One term that is quickly becoming outdated in the new era of college football is "returning production." Over the past couple of seasons it has become evident that just because a team is returning a high percentage of its players doesn't necessarily mean anything in the long run. Sure, having returning veterans and key players on your team doesn't hurt, but the use of the transfer portal is becoming the new norm in college football.
Look no further than the 2025 Clemson Tigers. After a 1-3 start, the Tigers are off to their worst start under Dabo Swinney after boasting the most returning production in the country. Swinney has held off on diving into the transfer portal, and despite returning a significant number of players from last season, Clemson is having its worst season in decades.
On the other side of the spectrum, the Indiana Hoosiers have fully embraced the transfer portal and completely overhauled their roster with the arrival of head coach Curt Cignetti last season. The team was left with essentially no returning production on the roster, but that didn't matter. The Hoosiers put together a remarkable 2024 campaign that included a trip to the College Football Playoff.
Clemson and Indiana may be two extreme examples of polar opposite approaches to the transfer portal, but utilizing the portal to fill holes in rosters is something that has proven to be effective. That is evident with one particular stat so far this season.
Transfer portal proving to be effective early on in 2025
According to 247Sports, the seven teams that brought in the top transfer portal classes this past offseason were LSU, Texas Tech, Miami (FL), Ole Miss, Oregon, Florida State, and Missouri. All of those teams have yet to lose this season, owning a combined record of 27-0.
These teams haven't gotten into the heart of conference play yet, but they've been victorious in several high-profile non-conference games. Most notably, Florida State beat Alabama, LSU beat Clemson, Miami (FL) beat Notre Dame and then-No. 18 South Florida, Texas Tech beat Utah on the road, and Ole Miss already has two SEC wins and a non-conference win over Tulane. Sure there have been some lopsided wins against lesser opponents in there, but a 27-0 combined record says a lot about the talent that the transfer portal can bring in to provide an immediate impact.
LSU fully embracing the transfer portal
Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers have fully embraced the transfer portal. Kelly and his staff brought in a total of 18 players via the portal this past offseason, which included 11 four-star players. The Tigers mostly attacked the portal on defense, and the early results have been outstanding. Through four games, LSU's defense has been much-improved from last season, and ranks 9th in the country allowing just 9.3 points per game. The defense will be put to the test in Week 5 going up against Ole Miss' potent offense.
There's a long way to go this season, and those seven teams won't all end the season undefeated. But there's no denying that knowing how to utilize the transfer portal effectively is leading to great results for several teams so far in 2025.
2025 LSU Tigers transfer portal class
- A.J. Haulcy, four-star S (Houston)
- Tamarcus Cooley, four-star S (NC State)
- Barion Brown, four-star WR( Kentucky)
- Josh Thompson, four-star IOL (Northwestern)
- Braelin Moore, four-star IOL (Virginia Tech)
- Bernard Gooden, four-star DL (South Florida)
- Patrick Payton, four-star EDGE (Florida State)
- Nic Anderson, four-star WR (Oklahoma)
- Mansoor Delane, four-star CB (Virginia Tech)
- Ja'Keem Jackson, four-star CB (Florida)
- Bauer Sharp, four-star TE (Oklahoma)
- Michael Van Buren, three-star QB (Mississippi State)
- Sydir Mitchell, three-star DL (Texas)
- Jack Pyburn, three-star EDGE (Florida)
- Jimari Butler, three-star EDGE (Nebraska)
- Donovan Green, three-star TE (Texas A&M)
- Destyn Hill, three-star WR (Florida State)
- Grant Chadwick, three-star P (Middle Tennessee State)