NIL

Knoxville News Sentinel Sitemap: May 12, 2025

Published

8 months ago

May 13, 2025

Knoxville News Sentinel Sitemap: May 12, 2025

May 12

Knoxville Regional schedule in the NCAA Softball Tournament: Bracket, TV info Tennessee baseball: Vols lose Vanderbilt series Vanderbilt baseball ends losing series run vs Tennessee Tennessee softball scouting report, prediction for 2025 NCAA regional Why Karen Weekly isn’t surprised by Tennessee softball’s NCAA regional draw Tennessee baseball vs Vanderbilt have tense postgame moment Iconic locations on UT’s campus for graduation photos Opinion: U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett is wrong to duck town hall, questions 5 iconic University of Tennessee spots for Knoxville graduation photos SEEED provides career readiness training to young adults in Knoxville Prom trends 2025: Couples match outfits and vibes throughout East TN Knoxville’s work with disengaged young people translates into jobs Prom trends 2025: Rainy night didn’t stop TN students from celebrating Prom trends 2025: Pink suits, ties and shoes were hits for the boys Prom 2025: Best photos from Knoxville, Knox County and East Tennessee University of Tennessee Student Success makes a difference for retention Prom trends 2025: Knoxville venues shine with lights, games, good vibes Prom trends 2025: Jewel-toned dresses sparkle on East TN dance floors Prom trends 2025: Orange is the popular color for dresses in Tennessee Prom 2025 trends: Orange dresses, dudes in pink, matching couples Tennessee dilemma in revenue sharing: Vols win in every sport Going to University of Tennessee graduation? Times, parking, bag info Tony Vitello has lineup choices after Tennessee loses to Vanderbilt Morgan Wallen Foundation: Country star uses ticket sales to change lives How Tennessee softball can win first Women’s College World Series Knox County Trustee Justin Biggs to appear before county commissioners How does the Knox County District Attorney’s Office vet candidates? Weekend Knoxville fun: Soap box derby races,giant puppets and more Vote for Guardian Foundation Repair girls athlete of the week in Knoxville Vote Guardian Foundation Repair boys athlete of the week in Knoxville Why I think Tennessee football has a competitive edge in NIL Not all SEC schools should invest their NIL resources in football East Tennessee earthquake: what is the seismic zone? Is a big one coming? Shopper News brings you the latest happenings in your community West High School teacher and coach indicted on statutory rape charges How to get Apple Siri lawsuit settlement: Are Tennesseans eligible? Tennessee baseball: Where Vols are ranked after Vanderbilt series loss Jason Witten: Tennessee football star, Cowboys NFL All-Pro tight end Knoxville woman dies in crash on ramp from Broadway to Hall of Fame Drive

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NIL

Two college football programs emerge as landing spots for 3,000-yard QB in transfer portal

Published

47 minutes ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

The NCAA transfer portal officially opened for all college football players on Friday. It is open for a two-week window that runs until Jan. 16.

Of the thousands of players across college football who have decided to enter the transfer portal, the quarterbacks have dominated the headlines in the weeks following the end of the regular season. Several Power Four quarterbacks are on the move, but multiple Group of Five quarterbacks are looking to increase their national exposure in 2026.

One of the Group of Five quarterbacks who has entered the portal is former East Carolina starter Katin Houser. He will have one season of eligibility remaining at his third school.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder started his college football career with Mel Tucker at Michigan State in 2022. He appeared in a blowout victory against Akron, completing a two-yard pass and rushing for 13 yards.

Houser appeared in 11 of the Spartans’ 12 games in 2023. He finished the season with 1,130 passing yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions. Michigan State fired Tucker with cause in the middle of the 2023 season, and Houser transferred out the following offseason.

East Carolina acquired Houser from the portal to start the 2024 season. Houser played in only nine games while recovering from a wrist fracture, passing for 2,006 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, and rushing for 170 yards and four touchdowns.

Houser started the entirety of the 2025 regular season for the Pirates. He threw for 3,300 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions and ran for 181 yards and nine touchdowns.

While Houser is not receiving quite the level of attention as some Power Four quarterbacks on the move, there are still Power Four schools with an interest in him. Pete Nakos of On3 reported that two schools are eyeing Houser as a potential starter out of the portal.

Arkansas

A coaching change from Sam Pittman to Ryan Silverfield will see Arkansas lose and gain considerable numbers of players in the 2026 portal cycle. At quarterback, Taylen Green’s eligibility has expired, and Trever Jackson and Grayson Wilson have both entered the portal.

There still remains a possibility that 2025 second-stringer KJ Jackson enters the transfer portal, and Houser could slide into the starting role. Even if Jackson stays, Houser’s experience could likely open up a competition for the Razorbacks’ starting quarterback role next season.

