National Columnist Mike Farrell is here with the 3-Point Stance looking at reasons on who should replace Jim Harbaugh if he leaves, five teams that don’t use the portal enough, and a few portal fits that are odd to me.
Potential Harbaugh Replacements
— Jim Harbaugh could leave as the head coach at Michigan as rumors continue to swirl. Here are the top five guys I’d target to replace him. Note: This doesn’t mean these guy would leave, so relax.
1. Shane Beamer
South Carolina
— Name a coach who can bring more energy and enthusiasm to a huge job like this and keep the momentum going? Beamer is infectious and this would be a massive step up.
2. Josh Heupel
Tennessee
— The debate about which job is better is irrelevant. If Michigan wants to go in an offensive direction and bring more needed flair and scoring, then he’s a target.
3. PJ Fleck
Minnesota
— He’s been quietly successful in the Big Ten and his offensive style is in line with the current roster.
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4. Dave Aranda
Baylor
— He’s a defensive coach who knows the Big Ten and has proven he can be an elite head man.
5. Jim Leonhard
Wisconsin (former interim head coach)
— Michigan likely wouldn’t hire a guy without head coaching experience but he’s worth a look as he’s going to be a head coach someplace soon and has great upside.
Teams Not Using the Portal Enough
— The transfer portal has become crucial to college football success, almost annoyingly. And yet these teams just don’t use it enough to me.
1. Clemson
We’ve all heard Dabo Swinney complain about the portal and NIL and everything that modern recruiting entails, so it’s not a huge surprise to see that the Tigers are behind in the portal for a program of their stature. They’ve had serious issues on the offensive line for a couple of years now, and one or two quality linemen from the portal could have been the difference between making a NY6 game and making the playoff. And that’s just one example.
2. Penn State
James Franklin has long been one of the top recruiters in the country, but that hasn’t translated to a ton of success in the portal. Arnold Ebitekie was the rare exception of an impact player that helped move the Nittany Lions forward and it’s not like they don’t have issues that could be addressed by the portal.
3. Notre Dame
Yes, we have to start with the caveat that Notre Dame has academic standards that few schools in the country can match, so they can’t bring in just anyone they want. But there are plenty of high-performing players on the field and in the classroom that they should be able to add more than basically just Brandon Joseph over the past two cycles.
4. Texas
Yes, they got Quinn Ewers last cycle. Who else have the Longhorns added via the portal that has made any impact? Ryan Watts has been good and maybe Jalen Catalon will have a huge defensive impact, but they don’t seem to land a ton of kids. And with an impending move to the SEC, they need to beef up their defense quickly.
5. North Carolina
Considering the offensive success the Tar Heels have had over the past three seasons, you would think that more playmakers would want to make their way to Chapel Hill. But at the end of the day, Mack Brown is still an old school guy who would rather focus on old fashioned recruiting and player development. Devontez Walker will be an interesting test case.
Strange Portal Fits
— And finally not all portal fits are created equal. These are some odd ones.
1. RB MarShawn Lloyd
USC
The Trojans backfield is already pretty stacked and Lincoln Riley‘s offense can be rotational but with three elite backs? There are plenty of places the former Gamecock could have gone where he would have been the undisputed number one back and showed off his talents.
2. QB DJ Uiagalelei
Oregon State
Big Cinco still has all the physical traits you could want in a quarterback – size, mobility, and arm strength. But his decision-making and accuracy have been suspect and when you’re a team like Oregon State that needs to win on the margins, you can’t afford a turnover-prone QB. And that’s just what Uiagalelei is. The Beavers need to hope that their superior OL can help cure some of the troubles he had as a Tiger.
3. QB Graham Mertz
Florida
Yes, the Gators need bodies at the quarterback position after losing Anthony Richardson to the draft and Jalen Kitna in legal trouble. But Mertz was adequate at best at Wisconsin and struggled against the Big Ten West. He’s going to get eaten alive in the SEC.
4. DB Travis Hunter
Colorado
This isn’t about scheme fit – he’s one of the most talented players in the country and can start for any defense and most offenses. But that’s just the point – a player of his caliber could get more meaningful reps against better competition at a Georgia or Alabama or LSU and probably make more NIL money at the same time. I understand his relationship with Coach Prime is the driving factor here, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for his future as a player.
5. TEs Kyle Morlock & Jaheim Bell
Florida State
I love these gets don’t get me wrong. But the two top tight ends in the portal end up at the same place – and one that doesn’t even utilize the tight end position a ton? It’s puzzling. Yes, they have different and somewhat complementary skill sets. But it’s not like they’re going to catch 50 passes each in that offense. Cam McDonald led the team in catches by a tight end with 21 last season. Bell had 73 last season and Morlock had only 30 but that’s 100 between the two and they won’t match that number this season.
