Transfer Portal

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Walsh and WV Wesleyan can't be far behind. I've also seen a bunch of Lake Erie.

Walsh in an interesting one. Several of their better players (from a 1-10 team) left. There could be a couple diamonds in the rough there.

[Horror Child]

West Chester running back Ja'Den McKenzie to Rhode Island.

[ShoNuff]

Good piece: https://www.indianagazette.com/sport...eb856e91e.html

A VERY GOOD piece, in my opinion. Recruiting now is crazy, thanks to the recently created Transfer Portal. Thanks Matt Burglund for the article. And thanks Bart for posting the link.

[Bart]

A VERY GOOD piece, in my opinion. Recruiting now is crazy, thanks to the recently created Transfer Portal. Thanks Matt Burglund for the article. And thanks Bart for posting the link.

Here is another recent one worth a read: https://www.indianagazette.com/sport...08dac051f.html

[TheBigCat2192]

Here is another recent one worth a read: https://www.indianagazette.com/sport...08dac051f.html

There are some good quotes and numbers in that piece but this one is probably what stands out to me the most.

That’s the way it is at places like Ferris State and Grand Valley State in Michigan, Valdosta State in Georgia, and Northwest Missouri State. Those schools have top-tier facilities and enough scholarship money to attract good coaches and great players. Because of that, those four have combined to win 14 of the past 20 national championships.

We talk a lot about how PSAC+SR1 teams can’t compete nationally but the reality is that most programs even in SRs 2,3,4 haven’t gotten it done in today’s recruits lifetimes either. Obviously the fact that those four schools have “only” won 14/20 means that it’s not impossible for other schools to do so but even if the other six were all won by unique teams that would still mean only ten teams out of the 130ish schools in D2 have won it all. The lack of competitiveness is not just an us problem, it’s an everyone problem.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

A VERY GOOD piece, in my opinion. Recruiting now is crazy, thanks to the recently created Transfer Portal. Thanks Matt Burglund for the article. And thanks Bart for posting the link.

I'm very interested to see how Tort's 2022 signing class does in the future. Many teams were portal heavy last year and IUP was the total opposite. I recall IUP signed 31 high school players last February and just 3 transfers. Tort said they'd have never got all those guys had other competitors been taking high school players instead of transfers (SRU).

Now, as of today (to my knowledge) not a single one of last year's high school recruits has entered the portal. That class could pay monster dividends down the road. It was risk, sure. There were some big-time (D2 standards) recruits who redshirted at IUP last year. If you haven't heard of Omar Stewart Jr. ... you will soon. Kids who come here and stay 4-5 years are just more invested in the program. Mercenaries can help in a fix (one-year types) but I'd much prefer transfers with 2-3 years eligibility.

My guess is, because of last year's huge freshmen class, they will likely go pretty transfer-heavy this off-season. Tort seems to already know the expectations for 2023 are pretty high. He just has some holes to plug with guys who can play immediately. We know transfer linemen are coming (on both sides). I'd guess they'll add a depth WR. But, overall, their skill positions are loaded for next Fall. Most of IUP's main PSAC headaches have taken serious losses this off-season - and all of them will have new QBs next year. This has to be an 'all in' portal class.

To your point of the craziness, yes, it's justifiably a full-time position within the program.

[ShoNuff]

I'm very interested to see how Tort's 2022 signing class does in the future. Many teams were portal heavy last year and IUP was the total opposite. I recall IUP signed 31 high school players last February and just 3 transfers. Tort said they'd have never got all those guys had other competitors been taking high school players instead of transfers (SRU).

Now, as of today (to my knowledge) not a single one of last year's high school recruits has entered the portal. That class could pay monster dividends down the road. It was risk, sure. There were some big-time (D2 standards) recruits who redshirted at IUP last year. If you haven't heard of Omar Stewart Jr. ... you will soon. Kids who come here and stay 4-5 years are just more invested in the program. Mercenaries can help in a fix (one-year types) but I'd much prefer transfers with 2-3 years eligibility.

