Ohio Football Topic
Topic: 2025 Portal Tracker
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L.C.
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Posted: 12/14/2024 12:01 AM
AlumDadDad wrote:expand_more
Eric Decker reports Ohio is the only team in FBS without a single player in the portal to this point.
In my best Sgt. Schultz voice, "Verrrry Interesting!" There appear to be many twists and turns to the Albin Soap Opera. Waiting for the final act.

One possibility is that all the grumbling/unhappy people left last year, and the team was simply "more fun" this year with everyone happy to be at Ohio. That's a very good thing about the portal; people don't have to stay where they don't want to be, so if they aren't happy, rather than grumbling, they can just leave.
Probably at least a few Ohio players will enter the portal after the bowl game, but for now, they want to stick together and have fun as a team for one more game.
L.C., I believe you're on to something. I'll pile on and add another potential factor for the lack of portal entrants thus far: Albin's botched departure on the night of the championship was no doubt a very challenging situation for the team. I think facing that kind of adversity as a unit may have galvanized them somewhat...a kind of "us against the world" mentality.

And I believe you are right as well.
RufusCat09
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Posted: 12/14/2024 8:27 AM
The Florida TE we offered Dawson Johnson appears to be Dustin Johnsons younger brother. Hopefully that family connection helps. I think he was a PWO at Florida.
Diamond Cat
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Posted: 12/14/2024 10:40 AM
I hope I'm just paranoid but how can we not have a single player in the portal? I realize the Spring period has yet to happen. I love the togetherness of the team. It is refreshing. I just can't help to think many are awaiting the next move by Ms. Cromer.
Deciduous Forest Cat
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Posted: 12/14/2024 2:29 PM
I'm sure it has plenty to do with the early bowl. I hope most stay but it's not realistic to think this holds.
L.C.
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Posted: 12/14/2024 7:22 PM
In my opinion, this would be a very bad year to choose to enter the portal. Team sizes have been reduced, and that means a lot less people will be playing football next fall than played this year. Meanwhile, there are still players in the system who have Covid years. Thus, there are a historically high number of potential players, combined with a historically low number of positions on Division I teams. That means that in the game of musical chairs that is the portal, a large number of players will be left without chairs when the music stops.

By contrast, next year would be a much better choice for entering the portal. Next year the number of players will remain the same (unless squad sized ar reduced again), however there will be a double attrition. Players who entered college in 2020 will use up their eligibility next year (2020=covid, 2021=redshirt, 2022=Freshman, 2023=soph, 2024=junior, 2025=Senior). Players who entered college in 2021 will also use up their eligibility next year(2021=redshirt, 2022=Freshman, 2023=soph, 2024=junior, 2025=Senior). Thus, any decent players who enter the portal next year will be scooped up, because all rosters will be short players.
Last Edited: 12/14/2024 7:23:34 PM by L.C.
Mike Coleman
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Posted: 12/15/2024 8:29 AM
Good point, LC. At the same time, scholarship limits are rising to 105. So teams with unlimited money will be stockpiling talent. For instance, a school like Florida that once had three or four scholarship quarterbacks could now be carrying five or six. It may be enticing for a G5 QB to get a full-ride offer at a SEC school, but such a move could be career killing. ..especially for a grad transfer.
L.C.
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Posted: 12/15/2024 1:10 PM
Well, those same teams would have had 120-130 total players, so they will have to reduce their numbers of players by 15-25 players in one year. A team could add 20 extra scholarship players, but if all of them come from outside, they will have to reduce their walkons by 25-35 to make room for them. That could dump 3000 P4 walkons into the portal. I think it is plausible that a team with 85 on scholarship and 130 total players, and which has to get to 105 players, all on scholarship, would end up offering a scholarship to something like 10 of the existing 45 walkons, telling the other 35 to go into the portal, and then picking up 10 additional scholarship players, either from freshmen, from JUCO, or from the portal.
Last Edited: 12/15/2024 4:34:17 PM by L.C.
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 12/16/2024 8:21 AM
I take that to mean if you were a top tier performers in a G5, you may be able to jump up and grab one of those newly available scholarships in the P4. But if you are just a disenchanted G5 player hoping for a better opportunity, you should tread lightly because you may just be left out in the cold.
L.C.
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Posted: 12/16/2024 2:42 PM
Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
I take that to mean if you were a top tier performers in a G5, you may be able to jump up and grab one of those newly available scholarships in the P4. But if you are just a disenchanted G5 player hoping for a better opportunity, you should tread lightly because you may just be left out in the cold.

