We've already talked plenty about possible incoming Transfer Portal moves, both before and during the 2022 season (and will continue to do so, with coaching changes happening at a blistering pace, including some schools with connections to the current coaching staff). But we've also reached a point where we're going to begin hearing rumblings around possible departures, as well.
In the first year after a coaching change, that's only natural: guys don't have direct connections to this staff, but wanted to stick it out a year because of heir love for the program. But they may not be in coaches' plans and vice versa, or may simply feel like they're not a fit for the program going forward. Guys who feel like they don't have a path up the depth chart - including those who were hand-picked for a different offense by a previous staff - are obvious candidates in both categories if they don't fit in.
Rumblings from both Blacksburg and the Garden State indicate that redshirt freshman Tahj Bullock is trending in that direction (with a return to home-state Rutgers, which was one of his finalists when he picked VT, the likely landing point). It makes sense all around: he wasn't the previous staff's first choice - they offered only after losing a commitment from Texan Dematrius Davis - and his skillset is less of a fit with the offensive philosophy of the new group. Meanwhile, he's been passed on the depth chart by a player a year younger than him (Devin Farrell), with a starting quarterback who has at least one more year of eligibility in Grant Wells, and it's hard to see a way he sees the field without a change of scenery.
New rules mean that the Transfer Portal is closed for new entries until after the season, so he won't be in until then, but I would expect that it'll happen pretty quickly as soon as that's available. There's always "good attrition" and "bad attrition" and in a coaching change, more falls into the positive category. This is one that will likely turn out best for both player and program.
In the first year after a coaching change, that's only natural: guys don't have direct connections to this staff, but wanted to stick it out a year because of heir love for the program. But they may not be in coaches' plans and vice versa, or may simply feel like they're not a fit for the program going forward. Guys who feel like they don't have a path up the depth chart - including those who were hand-picked for a different offense by a previous staff - are obvious candidates in both categories if they don't fit in.
Rumblings from both Blacksburg and the Garden State indicate that redshirt freshman Tahj Bullock is trending in that direction (with a return to home-state Rutgers, which was one of his finalists when he picked VT, the likely landing point). It makes sense all around: he wasn't the previous staff's first choice - they offered only after losing a commitment from Texan Dematrius Davis - and his skillset is less of a fit with the offensive philosophy of the new group. Meanwhile, he's been passed on the depth chart by a player a year younger than him (Devin Farrell), with a starting quarterback who has at least one more year of eligibility in Grant Wells, and it's hard to see a way he sees the field without a change of scenery.
New rules mean that the Transfer Portal is closed for new entries until after the season, so he won't be in until then, but I would expect that it'll happen pretty quickly as soon as that's available. There's always "good attrition" and "bad attrition" and in a coaching change, more falls into the positive category. This is one that will likely turn out best for both player and program.
