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By Anne Erickson
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The college football transfer portal officially opens on Friday, Jan. 2, and one school is looking at a total upheaval of nearly every one of their starters.
The NCAA transfer portal is an online database for college athletes to declare their desire to transfer and play for a different college, according to the NCAA. In turn, coaches are able to contact the players for recruitment, so it's similar to the NFL's "free agency" system, but at the college level.
On Dec. 1, Michigan State University hired Pat Fitzgerald as its new head football coach, replacing Jonathan Smith after two seasons. Now, it appears Fitzgerald will have his hands full filling holes in MSU's lineup.
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According to Connor Earegood of The Detroit News, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, a whopping 13 MSU football players announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal. Those players include wide receivers Chrishon McCray and Evan Boyd; offensive linemen Kristian Phillips, Cole Dellinger, Justin Bell, Payton Stewart, Mercer Luniewski and Charlton Luniewski; defensive lineman Jalen Thompson; cornerback Aydan West; edge rusher David Santiago; quarterback Ryland Jessee; and, finally, tight end Wyatt Hook.
That brings the number of Spartans in the transfer portal up to 32. Among the most high-profile players exiting the green and white are quarterback Aidan Chiles, wide receiver Nick Marsh, running back Makhi Frazier and tight end Michael Masunas.
The transfer portal window closes Jan. 16, but players in the national championship game get an extra five-day window.
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So, Fitzgerald and his staff will be working to look through the transfer portal, too, to find fresh talent. Joe Rossi and James Adams are slated to return to the defensive coaching staff, while Max Bullough and Joel Welsh mark the coach's first new additions to the staff.
Bullough, a former MSU All-Big Ten linebacker, will serve as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
"Max Bullough embodies Spartan toughness," Fitzgerald said in an official statement on Dec. 18. "I coached against him when he led some of the best defenses in school history at Michigan State under Mark Dantonio, and he has continued to showcase his football knowledge by coaching at some of the best programs in the country after his NFL playing career."
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He added, "He will undoubtedly inspire our players to play with maximum effort. I'm excited to start working with Max and we welcome him back to East Lansing."
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