[ad_1]
We’re firmly into the college football offseason.
And beyond the annual coaching carousel that takes place where coaches either shuffle around like a deck of cards in Vegas or use other potential suitors as leverage to improve their contract situations, the transfer portal is also very much in play.
Now that one free transfer season is guaranteed by the NCAA, a lot more players are using that route to potentially look at greener pastures of their own.
In the Pac-12, it’s no different.
Jack Follman of SuperWest Sports took a look at each Pac-12 team’s biggest loss in the portal this offseason, and you can take a look below:
Arizona: WR Dorian Singer to USC
Oct 29, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Dorian Singer (5) catches a touchdown pass against USC Trojans defensive back Calen Bullock (7) during the second half at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Arizona had a good air attack last season, and while that’s still the case heading into 2023, losing Singer, who had 1,100 yards and six touchdowns in his last campaign, won’t be easy for the Wildcats to replace.
As for Singer, he’ll try to be USC’s new version of Jordan Addison, a game-changing receiver from Pitt who led the Trojans to a New Year’s Six bowl and could be a first-round NFL draft pick in late April.
Arizona State: OT Ben Scott to Nebraska
Nov 25, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils offensive lineman Ben Scott (66) against the Arizona Wildcats during the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Losing an offensive lineman is never welcome news.
Losing an experienced tackle in Scott is even worse for the Sun Devils, and it could be difficult to find a quality replacement this offseason.
Cal: WR J. Michael Sturdivant to UCLA
Oct 15, 2022; Boulder, Colorado, USA; California Golden Bears wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant (7) pulls in a touchdown past Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Nikko Reed (6) in the fourth quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The California Golden Bears were… less than stellar in 2022.
Losing one of the more underrated young receivers in the nation is a signifant loss for them, and they were an offense already in a time of transition with a new quarterback set to take the reins in Berkeley.
Colorado: CB Kaylin Moore to Cal
Sep 10, 2022; Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; Air Force Falcons wide receiver Ben Jefferson (27) is pushed out of bounds by Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Kaylin Moore (0) in the fourth quarter at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
A lot of names previously in Boulder left at the conclusion of 2022 and when the Buffs hired Deion Sanders.
Kaylin Moore was one of those who departed and even though he was a veteran, Colorado should have plenty of players to replace Moore well in 2023.
Oregon: LB Justin Flowe to Arizona
Oregon inside linebacker Justin Flowe warms up as the Oregon Ducks take on the UCLA Bruins Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.
Flowe is one of the more intriguing players in the conference.
He was one of the best linebackers in the nation coming out of high school, but health had been a concern for him until last year.
Flowe had a great season and has NFL potential if he can put together a good year in Tucson.
Oregon State: LB Omar Speights to LSU
Nov 4, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) passes while under pressure from Oregon State Beavers linebacker Omar Speights (1) during the first quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Speights is another big loss for the other Pac-12 team in Oregon.
Fresh off one of the Beavers’ better seasons in years, Speights, an Oregon State mainstay, will head off to the Bayou looking to replicate the success he had in Corvallis.
Stanford: LB Levani Damuni to Utah
Oct 16, 2021; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Jayden de Laura (4) is caught by Stanford Cardinal linebacker Levani Damuni (3) in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Jayden would be called for intentional grounding on this play. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Damuni, an impactful linebacker for a less-than-impactful Cardinal group, left Stanford to head to one of the best Pac-12 defenses in Utah.
Damuni should have no issue fitting in with the Utes and he’s a significant loss for a Stanford program that was already in flux.
UCLA: WR Matt Sykes to Rice
Oct 29, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Matt Sykes (12) is tackled by Stanford Cardinal cornerback Nicolas Toomer (6) in the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Sykes wasn’t a highly-used receiver for the Bruins, but it would’ve been intriguing to see if he could’ve put up good numbers in 2023.
Fortunately for UCLA, though, Cal’s loss is UCLA’s gain, as WR J. Michael Sturdivant will be headed to the Rose Bowl this coming season.
USC: TE Malcolm Epps to TBD
Sep 18, 2021; Pullman, Washington, USA; USC Trojans tight end Malcolm Epps (19) reaches down to make a catch against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Epps hasn’t decided where he’ll continue his career, but he was certainly a depth player for the Trojans.
USC has a multitude of weapons returning and should still be a significant threat both in the Pac-12 and nationally next season.
Utah: RB Ricky Parks to TBD
Apr 23, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes redshirt freshman running back Ricky Parks (6) in tackled by redshirt freshman cornerback Nick Howe (30) in the second half at Rice–Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
Utah is another team left largely unscathed by the portal and Parks did not see the field during his time with the Utes.
Washington: QB Sam Huard to Cal Poly
Nov 26, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Sam Huard (7) passes against the Washington State Cougars during the second quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Losing Huard hurts the Huskies’ depth more than anything as he would’ve been behind incumbent starter Michael Penix Jr. in 2023.
Washington State: LB Francisco Mauigoa to Miami
Sep 24, 2022; Pullman, Washington, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) is chased out of the pocket by Washington State Cougars linebacker Francisco Mauigoa (51) in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
The Cougars lost Mauigoa, who established himself well in Pullman. The good news for WSU? At least he went to an ACC foe in Miami instead of moving to another Pac-12 school.
[ad_2]
source