The Portal, 2025 Style

[iupgroundhog]

It's hard to say where Nico will land. He's not from the East Coast so he likely has a lot of possibilities. He has good size and has some game tape. He's also a faster runner than most realize.

IUP signed (4) transfers over winter break -- All-PSAC DB David Awuah (Seton Hill), QB Matthew Rueve (Boston College / Findlay), WR Devin Whitlock (Pitt) and DB Mehki Johnson (Millersville).

Awuah is an extremely talented defensive back (and he'll let you know about it). He's kind of a throwback, personality-wise, to the bad boy teams at IUP in the 90s. He backs it up, too.

Rueve is reuniting with OC Frank Cignetti (who was his OC at BC). He's solid and should hit the ground running. Big arm. Experienced. Great size.

Whitlock is on the smaller side but is a burner. He should thrive in the PSAC. He also played under Cignetti (at Pitt). He's not easy to catch once he has the ball - break-away speed and very elusive.

Johnson had a strong freshman year at Millersville. He has a season of experience under his belt and will be surrounded with vastly superior talent in Indiana. He has nice size for a DB (about 6'2" and 190 lbs).

They will sign a few more in the coming weeks. The market is flooded right now with guys looking for new homes. I'd say it's all but a certainty they will sign at least (1) RB and probably (2) OL.

Tort is also getting back a slew of players who missed the majority - or all - of last season.

DE Randy Okungu (played in just 1.5 games last year)
DL Quadir Jacobs (missed all of 2024)
WR Zachary Boyd (missed all of 2024)
WR Omar Stewart (missed all of 2024)

Okungu, when fully healthy, is a real handful. He and Terell Williams - finally teamed up - will be a terror. They are both big, strong, physical players.

Jacobs is a house at about 6'2" and 330 lbs. He won't be an every down player but he will certainly clog some holes.

Stewart and Boyd were both hyped high school recruits a couple years back. Both were injured prior to the season last year.

One other key player (who won't get much buzz on here) is OL Matthew Nelson. He got bumped in to the starting lineup last season and played really well. He was going to retire and enter the workforce but at some point decided to stay for his final season.

Keep in mind Tort's last two classes (2023 & 2024) were very, very 'high school heavy' -- unlike most. He has some guys most on here haven't heard of yet but, well, they will soon. IUP has also done extremely, extremely well in player retention. So, we are going to see a lot of home-grown players this Fall.

RB is interesting. I fully expect IUP to sign a RB. They do have some decent building blocks at RB, in my opinion. Of course, Younger was originally supposed to be a DB but was called into service on offense due to injuries over the past 3 years. In that time, I think he has amassed just under 1,000 yards rushing. Washington is listed as a RB. They switched him to offense last year. He has had injuries the last 2 years but has a lot of speed and could be a surprise. The R-Freshman, Major and Marquez looked pretty good to me on film from high school and they both competed at a high level. A transfer would make the backfield complete. And don't forget Parker Gregg, listed as a FB, has a lot of talent. Hancox is also listed at FB. He came in as a QB, switched to TE last year and now FB. I can see him contributing.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I was wondering if there was any idea where Nico (IUP backup quarterback) might land?

also, has IUP picked up any players from the portal?

It's hard to say where Nico will land. He's not from the East Coast so he likely has a lot of possibilities. He has good size and has some game tape. He's also a faster runner than most realize.

IUP signed (4) transfers over winter break -- All-PSAC DB David Awuah (Seton Hill), QB Matthew Rueve (Boston College / Findlay), WR Devin Whitlock (Pitt) and DB Mehki Johnson (Millersville).

Awuah is an extremely talented defensive back (and he'll let you know about it). He's kind of a throwback, personality-wise, to the bad boy teams at IUP in the 90s. He backs it up, too.

Rueve is reuniting with OC Frank Cignetti (who was his OC at BC). He's solid and should hit the ground running. Big arm. Experienced. Great size.

Whitlock is on the smaller side but is a burner. He should thrive in the PSAC. He also played under Cignetti (at Pitt). He's not easy to catch once he has the ball - break-away speed and very elusive.

Johnson had a strong freshman year at Millersville. He has a season of experience under his belt and will be surrounded with vastly superior talent in Indiana. He has nice size for a DB (about 6'2" and 190 lbs).

They will sign a few more in the coming weeks. The market is flooded right now with guys looking for new homes. I'd say it's all but a certainty they will sign at least (1) RB and probably (2) OL.

Tort is also getting back a slew of players who missed the majority - or all - of last season.

