Spring Transfer Portal: Top 5 Most Interesting RB Moves

Alton McCaskill (Houston to Colorado)

The skinny: Upon officially entering the portal, Colorado almost immediately became the hot name associated with McCaskill. While it took a little longer than some expected, the commitment became a reality after he took an official visit to Boulder. McCaskill is an interesting case, as he missed the entire 2022 season with an injury after being one of the top true freshman running backs in the country in 2021. Now he joins fellow transfer signee Kavosiey Smoke (Kentucky) plus promising true freshman Dylan Edwards in a backfield that will be interesting to watch as the season progresses.

Ajay Allen (Nebraska to Miami-Florida)

The skinny: Allen impressed during the first four games of the 2022 season, with 190 yards and two touchdowns rushing, but then an injury ended his true freshman season abruptly. So, after showcasing his potential with the Huskers, his addition into the portal quickly drew plenty of serious attention. The winner of this chase was Miami, who successfully added another interesting weapon to their offense. He joins 2022 leading rusher Henry Parrish, Tre’Vonte Citizen, who missed the entire 2022 season with a knee injury, and the true freshman duo of Mark Fletcher and Chris Johnson. It is too early to tell what his impact will be in 2023, but with his playmaking abilities, the Canes staff will find a way to utilize his skillset.

Sep 17, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Ajay Allen (9) runs with the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium.

Tony Mathis (West Virginia to Houston)

The skinny: After losing the above-mentioned Alton McCaskill to the portal, the Cougars responded by adding Mathis. Houston desperately missed McCaskill last season, so Mathis will be given every opportunity to shine during the Cougars’ first season in the Big 12. He will be competing for playing time against Stacy Sneed, Brandon Campbell, who missed the spring after undergoing shoulder surgery and the true freshman duo of Parker Jenkins and Re’Shaun Sanford. Look for Mathis’ Big 12 experience to help carry the load in Houston’s backfield this fall.

Logan Diggs (Notre Dame to LSU)

The skinny: Coming off a 2022 season when he was the second leading rusher at Notre Dame with 821 yards and four touchdowns, Diggs decided to play closer to home at LSU after entering the transfer portal. While there is some depth at the position in Baton Rouge, there are also plenty of question marks. John Emery continues to deal with lingering academic issues while both Josh Williams and Armoni Goodwin are returning from knee injuries. The offense will still revolve around the arm and legs of quarterback Jayden Daniels, but having another reliable weapon in the backfield this fall will go a long way in determining the level of success the Tigers experience.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Logan Diggs (3) eludes South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Nick Emmanwori (21) on his way to a fourth quarter touchdown. Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Avery Davis (3) The University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish took on the University of South Carolina Gamecocks in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl game in Jacksonville, Florida’s TIAA Bank Field Friday, December 30, 2022. The first half ended with South Carolina holding a 24 to 17 lead but Notre Dame came back and with a late fourth quarter touchdown, won the game 45 to 38.

Demi Sumo-Karngbaye (NC State to Kentucky)

The skinny: Kentucky had already dipped into the NC State transfer pool with the addition of quarterback Devin Leary, but then they went back for seconds with the addition of Sumo-Karngbaye. With the Wolfpack, he rushed for 305 yards and three touchdowns, while showing capable receiving skills with 12 receptions for 148 yards and one touchdown. The receiving aspect of his game will likely earn him more playing time as he currently must compete with Ray Davis, JuTahn McClain, Ramon Jefferson and La’Vell Wright for snaps. It will be interesting to see where Sumo-Karngbaye fits into the depth chart heading into the 2023 season.