That's what I think. For this year, at least, if you have a scholarship, tread carefully. Next year will be the year to move.
L.C.
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Posted: 12/18/2024 11:19 AM
Expect to see some Ohio players enter the portal after the game. Like every other team, Ohio has to reduce the roster size, so many of the walkons will be told there is no room on the roster for them anymore. Some will just give up the sport and stay at Ohio for the education. Others will hop in the portal, and hope for the best. Some scholarship players may enter the portal, too, but hopefully not too many of them. Ohio has the core of a very good team for next year.
Jeff Johnson
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Posted: 12/18/2024 1:45 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
Expect to see some Ohio players enter the portal after the game. Like every other team, Ohio has to reduce the roster size, so many of the walkons will be told there is no room on the roster for them anymore. Some will just give up the sport and stay at Ohio for the education. Others will hop in the portal, and hope for the best. Some scholarship players may enter the portal, too, but hopefully not too many of them. Ohio has the core of a very good team for next year.
Are FCS and Division 2 being held to the same rules regarding roster size and scholarships?
Valley Cat
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Posted: 12/19/2024 10:15 AM
Things are going to get even crazier with the JUCO years not counting anymore deal. I mean 20 year old college freshman who just played two years of football at Iowa Western or Hutchison etc. Tough time to be a good high school player or a transfer looking for a home.
OhioCatFan
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Posted: 12/19/2024 11:07 AM
All this talk about older players, does anyone remember the QB that Toledo had years ago who was an U.S. Army veteran and only entered school after leaving the army. I believe by his senior year he was about 30 years old. But, of course, he was only on the varsity team for three years.
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 12/19/2024 1:10 PM
Valley Cat wrote:expand_more
Things are going to get even crazier with the JUCO years not counting anymore deal. I mean 20 year old college freshman who just played two years of football at Iowa Western or Hutchison etc. Tough time to be a good high school player or a transfer looking for a home.
I think over time there will be a strong preference by the D1 programs to get players with JUCO success, and 18 year old freshmen will be reserved for the elite.

The data is pretty clear in all sports that age and success have a very positive correlation up until about age 27.
CatsUp
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Posted: 12/21/2024 10:16 AM
Seeing Spetic listed on one of the sites. Dated today.
ohio9704
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Posted: 12/21/2024 10:24 AM
CatsUp wrote:expand_more
Seeing Spetic listed on one of the sites. Dated today.
Yep. He very well could be kicking up the road at O$U next year.
RufusCat09
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Posted: 12/21/2024 12:11 PM
ohio9704 wrote:expand_more
Seeing Spetic listed on one of the sites. Dated today.
Yep. He very well could be kicking up the road at O$U next year.
I dunno about Ohio State but I'm sure another lower P4 school makes sense.
ExCat21
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Posted: 12/21/2024 12:40 PM
RufusCat09 wrote:expand_more
Seeing Spetic listed on one of the sites. Dated today.
Yep. He very well could be kicking up the road at O$U next year.
I dunno about Ohio State but I'm sure another lower P4 school makes sense.
What is everyone's guess?

Conference: ?

Team: ?


Mine:

Conference: Big 10

Team: Michigan State
colobobcat66
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Posted: 12/21/2024 1:10 PM
Would be real nice to hear today or tomorrow that Navarro and Weaver are staying . I worry some that Hunt will enter. How long has it been since we signed 2 RB’s in a class?
Last Edited: 12/21/2024 1:13:23 PM by colobobcat66
Doc Bobcat
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Posted: 12/21/2024 1:44 PM
Looks like OT Jacob Dennison has entered the portal.
RufusCat09
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Posted: 12/21/2024 3:27 PM
Hard to be mad at anyone for entering the portal after this improbable and historic season. I mean realistically this is about as good as it'll get for us. MAC Championship and Bowl game win.
ExCat21
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Posted: 12/21/2024 4:21 PM
Doc Bobcat wrote:expand_more
Looks like OT Jacob Dennison has entered the portal.
Mansfield guy that went to Jax State, came home and won a title and bowl game against his former team. Not bad at all. Best of luck to him.
TWT
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Posted: 12/21/2024 4:32 PM
RufusCat09 wrote:expand_more
Hard to be mad at anyone for entering the portal after this improbable and historic season. I mean realistically this is about as good as it'll get for us. MAC Championship and Bowl game win.
I'd add seasons with 2 or less losses as the very top but 3 loss seasons are pretty close. At least the 90th percentile of success.

The minimum bar here appears to be 8 wins because it triggers an automatic 1 year extension of any contract. Hopefully the Cats could mix in some 12-2 seasons.
M.D.W.S.T
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Posted: 12/21/2024 5:01 PM
Doc Bobcat wrote:expand_more
Looks like OT Jacob Dennison has entered the portal.
If we can replace him with another Heidecker I think we’ll be okay.
El Gato Roberto
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Posted: 12/21/2024 5:24 PM
I have the feeling that the Portal will draw more talent from our roster, before it’s over. With that said, I have confidence that our coaching staff will skillfully replenish like they did last year. It’s going to be the “new” national signing day.
Last Edited: 12/21/2024 5:25:49 PM by El Gato Roberto
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