Week 4 Transfer Performances That Slid Under-the-Radar

By Mark Pszonak

With the high number of transfers making an immediate impact at the college football level on a weekly basis, it is easy for a few performances to slide under-the-radar. Below are five from Week 4 that deserve more attention:

QB Jack Plummer – Louisville (Cal)

The skinny: There was a good amount of curiosity surrounding Louisville this season with the arrival of head coach Jeff Brohm. Plummer was brought in as a grad-transfer to lead the offense in the first season and has led the Cardinals to an undefeated start. He has played well through the first quarter of the season and had his best game on Saturday at Boston College with 388 yards passing and five touchdowns. Louisville is beginning to get noticed and with a home game coming up against Notre Dame after NC State this weekend, even more eyes will be turning to the Cardinals if Plummer can continue his high level of play.

WR Josh Kelly & WR Kyle Williams – Washington State (Fresno State/UNLV)

The skinny: Washington State is off to a great start under the leadership of quarterback Cameron Ward. His main target has been Lincoln Victor, but when he went down with an injury on Saturday against Oregon State it was Kelly and Williams who quickly rose to the occasion. The two combined for 15 receptions, 333 yards and four touchdowns during the victory over the Beavers and now will be expected to help carry the offense with Victor out for a couple of weeks.

WR Naiem Simmons – USF (Wagner)

The skinny: The Bulls had already found their quarterback for the season and the future with Byrum Brown, but finding the answer at wide receiver has been more of a challenge. That was answered in a big way by Simmons on Saturday night when he turned in a historic performance with eight receptions for 282 yards and one touchdown. Making the jump from Wagner, where Simmons impressed, had been a concern by some but this performance more than proved that he belongs at the FBS level.

RB MarShawn Lloyd – USC (South Carolina)

The skinny: Some were surprised when the Trojans added Lloyd through the portal, but on Saturday night those people began to realize why he was. He had his best day with USC during a victory at Arizona State with 154 yards on only 14 carries. Establishing a consistent ground game would make Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Caleb Williams even more lethal during the remainder of the season. 

DB Khyree Jackson – Oregon (Alabama)

The skinny: Oregon’s dominance over Colorado has already been well publicized. Part of this dominance was help by a few transfers playing key roles. One of these was Jackson, who was brought in during the off-season to try and upgrade a defensive unit that was hoping to plug a few holes. His performance during the win, with four tackles and three pass breakups, was exactly what the Ducks were hoping for when they added him. And with games coming up against the lethal passing attacks of USC, Washington and Washington State, his skillset will prove vital.