Illinois

Transfer quarterback acquisitions have been crucial in Illinois’ rise during Bret Bielema’s tenure. Brandon Peters (Michigan), Artur Sitkowski (Rutgers) and Tommy DeVito (Syracuse) were all featured in Bielema’s first two seasons. Luke Altmyer (Ole Miss) just finished a three-season run as the Fighting Illini’s starter.

Altmyer will not be the only loss for Illinois at quarterback, as Ethan Hampton’s eligibility is set to expire after five seasons of college football. Houser’s competition for the starting job at Illinois would be very unproven should he choose to transfer there.

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NIL

Former $13 million college football QB searching for 4th school in transfer portal

Published

2 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

With thousands of players around the country entering their names in the college football transfer portal over the past couple of days, one individual’s journey certainly stands out from the rest.

Former four-star recruit and Florida signee, Jaden Rashada, was once ranked as the No. 73 player in the country and the No. 6 quarterback in the class of 2023.

However, after an NIL deal worth a reported $13 million fell apart, Rashada’s career took its first of many turns. In May of 2024, Rashada opted to sue former Florida coach Billy Napier and a donor, alleging they defrauded him out of over $13 million.

Rather than playing for Florida, Rashada started his career at Arizona State. In Tempe, Rashada threw for 485 yards with four touchdowns and three picks across three games before an injury ended his season.

Rashada then opted to transfer to Georgia for the 2024 season, where he sat behind Carson Beck and Gunner Stockton, never making an appearance.

Looking for a more straightforward path into the field, Rashada transferred to Sacramento State before this season to play for first-year head coach Brennan Marion. Rashada opened the year as the starter, but ended up suffering an undisclosed injury and being replaced by Cardell Williams.

Florida Gators recruit Jaden Rashada. — Florida Gators recruit Jaden Rashada | Matt Pendleton/Special to The Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

On Saturday, On3 confirmed that Rashada will be looking for his fourth program, as the 2023 class of quarterbacks continues to be one of the most well-traveled.

“Sacramento State QB Jaden Rashada plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, reports,” wrote On3 on X.

Using On3’s recruiting rankings, Texas signal-caller Arch Manning and Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed are the only two quarterbacks from that class who ranked within the top-20 who have not transferred or entered their names into the NCAA transfer portal.

Being that Rashada has been a relative miss at each of his stops, it is unclear what kind of market he will attract. It seems his best opportunity to be a starter would be to remain at the FCS level or transfer to a Group of 5 program that needs a quarterback.

There is also a scenario where he essentially signs up to be a backup and follows Marion to Colorado, as the now-former Sac State head coach accepted an offer to be the offensive coordinator for Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes.

As a recruit, Rashada held offers from programs such as Cal, Ole Miss, Miami, Oregon, UCLA and Colorado, among others.

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NIL

1,300-yard transfer WR draws strong interest from major college football programs

Published

3 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

One of the highest-ranked wide receivers in the college football transfer portal is already attracting notable interest from a trio of elite programs heading into the 2026 offseason.

Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh has been connected to three different college football programs as he scouts a new school, and has some notable visits scheduled as he looks for a new school, according to multiple reports.

What schools are in contention? The best team in the country is said to be interested, as is the team that played for the national title a year ago, and an SEC blue blood that just made a major coaching change.

Who’s in the mix for Nick Marsh?

1,300-yard transfer wide receiver draws strong interest from major college football programs — Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Notre Dame first emerged as a candidate for Marsh coming into the portal, and the wide receiver is reported to be on campus for a visit with the Fighting Irish, according to 247Sports’ Allen Trieu.

Wide receiver is believed to be a position of considerable need for Notre Dame coming into this offseason.

While the Irish bring back some solid talent at wideout, the departure into the draft of team-leading pass catcher Malachi Fields, himself a transfer from Virginia this past year, will put a serious dent into Notre Dame’s returning receiving production.

Marcus Freeman signed a new extension to remain the head coach at Notre Dame amid rumors that he was being considered for an NFL position, but he’ll face some stiff competition for Marsh.

No. 1 team also involved

Even as the undefeated Hoosiers continue to embark on an historic season, they’re getting an early start on the transfer portal market, and are said to be in the mix for Marsh ahead of next season, according to Trieu.

Indiana is scouting at least one wide receiver and potentially two as it prepares to lose Elijah Sarratt, E.J. Williams, Jr., and Jonathan Brady, and Omar Cooper may consider entering the NFL Draft, as well.

Most of Indiana’s focus in the portal may be at the quarterback position as it’s expected Fernando Mendoza is preparing to enter the NFL Draft, and the school has already been connected to highly-considered transfers.

