Milton, the former UCF star.

What went wrong: The transition that Gus Malzahn set off by leaving for the Florida State OC job had quite a cost in terms of roster attrition. The Knights have had 34 scholarship players depart this offseason, including 11 who started games last season. They were hit especially hard along the offensive line with Adrian Medley (Florida State), Marcellus Marshall (Minnesota), Caden Kitler (Arkansas) and Waltclaire Flynn (Georgia) moving on. Hunter, an All-Big 12 selection, became one of the most coveted players in the portal and landed at Texas Tech. Tight end Randy Pittman Jr. also followed Malzahn to the Seminoles. Add in a large senior class moving on and you get a major roster rebuild for Frost and his new staff.

What went right: The Knights have attacked their needs well in the portal windows and have loaded up with 34 transfer signees. Frost is working with a rebuilt QB room featuring Jackson, who started six games at Indiana, competing with Jacurri Brown, Cam Fancher (FAU) and Davi Belfort (Virginia Tech). Running back Jaden Nixon, a first-team All-MAC pick at Western Michigan last season, will try to help replace Harvey’s production. There are lots of new faces at receiver and on the offensive line, and Grinch is working with 16 new transfers on defense.

Connelly’s take: Last time Frost took over in Orlando, he was inheriting pieces from an 0-12 team. So it has been worse! But UCF has the lowest returning production levels in the conference, and Frost will start out with an offense that boasts almost literally no proven pieces. This renovation might take a little while.

Big Ten

Key additions: WR Trebor Pena, WR Devonte Ross, LB Amare Campbell

Key departures: DE Abdul Carter, TE Tyler Warren, WR Harrison Wallace III

Top incoming recruits: TE Andrew Olesh, CB Daryus Dixson, WR Lyrick Samuel

Biggest coaching move: Penn State fans can take issue with certain things about James Franklin but not his ability to hire coordinators. After bringing in Manny Diaz, Andy Kotelnicki and Tom Allen in the past two offseasons, Franklin made a major splash with Jim Knowles, who moved over from national champion Ohio State to replace Allen as defensive coordinator. Knowles, a Philadelphia native, is one of the nation’s most respected playcallers.

What went wrong: Allen’s departure after only one year forced Penn State into another change, although the team couldn’t have found a better replacement than Knowles. The Lions had two players selected in the top 15 of the NFL draft in Carter and Warren. The team didn’t really add to either position other than Texas A&M transfer Enai White, a projected reserve. Penn State also lost Wallace, its top wide receiver in 2024, to Ole Miss, as well as big-play threat Omari Evans to Washington. The Lions also saw several rotational defenders transfer out, including cornerback Cam Miller, who had 27 tackles, an interception and five pass breakups last season.

What went right: After a heartbreaking loss in the CFP semifinal, Penn State kept much of its core together. The offensive backfield will once again feature quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton is back, as well as linebackers Tony Rojas and Dominic DeLuca, safety Zakee Wheatley, cornerback A.J. Harris and others. Penn State didn’t add many transfers but addressed by far its biggest need at wide receiver with Pena, a 2024 second-team All-ACC selection at Syracuse who had 84 catches for 941 yards and 9 touchdowns, as well as Ross (Troy) and Kyron Hudson (USC). The team also made a key late addition in Campbell, who gives Knowles a proven pass-rushing threat.

Connelly’s take: Typically having to hire your fourth defensive coordinator in five years isn’t great, especially when you also lose three starters from a dynamite front seven. But pilfering your rival’s awesome defensive coordinator and keeping all of your offensive stars (while using the portal for receiver upgrades) is a good way to nail the offseason.

Bruce Pearl refused to stay on topic.

When CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson tried to ask about Auburn’s upcoming matchup with Michigan State, Pearl steered the conversation in a different direction.

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“How about the SEC?” the Auburn head coach enthusiastically shouted. Then Pearl led his fist-pumping players in a round of “S-E-C” chants.

This year’s SEC has reason to crow after backing up the season-long hype that it was perhaps the strongest conference in college basketball history. Half the Elite Eight hails from the SEC after No. 1 overall seed Auburn secured its place with a 78-65 victory over fifth-seeded Michigan on Friday night.

This weekend, it will be the four national championship contenders from this season’s dominant conference against the four leading challengers to SEC supremacy. Saturday will feature No. 1 Florida vs. No. 3 Texas Tech and No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 1 Duke. Sunday will follow with No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 1 Houston and No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 2 Michigan State.

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The 2016 ACC was the most recent conference to send four teams to the Elite Eight, when North Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia and Notre Dame all reached the regional finals. The 2009 Big East was the first to do it with Louisville, Pittsburgh, Villanova and UConn.

This is the first time that one conference has four Elite Eight teams in four different regions, keeping hope alive of an unprecedented all-SEC Final Four. The Big East became the only league to produce three Final Four teams in 1985 when Villanova toppled Georgetown in the national title game and St. John’s was a semifinalist.

Seldom has an Elite Eight better encapsulated the theme of the entire season than this year’s does. It has been SEC-versus-the-world ever since the league dominated November and December in a fashion few, if any, conferences have before.

The SEC won 88.9% of its games against other conferences, amassed a 58-19 record against the other four power conferences and notched victories over the likes of Duke, Houston, Texas Tech and St. John’s. There were a few weeks during the regular season when the SEC had six of the top 10 teams in the AP Top 25 poll.

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Fourteen of the SEC’s 16 teams received NCAA tournament bids on Selection Sunday when the 68-team field was unveiled. That smashed the previous record of 11 NCAA bids from one conference, set by the Big East in 2011.

The SEC set the outright record with seven Sweet 16 teams and nearly secured more than four Elite Eight bids. On Friday, Ole Miss pushed favored Michigan State into the final minute before suffering a 73-70 loss. The night before, Arkansas squandered a 13-point lead with 4 ½ minutes to play in an excruciating overtime Sweet 16 loss to Texas Tech.

The four SEC teams who did advance to the Elite Eight are the four most deserving over the course of the season. They each finished in the top four in the league standings and each made the SEC tournament semifinals.

No. 1 seeds Auburn and Florida will be favored to win their Elite Eight matchups. Not so with Tennessee and Alabama. The Vols figure to be in a defensive struggle with top-seeded Houston as they fight for their first Final Four in program history. The Crimson Tide might need another 3-point barrage similar to Thursday’s to topple formidable Duke.

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Earlier this month, when Auburn, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama each made the semifinals of the SEC tournament, some bragged that the Final Four wouldn’t match the strength of that quartet.

Now the SEC has an outside chance for more bragging rights. It still has hope of running back its tournament semifinals in San Antonio next weekend.

“Four teams from the SEC in the Elite Eight,” Pearl said during his postgame press conference. “That’s pretty good.”