BYU Football Spring Transfer Window Preview

The Spring transfer window is set to open on Tuesday

Oct 21, 2023; Provo, Utah, USA; The Brigham Young Cougars students display TIFOs before kickoff / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Beginning on Tuesday April 16, the NCAA transfer portal will be open for college football players. It will remain open for 15 days until April 30. Whether fans like it or not (hint: most fans, in fact, do not like it but that's another topic for another day), the transfer portal is a major part of the college football experience. A few BYU players have already announced their plans to enter the portal. Another handful will enter once the portal officially opens. Today, we're previewing the Spring transfer window from the BYU perspective.

1. Who's planning to enter the portal?

A handful of BYU players have already announced their plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens.

1. Nick Billoups - Quarterback
2. Jordan Kapisi - Kicker
3. Benjamin Ward - Offensive Line

2. Roster retention is the top priority

First and foremost, BYU will prioritize roster retention. If roster continuity is going to be the key ingredient to improving in the second year in the Big 12, BYU needs to retain its best players. A few players will likely enter the portal like they always do, but BYU will try to limit the attrition to those players that are not expected to contribute in 2024.

So far, all the players that have announced to enter the transfer portal were not expected to contribute this season.

3. Offensive Line is the Priority

In terms of who BYU will look to add from the portal, the offensive line will be the priority according to offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick. "We're a little bit low right now at O-Line just numbers wise," Roderick said. "We like the guys we have, we're just down a couple. If we can find an offensive lineman or two we will [add them]."

In terms of adding players at other positions like running back, Roderick said BYU is not actively looking to add anyone. "I like our running backs," Roderick said. "We're not actively looking for any running backs. You'll never say never. You'll never turn away a great player that wants to be here, I think at any position, but our need right now is one or two O-Linemen."

BYU returns three starters in Connor Pay, Weylin Lapuaho, and Brayden Keim. After an up and down year, Caleb Etienne was in and out of the starting lineup as well and he's back for his senior season. BYU has at least one spot or two in the starting lineup that they can try to fill in the portal.

4. The scholarship situation at quarterback

BYU entered Spring camp with a lot of quarterbacks - 10 to be exact. It was anticipated that multiple quarterbacks would transfer after Spring camp. Nick Billoups, a walk-on, is the only quarterback that has announced his plans to enter the portal.

BYU is lacking some scholarship capital and they could benefit from a few scholarship quarterbacks hitting the portal. BYU can't force them out, however. Now that BYU is in the big 12, scholarships are guaranteed for four years.

5. Additional roster needs

Based on last year's results, BYU's depth at running back is a question mark. LJ Martin, who led BYU in rushing as a freshman, will likely get the lion's share of the carries as long as he's healthy. After him, BYU returns veterans Miles Davis and Hinckley Ropati. Both Davis and Ropati, however, have battled injuries at various points in their BYU careers. BYU is an injury or two away from being very thin at running back. Adding a running back could really elevate the depth in that room.

If the right player becomes available, regardless of position, BYU could add a difference maker or two. That assumes BYU has the scholarships available. Think players like Harrison Taggart or Puka Nacua - guys who were recruited by BYU in high school. If a former highly-touted recruit, with connections to BYU, enters the portal, BYU could pounce.

6. Keep your head on a swivel

Last year just before the transfer window closed, BYU wide receiver Kody Epps surprised everyone when he entered the transfer portal. In this era of college football, you always have to keep your head on a swivel when the transfer portal is open. Surprises, by definition, are never expected. BYU's staff will be busy working to recruit the current roster and retaining their top talent.