SEC powerhouse in the mix

After undergoing the most consequential regime change in college football this cycle, Lane Kiffin and LSU are also in consideration for Marsh out of the portal, according to On3.

Current reporting has not indicated that Marsh has a visit set with Kiffin and the Tigers, but they emerged as a potential school to watch that will express interest in the wide receiver.

LSU is about to lose Barion Brown, Chris Hilton, and Zavion Thomas at wide receiver, and target Aaron Anderson has elected to decline his final year of NCAA eligibility.

In addition to those losses, slot receiver Kyle Parker told On3 Sports that he intends to enter the transfer portal, a considerable loss for LSU’s receiving rotation.

Kiffin and LSU are prepared to marshal their donors to invest some serious money in whatever skill players they can bring on, according to insiders.

Highly-regarded player

Since his intention to enter the college football transfer portal became public knowledge, analysts were quick to rate him as one of the most important players at his position.

Marsh is currently listed as the No. 6 overall ranked wide receiver in the 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle, according to the 247Sports Composite.

The former Spartans pass catcher is regarded even more by On3 Sports analysts, who rank him as the fourth-best player at the position in the current transfer class.

Two productive seasons

Marsh is coming off a personal-best effort this past season, catching 59 passes for 662 yards with six receiving touchdowns while averaging 11.2 yards per reception.

He led the team in catches, yards, and touchdown catches this fall, finishing with multiple receptions in 12 games and was named an honorable All-Big Ten selection by coaches and the media.

A year ago, the Detroit native had 41 catches for 649 yards and three touchdowns, averaging just under 16 yards per catch.

In the last two seasons, Marsh has 100 receptions for 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns.

Two major college football programs linked to 3,400-yard transfer QB

Published

3 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Former Virginia starter Anthony Colandrea told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on December 26 that he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal when it opens at midnight on Friday, January 2, following a career-best season at UNLV.

In his breakout year leading the Rebels, Colandrea threw for 3,459 yards with 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while also adding 127 carries for 649 rushing yards and 10 rushing scores.

His play earned him Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and All-Mountain West recognition as UNLV posted a 10-4 record, including a 6-2 mark in conference play under first-year head coach Dan Mullen.

A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, Colandrea began his collegiate career at Virginia, where he started games as a freshman in 2023 and remained a key contributor during the 2024 season before transferring to UNLV ahead of the 2025 campaign.

Before committing to Virginia, Colandrea was a three-star recruit and the No. 72 quarterback in the 247Sports Composite rankings for the 2023 class out of Lakewood High School, choosing the Cavaliers over offers from Middle Tennessee, Kentucky, Hawaii, South Florida, and Florida Atlantic.

Now one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks on the transfer market (1,151 rushing yards across three seasons), Colandrea has already drawn interest from multiple programs, with On3’s Pete Nakos and Steve Wiltfong naming Tennessee and Florida State on Friday as early teams to watch.

UNLV Rebels quarterback Anthony Colandrea. — Paradise, Nevada, USA; UNLV Rebels quarterback Anthony Colandrea (10) looks to throw against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

With Tennessee, Colandrea would gain immediate SEC exposure, a higher level of competition, and a program in search of an experienced quarterback who can stabilize the offense and win quickly.

The Vols finished 8-5 overall and 4-4 in SEC play in 2025, marking the program’s lowest win total since 2021, and the quarterback situation remains uncertain as senior starter Joey Aguilar weighs his options.

Florida State, meanwhile, is a program that values athletic, pro-style dual-threat quarterbacks and offers significant national visibility, along with a track record of recent success under head coach Mike Norvell.

Norvell was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading the Seminoles to an undefeated 13-0 regular season and an Orange Bowl appearance.

In both cases, the combination of a potential starting opportunity, stronger supporting talent, and increased visibility represents the primary upside compared with remaining at UNLV.

The NCAA transfer window will run from January 2 through January 16.

While there is no firm public timeline for a commitment, recruiting and visit activity typically accelerates immediately after the portal opens, with teams often moving to secure transfers within days or a few weeks.

NIL

Transferring To A Rival School Is The Sick New Norm Of College Football

Published

4 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Transferring from Texas to Oklahoma should be considered a war crime.

PublishedJanuary 3, 2026 4:18 PM EST•UpdatedJanuary 3, 2026 4:18 PM EST

I’ve been bemoaning the slow death of college football as we all know it for a long time now, certainly longer than I have been at OutKick.

Every time I think we have hit rock bottom, something else happens that makes me reevaluate just how much further the sport I love so dearly has yet to fall.

With the insanity of an unregulated transfer system and NIL in place, college football looks unrecognizable to what it used to be even a decade ago.

RELATED: Transfer Portal A Circus Before It Even Opened

Something else that’s really stuck in my craw lately is the rapidly diminishing importance of rivalry games.

