The transfer portal is open again. How active will BYU be in final prep for Big 12?

PROVO — BYU football put the finishing touches on its spring training camp Friday afternoon, just in time for the opening of the NCAA's second 15-day transfer window Saturday.

It wasn't intentional, coaches said, but the reality of the portal has weighed heavily on the Cougars, like it has all college football programs in the country.

The portal cuts both ways, and the Cougars expect to lose some. But BYU head coach Kalani Sitake plans to use college football's version of free agency, as well.

"We're going to be active in it," Sitake said Friday after meeting with the media in a long-ranging roundtable for possibly the final time before this summer's Big 12 media days in Arlington, Texas. "There are a lot of guys, and in years past, we've had a lot of attention and people who want to be a part of our program."

The Cougars have already been active in the portal, including recently accepting a commitment from Utah State's leading tackler A.J. Vongpachanh to shore up immediate depth concerns at linebacker. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound three-year starter for the Aggies should be an instant-impact player for BYU, similar to previous additions like quarterback Kedon Slovis, running back Aidan Robbins, offensive linemen Weylin Lapuaho and Ian Fitzgerald, and cornerback Eddie Heckard.

BYU added another lineman Monday when Oklahoma State senior Caleb Etienne announced his commitment to the Big 12-bound school in Provo. The 6-foot-7, 330-pound offensive tackle started all 13 games for the Cowboys last season.

BYU's incoming recruiting class of 2023 ranks 51st nationally by 247Sports. But the Cougars' incoming transfers, which include Vongpachanh, Lapuaho, Heckard, Etienne and others like Slovis, ranks 21st nationally with a group that currently numbers 13 in total with the third-best rating in next year's Big 12.

Even more are expected.

So where will BYU add next as it prepares for its inaugural season in the conference? The short answer is, anywhere they can get better.

"We'll never turn down a great player," offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said. "If there's a great player who wants to be here, at any position, we'll consider them. But we need to get a little more depth at a couple of our skill-position areas. I like the guys we have, but we are a little thin right now."

Here are three key position groups the Cougars will likely dive into the spring transfer portal to help bolster.

1. Wide receiver

It's not that the Cougars have a dire need to catch passes from Slovis (or contending backups Jake Retzlaff and Cade Fennegan, even). Chase Roberts, Kody Epps and Keanu Hill all return as likely starters this fall — though Epps missed most of spring while recovering from an injury — and BYU found surprising depth in the emergence of Hobbs Nyberg, Dom Henry, Parker Kingston and Koa Eldridge over the past 15 practices.

But depth is fickle out wide, as last year's injuries to Puka Nacua, Gunner Romney and Roberts all proved. So while the Cougars — like any other team — will find room for any good player, adding one or two key receivers will be a priority.

"We want to increase our depth there, but we like the guys we have," Roderick said. "It's not that we don't feel like we're good there; it's just that our overall numbers are a little low there, and it's a long season.

"It's just about having enough of them to get through a Big 12 season," he added. "That's a more physical league than what we've been playing."

2. Linebacker

A key priority entering spring camp was to bolster a position group that would miss top returners Ben Bywater, Max Tooley and Chaz Ah You during the spring. BYU certainly added to the group with the commitment of Vongpachanh, and Timpview High senior Siale Esera could be an instant-impact freshman who will likely begin his career at linebacker but could move to the edge. But the position has been affected strongly by recent defections, including Keenan Pili following cornerback Gabe Jeudy-Lally to Tennessee; Tate Romney joining quarterback Jacob Conover at Arizona State; and the early retirement of Josh Wilson from the group.

On Friday, freshman linebacker Logan Pili succinctly announced he was moving on from BYU, joining safeties Dean Jones and George Udo in departing this week — and striking another blow to the Cougars' depth.

So linebacker remains a priority on defense.

"There are some guys who we already have some interest in that will be announcing soon what they are doing," defensive coordinator Jay Hill said. "We're going to have some movement on our own team, too, with guys who weren't as high on the depth chart coming out of spring and looking elsewhere might be what they want to do.

"We envision adding guys in certain spots that might help make our roster more Big 12-ready. But that's always going to be the case with the way the transfer portal is; there will always be some movement at the end of the season, and some movement after spring ball."

3. Placekicker

The Cougars added Boise State transfer Will Ferrin in the offseason, but the sophomore from Davis High was the primary kickoff specialist in Boise, where he averaged 61.2 yards per kickoff in 10 games with 10 touchbacks.

BYU also brought in returned missionary Mathias Dunn, a former standout from Wasatch High who booted a 52-yard attempt (with no pass rush) during the spring scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

But neither kicker, nor sophomore incumbent Justen Smith, have seized a job left vacated by all-time scoring leader Jake Oldroyd through spring. And the competition will continue through the summer and into fall camp, likely deeply so.

"Can't complain about more help and more competition," Sitake said. "That spot is definitely open. We'll approach it."

CFB spring transfer tracker

Who's coming, going in Utah college football?

Love it or hate it, the transfer portal is a part of college football's offseason.

Related topics