DE Randy Okungu (played in just 1.5 games last year)
DL Quadir Jacobs (missed all of 2024)
WR Zachary Boyd (missed all of 2024)
WR Omar Stewart (missed all of 2024)

Okungu, when fully healthy, is a real handful. He and Terell Williams - finally teamed up - will be a terror. They are both big, strong, physical players.

Jacobs is a house at about 6'2" and 330 lbs. He won't be an every down player but he will certainly clog some holes.

Stewart and Boyd were both hyped high school recruits a couple years back. Both were injured prior to the season last year.

One other key player (who won't get much buzz on here) is OL Matthew Nelson. He got bumped in to the starting lineup last season and played really well. He was going to retire and enter the workforce but at some point decided to stay for his final season.

Keep in mind Tort's last two classes (2023 & 2024) were very, very 'high school heavy' -- unlike most. He has some guys most on here haven't heard of yet but, well, they will soon. IUP has also done extremely, extremely well in player retention. So, we are going to see a lot of home-grown players this Fall.

[Tdobson]

I was wondering if there was any idea where Nico (IUP backup quarterback) might land?

also, has IUP picked up any players from the portal?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

As I understand it, the new roster limits are going into effect and this will create a tsunami of D1 transfers to lower levels? I'm asking.

That's the perception. We'll see how it shakes out.

I'd be pretty nervous right now if I was a fringe player on a D2 roster.

[iupgroundhog]

The 'second' Portal Season is in full swing. Most are now done (or very close to being done) with Spring Ball.

Transfers soared this week.

As I understand it, the new roster limits are going into effect and this will create a tsunami of D1 transfers to lower levels? I'm asking.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The 'second' Portal Season is in full swing. Most are now done (or very close to being done) with Spring Ball.

Transfers soared this week.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It’s hard to say what the “market” looks like for him but personally I believe he would have been better off to stay at IUP. Being a solid backup is nothing to be ashamed of and heck, Rueve could be knocked out for the season on Week 1 and it would be his team. If a team picks him up as a starter, it’s going to be a lesser program and at who knows where. Then what if he transfers but still doesn’t end up being the starter? What was accomplished then? I just don’t think these guys do the math the whole way out and consider all of the possible outcomes.

You mention Hunter and it’s hard to disagree that he was given a longer leash because of the investment. If we’re being honest, he was NOT a top-tier quarterback. Not even close. Frankly, an argument could be made that IUP goes undefeated in the regular season last year if they had an arm like Sexton or Maxwell under center, or even Harry Football. The number of missed throws to wide open receivers let alone the open receives he just didn’t see was mind boggling. By all accounts, Rueve has a big league arm and can make all the throws that will be required of him.

He'll get a spot somewhere. He's started some games at IUP, which will hold some weight (in the D2 world).

The timing isn't great. He should have entered the minute they signed the new QB. The writing was clearly on the wall. I'm sure he was sold the 'stay and compete' company line. Now he will be going to a new spot having missed Spring Ball and having to quickly learn a new offense, etc. Remember he's from Colorado, so his net will likely be open to just about anywhere. Some of these guys only want to stay on the East Coast.

There are a lot of disgruntled backup QBs in the Portal or about to enter the Portal (as Spring is ending).

That said, it won't be an easy sell for IUP to find a (quality) transfer, either. The starting job is locked up. So, they'll likely be looking for a younger transfer they can sell on the dream of the future. Perhaps they'll be able to find a 'Nico type' who is fine being a backup on a good team.


As for Karst, I still find him to be rather polarizing. Larry Wilson's offense was borderline awful. It was beyond vanilla. To call it predictable is an understatement. Karst certainly had weaknesses. However, I don't think they exploited his strengths nearly enough. He was at his best - by far - while on the move. He wasn't a pocket passer, despite their dream to make him one.

[iupgroundhog]

It’s hard to say what the “market” looks like for him but personally I believe he would have been better off to stay at IUP. Being a solid backup is nothing to be ashamed of and heck, Rueve could be knocked out for the season on Week 1 and it would be his team. If a team picks him up as a starter, it’s going to be a lesser program and at who knows where. Then what if he transfers but still doesn’t end up being the starter? What was accomplished then? I just don’t think these guys do the math the whole way out and consider all of the possible outcomes.