We all know about USC and Notre Dame canceling their annual series, or the Big Ten implementing a nonsensical “rivalry” series between a bunch of schools that have next to no historical or geographical basis of hatred, but the transfer portal has offered a new way to make rivalries nearly meaningless.

With this year’s transfer portal less than two days old, players are already lining up their visits to their next potential school, and a few visits have raised my (and several others’) eybrow.

What are we even doing here, folks?

Look, I can reluctantly admit that kids should be allowed to transfer wherever they want, although I still think, barring extenuating circumstances, they should have to sit for a year, but this is insane.

DJ Lagway was smoking a celebratory cigar in the FSU locker room after blowing them out in Doak Campbell a little over a year ago, and now he’s viewing them as a potential landing spot?

Meanwhile, you have a guy like Longhorns wide receiver Parker Livingstone transferring to Texas’ most hated rival, the Oklahoma Sooners?

Florida and Florida State hate each other, as do Texas and Oklahoma, so all of this just feels gross.

It’s nothing new, either.

Another Florida player, running back Trevor Etienne, famously transferred to Georgia before the start of the 2024 season, but it just feels like it’s becoming more frequent.

I remember how big of a deal it was when Brock Berlin transferred from the Gators to the Miami Hurricanes and then beat his former team the following year.

Berlin was seen as Judas in Gainesville, but now he is considered just another casualty of the portal era of college football.

I miss when rivalries used to mean something to the players, not just the fans.

It makes college football feel less personal, which was one of the things that distinguished it from the NFL.

I want my rivalries to mean something. I want my college football back.

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No. 1 transfer QB now linked to three major college football programs

Published

5 hours ago

January 3, 2026

Your Sports Nation

The NCAA transfer portal is officially open for all college football players seeking new schools next season. The portal is open for two weeks, officially closing on Jan. 16.

In the weeks following the conclusion of the 2025 college football regular season, thousands of players from all levels of the sport made the decision to enter the transfer portal. Some of the more marquee names in this cycle involve quarterbacks shifting the Power Four level.

One of these quarterbacks on the move is former Cincinnati signal-caller Brendan Sorsby. He will have one season of eligibility remaining at his third school.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder began his college football career under Tom Allen in 2022. He completed three of six passes for eight yards and an interception in a blowout loss to Penn State in his lone appearance that season.

Sorsby was featured in 10 of Indiana’s 12 games in the 2023 season. He finished the year with 1,587 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for another 286 yards and four touchdowns. Allen was fired that offseason, and Sorsby transferred to Cincinnati.

The Bearcats started Sorsby in all 12 games in 2024. He passed for 2,813 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions, while rushing for 447 yards and 9 touchdowns. Cincinnati finished that season 5-7, dropping each of its last five games.

Sorsby logged 2,800 pass yards, 27 touchdown passes and five interceptions to go along with 580 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground in 2025. He was named All-Big 12 Second Team by the Big 12 coaches. He opted out of the Liberty Bowl after deciding to transfer.

Schools searching for quarterbacks in the transfer portal are considering Sorsby a hot commodity. Pete Thamel of ESPN has reported that three schools have separated themselves in the hunt for Sorsby.

Texas Tech

Joey McGuire during the Orange Bowl. — Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire looks on from the sidelines against the Oregon Ducks | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

One potential destination for Sorsby lies within the same conference as Cincinnati. The Red Raiders have been linked with Sorsby since he first announced his intention to enter the transfer portal.

Tyler Shough (Oregon) is the only starting quarterback for the Red Raiders to come from the portal in Joey McGuire’s tenure. With Behren Morton’s eligibility expiring and backup Mitch Griffis entering the portal, Sorsby could be the bridge Texas Tech needs between Morton in 2025 and Will Hammond in 2027.

LSU

Lane Kiffin has earned the “portal king” moniker for his work in acquiring players from the transfer portal during his time at Ole Miss. Quarterback is no exception, as Matt Corral and Austin Simmons were the only signal callers recruited by the Rebels from high school to start for Kiffin in six seasons at Ole Miss.

As a program, LSU has been very successful with transfer quarterbacks in the last decade. Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels both won Heisman Trophies a year after transferring to LSU. Sorsby could be a strong fit in Kiffin’s high-octane offense.

Miami

Mario Cristobal during the Cotton Bowl. — Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal reacts beside linebacker Cameron Pruitt (22) | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mario Cristobal has finished with no fewer than 10 wins when acquiring a quarterback from the transfer portal at Miami. The Hurricanes produced the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft with Cam Ward (Washington State).

The Hurricanes are one win away from appearing in their first national championship since the end of the 2002 season with Carson Beck (Georgia) at quarterback. Sorsby figures to be an option given Miami’s track record with portal quarterbacks.

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