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Portal Fact or Fiction: Storm Duck’s Departure, Payton Thorne at Auburn, Tyler Buchner

In Mike Farrell’s Fact or Fiction — Portal Edition, he figures out if PSU is better off without Storm Duck…

Mike Farrell| May 15, 2023 (Updated: July 9, 2025)
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In today’s Fact or Fiction — transfer portal edition — I look at three big recent topics from the transfer portal and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.


1. Storm Duck leaving is a good sign for PSU.

Farrell’s take: FACT

The former UNC standout lasted four months with Penn State before realizing there wasn’t a ton of playing time for him and headed back to the portal before landing at Louisville. This means the Penn State defensive backfield is loaded as expected. Kalen King is a star cornerback, and Johnny Dixon has been better than anyone expected and has the other corner spot locked down. Despite losing Joey Porter Jr. to the NFL, Penn State looks good at corner.

Nov 12, 2022; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams (13) fends off North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Storm Duck (3) during the first half at Truist Field.

2. Payton Thorne will thrive at Auburn.

Farrell’s take: FICTION

He’s a nice stop-gap pickup for Hugh Freeze and all, but he’s thrown double-digit interceptions each of the last two years and struggled to thrive in the Big Ten, which isn’t as loaded as the SEC when it comes to pass rushers and corners. Thorne will struggle, and so will Auburn. And that’s to be expended as Freeze tries to turn things around from the Bryan Harsin debacle.

Nov 26, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Payton Thorne (10) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium.

3. Tyler Buchner starts for Alabama.

Farrell’s take: FACT

His Notre Dame OC, Tommy Rees, stood on the table for him to Nick Saban, and both Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson struggled this spring. Buchner will start, I believe, but he won’t finish, as either injury or ineffective play will push Alabama to bring in Milroe to take over.

Dec 30, 2022; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Tyler Buchner (12) looks to throw during the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2022 Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field.

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Category: Fact or Fiction, PortalTag: Auburn Tigers, Donte Wilkins, Mike Farrell, Payton Thorne, Penn State Nittany Lions, Princewill Umanmielan, Storm Duck, Tyler Buchner
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