You mention Hunter and it’s hard to disagree that he was given a longer leash because of the investment. If we’re being honest, he was NOT a top-tier quarterback. Not even close. Frankly, an argument could be made that IUP goes undefeated in the regular season last year if they had an arm like Sexton or Maxwell under center, or even Harry Football. The number of missed throws to wide open receivers let alone the open receives he just didn’t see was mind boggling. By all accounts, Rueve has a big league arm and can make all the throws that will be required of him.

Not to mention that entering the portal is not a guarantee of catching on elsewhere.

[EyeoftheHawk]

It was inevitable. In my opinion, he would have been better off football-wise if he had transferred prior to this year. I thought he was better than Hunter, all around. I think they had a commitment (over-commitment?) to Hunter because he was "the guy they went out and got." I don't believe they thoroughly vetted Hunter because only when he was on-board they found out that he wasn't a deep passer. Then you had his decision-making, which is something you can't perfectly judge ahead of time.

I guess I'm happy they went out and got Rueve but I still don't like all of this player shuffling. I guess, in that regard, I'm an old traditionalist.

As an IUP fan, I am eager to see what Rueve and the receiver corps can do and, at the same time, I hope Nico does well. Unfortunately, I think he stood on the sideline and held the proverbial clipboard a year too long. His options are probably not as great as they would have been had he seen the writing on the wall earlier.

I'm conflicted, I guess. I want IUP to win and win big. So, in the current environment, the reality is that they have to go out and get the best QB they can. However, I still have a longing for the days when a guy would come in to the system, pay his dues, and eventually be the starter. So now, even the highly-touted young QB's they have don't have a future at IUP and they feel the need to go pick up a more experienced back up? I am not sure that is the best philosophy to follow with the QB position.

Meanwhile, of course I'm hoping Rueve has a huge season in '25. Go IUP!

It’s hard to say what the “market” looks like for him but personally I believe he would have been better off to stay at IUP. Being a solid backup is nothing to be ashamed of and heck, Rueve could be knocked out for the season on Week 1 and it would be his team. If a team picks him up as a starter, it’s going to be a lesser program and at who knows where. Then what if he transfers but still doesn’t end up being the starter? What was accomplished then? I just don’t think these guys do the math the whole way out and consider all of the possible outcomes.

You mention Hunter and it’s hard to disagree that he was given a longer leash because of the investment. If we’re being honest, he was NOT a top-tier quarterback. Not even close. Frankly, an argument could be made that IUP goes undefeated in the regular season last year if they had an arm like Sexton or Maxwell under center, or even Harry Football. The number of missed throws to wide open receivers let alone the open receives he just didn’t see was mind boggling. By all accounts, Rueve has a big league arm and can make all the throws that will be required of him.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It was inevitable. In my opinion, he would have been better off football-wise if he had transferred prior to this year. I thought he was better than Hunter, all around. I think they had a commitment (over-commitment?) to Hunter because he was "the guy they went out and got." I don't believe they thoroughly vetted Hunter because only when he was on-board they found out that he wasn't a deep passer. Then you had his decision-making, which is something you can't perfectly judge ahead of time.

I guess I'm happy they went out and got Rueve but I still don't like all of this player shuffling. I guess, in that regard, I'm an old traditionalist.

As an IUP fan, I am eager to see what Rueve and the receiver corps can do and, at the same time, I hope Nico does well. Unfortunately, I think he stood on the sideline and held the proverbial clipboard a year too long. His options are probably not as great as they would have been had he seen the writing on the wall earlier.

I'm conflicted, I guess. I want IUP to win and win big. So, in the current environment, the reality is that they have to go out and get the best QB they can. However, I still have a longing for the days when a guy would come in to the system, pay his dues, and eventually be the starter. So now, even the highly-touted young QB's they have don't have a future at IUP and they feel the need to go pick up a more experienced back up? I am not sure that is the best philosophy to follow with the QB position.

Meanwhile, of course I'm hoping Rueve has a huge season in '25. Go IUP!

Not exactly an easy sell to a transfer ... coming in to be the (without question) backup.

However, they may be able to find a younger transfer and dangle the future in front of him.

The years are going by ... I don't even remember the last home-grown starter (not counting the occasional Nico-type spot start).

Lenny was here 4 years but even he transferred in.

[iupgroundhog]

Nico Marchitelli, IUP backup QB has entered the portal. The biggest surprise about that is an IUP player entering the portal. Otherwise it makes sense if the kid wants to start somewhere. Nobody should have been surprised when IUP went out and found a new starting QB though, including Nico. The downside is IUP loses an experienced backup, but the Gazette article says IUP will be looking to the portal for another one as the other two QB’s on the roster haven’t taken a college snap.