My guess is, because of last year's huge freshmen class, they will likely go pretty transfer-heavy this off-season. Tort seems to already know the expectations for 2023 are pretty high. He just has some holes to plug with guys who can play immediately. We know transfer linemen are coming (on both sides). I'd guess they'll add a depth WR. But, overall, their skill positions are loaded for next Fall. Most of IUP's main PSAC headaches have taken serious losses this off-season - and all of them will have new QBs next year. This has to be an 'all in' portal class.

To your point of the craziness, yes, it's justifiably a full-time position within the program.

I am guessing that as long as there are not a large amount of transfers, then the young group of players will stay.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Former California star LB Noah Dillow has transferred to Duquesne.

[Ram040506]

Former California star LB Noah Dillow has transferred to Duquesne.

Good for him. Duquesne sucks though, certainly not going there to "win." Good luck to him.

[Fightingscot82]

Good for him. Duquesne sucks though, certainly not going there to "win." Good luck to him.

Yes but the only thing that trumps winning for some is bragging about being a "D1 athlete"

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yes but the only thing that trumps winning for some is bragging about being a "D1 athlete"

Not to mention he'll likely get a masters at Duquesne (he's a good student). Duquesne looks much better on the old resume than Mon Valley Triad -- especially in the Yinzerlands.

[EastStroud13]

We talk a lot about how PSAC+SR1 teams can’t compete nationally but the reality is that most programs even in SRs 2,3,4 haven’t gotten it done in today’s recruits lifetimes either. Obviously the fact that those four schools have “only” won 14/20 means that it’s not impossible for other schools to do so but even if the other six were all won by unique teams that would still mean only ten teams out of the 130ish schools in D2 have won it all. The lack of competitiveness is not just an us problem, it’s an everyone problem.

It's pretty telling that of all the regions, the region that had the most competitive playoff matchups overall was SR1. We're simply the only region that doesn't have one of the 10 true "big fish" in the country. Those "big fish" blow out everyone, it just doesn't happen to SR1 until the national semifinals.

Fans of those teams like to complain about D2, but it's more accurate to say that they are the true outliers.

[Ram040506]

It's pretty telling that of all the regions, the region that had the most competitive playoff matchups overall was SR1. We're simply the only region that doesn't have one of the 10 true "big fish" in the country. Those "big fish" blow out everyone, it just doesn't happen to SR1 until the national semifinals.

Fans of those teams like to complain about D2, but it's more accurate to say that they are the true outliers.

Absolutely agree. I don't know if its even 10 schools, more like 5 or 6 that are the loudest. They have advantages most of the rest of D2 just doesn't have and a distorted view of reality.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Absolutely agree. I don't know if its even 10 schools, more like 5 or 6 that are the loudest. They have advantages most of the rest of D2 just doesn't have and a distorted view of reality.

Sounds like the top of D1. There's about 5-6 (maybe that many) schools in the hunt. Occasionally you get a TCU type.

The goal in SR1 is to win SR1. Beyond that, as of now, and you're just serving as a tune-up game for somebody (i.e. 'the bye').

IUP's 1993 team would have beaten the hell out of anybody in SR1 this year ... similar to how Mines did or how Ferris really would have. But, IUP could reach a different level at that time. Today, it isn't anywhere near that level of funding, depth, overall talent, etc. These modern IUP teams are a fragment of the power Frank had here in the 90s.

Shepherd and IUP finished 6 and 10 in the final poll. I'm not sure in reality either is that high. Perhaps 14 and 18.

[Fightingscot82]

Not to mention he'll likely get a masters at Duquesne (he's a good student). Duquesne looks much better on the old resume than Mon Valley Triad -- especially in the Yinzerlands.

Exactly. Duquesne is probably the 2nd most respected Catholic university in PA and definitely on the western half of the state. Plus they do have a strong graduate and professional program - Duquesne has a respectable law school and the osteopathic medicine school launches in a couple years.