I wish him well, but I never saw Nico as a full time starter at this level. Maybe he could be if given all the first team reps each week but the coaching staff saw him every day for two years and still felt the need to go out and get Rueve.

It was inevitable. In my opinion, he would have been better off football-wise if he had transferred prior to this year. I thought he was better than Hunter, all around. I think they had a commitment (over-commitment?) to Hunter because he was "the guy they went out and got." I don't believe they thoroughly vetted Hunter because only when he was on-board they found out that he wasn't a deep passer. Then you had his decision-making, which is something you can't perfectly judge ahead of time.

I guess I'm happy they went out and got Rueve but I still don't like all of this player shuffling. I guess, in that regard, I'm an old traditionalist.

As an IUP fan, I am eager to see what Rueve and the receiver corps can do and, at the same time, I hope Nico does well. Unfortunately, I think he stood on the sideline and held the proverbial clipboard a year too long. His options are probably not as great as they would have been had he seen the writing on the wall earlier.

I'm conflicted, I guess. I want IUP to win and win big. So, in the current environment, the reality is that they have to go out and get the best QB they can. However, I still have a longing for the days when a guy would come in to the system, pay his dues, and eventually be the starter. So now, even the highly-touted young QB's they have don't have a future at IUP and they feel the need to go pick up a more experienced back up? I am not sure that is the best philosophy to follow with the QB position.

Meanwhile, of course I'm hoping Rueve has a huge season in '25. Go IUP!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Nico Marchitelli, IUP backup QB has entered the portal. The biggest surprise about that is an IUP player entering the portal. Otherwise it makes sense if the kid wants to start somewhere. Nobody should have been surprised when IUP went out and found a new starting QB though, including Nico. The downside is IUP loses an experienced backup, but the Gazette article says IUP will be looking to the portal for another one as the other two QB’s on the roster haven’t taken a college snap.

I wish him well, but I never saw Nico as a full time starter at this level. Maybe he could be if given all the first team reps each week but the coaching staff saw him every day for two years and still felt the need to go out and get Rueve.

Inevitable.

Nico does have some starts under his belt. Hopefully he finds a good home. He'd have been a great luxury for IUP but it's fully understandable.

[Fightingscot82]

Nico Marchitelli, IUP backup QB has entered the portal. The biggest surprise about that is an IUP player entering the portal. Otherwise it makes sense if the kid wants to start somewhere. Nobody should have been surprised when IUP went out and found a new starting QB though, including Nico. The downside is IUP loses an experienced backup, but the Gazette article says IUP will be looking to the portal for another one as the other two QB’s on the roster haven’t taken a college snap.

I wish him well, but I never saw Nico as a full time starter at this level. Maybe he could be if given all the first team reps each week but the coaching staff saw him every day for two years and still felt the need to go out and get Rueve.

I think being backup QB is one of the hardest positions in football. Teams rarely use the backup like they used to decades ago - similar to how a baseball team uses a closer. Anymore they only get time when QB1 is injured. Basically you play in practice then quietly hope that something happens that gives you a chance.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Nico Marchitelli, IUP backup QB has entered the portal. The biggest surprise about that is an IUP player entering the portal. Otherwise it makes sense if the kid wants to start somewhere. Nobody should have been surprised when IUP went out and found a new starting QB though, including Nico. The downside is IUP loses an experienced backup, but the Gazette article says IUP will be looking to the portal for another one as the other two QB’s on the roster haven’t taken a college snap.

I wish him well, but I never saw Nico as a full time starter at this level. Maybe he could be if given all the first team reps each week but the coaching staff saw him every day for two years and still felt the need to go out and get Rueve.

[WarriorVoice]

Its not the last incident as much as it is the multiple incidents.

Incident #1: March 2022 - DUI from combination of alcohol/drugs, hit a car during the DUI. Got first time offender deal: 10 days alcohol treatment, 6 months probation, safe driving classes, etc.

Incident #2: October 2022 - Felony criminal trespass, misdemeanor resisting arrest and criminal mischief, and citation for disorderly conduct. Got a plea deal for citations for criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.

Incident #3: August 2024 - Misdemeanor fleeing or eluding, driving with suspended license, traffic offenses. Pled down to citations for disorderly conduct and driving on a suspended license.

Stewart is super talented and it appears that his grades should have been acceptable, but the market for above average running backs is strong with the current rules. Stewart's got that good ol' boy IUP football booster for his attorney, so that helps.

3 strikes anybody?? Jeez!