Huskies Brace for Expected Transfer Portal Defections

Jedd Fisch said his coaching staff will meet with every player next week to discuss their futures.

Maurice Heims might be a transfer portal candidate after his role changed with the new UW coaching staff. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Like everyone else across the college game, the University of Washington football team went through Senior Day ceremonies and said good bye to players at the end of their eligibility before the final Husky Stadium home game against UCLA.

Now the Huskies are waiting for the next train to leave -- with untold players expected to enter the transfer portal.

It's a given for every team these days, not just the Huskies, who had more than their fair share of players exit the program once the CFP national championship game was over and coach Kalen DeBoer began the exodus by leaving for Alabama.

The portal opens on Dec. 9. Brace yourselves. No program will be exempt from someone checking out.

"I think all of us know there's really going to be very few teams that are just like isolated," UW coach Jedd Fisch said. "I don't know who's going to have no one in the portal."

Once the Huskies are done with the Oregon game, Fisch expects his staff to hold meetings with every player on the roster and have frank discussions on where they stand. Clearly, some of them had their roles decrease when his coaching staff took over.

To their credit, Fisch and his coaches have played a lot of guys this season out of need -- see left tackle and free safety, which each have had three guys start games this season -- but also to keep as many people engaged. as possible.

"I think there's no question that in this day and age that you have to make sure everyone on your team sees where they land, where their value is, and everyone on your team understands what plans you have for them in the future," Fisch said. "As we're trying to build and try to construct the roster a certain way, those are conversations we'll have with every player starting next week."

While just about anyone could leave, with some programs not shy about poaching players, it's often the guys not satisfied with their roles or their playing time who start looking for another place to land. Of course, players have to be careful about giving up their scholarships prematurely because the portal tends to be overrun with players and not everyone gets accommodated.

Case in point is safety Vince Nunley. A year ago, after he started at Michigan State and came up with an interception against Fisch's Arizona team in 2023, the redshirt freshman from Oakland, California, was the first Husky to enter the transfer portal, four days following the Pac-12 championship game in Las Vegas. He still hasn't emerged with a new team.

Fisch said open discussions with players will include school revenue sharing with them that begins on July 1, plus possible opportunities they might have outside the UW program for financial gain, geographical reasons or simply leaving for friendships.

"It's a matter of making sure if you lose a player in the portal, it's a good decision for everybody," Fisch said. "You hate to see people go in there with nowhere to go. You hate to see people go in there and then feel like they're missing out on something special. At the same token, we know some people just want to play."

Sam Adams II, cooling off on the sideline, might be a transfer portal candidate after his running back duties decreased. / Skylar Lin Visuals

UW PLAYERS WHO MIGHT CONSIDER TRANSFER PORTAL
Sam Adams II, RB, Jr.	Played in 11 games as special-teamer, but has had few snaps at running back.
Tristan Dunn, S, So.	Played in 8 games on special teams, but is not in the rotation at safety.
Maurice Heims, ER, Jr.	Played in 10 games on special teams, but is not in the mix at edge rusher.
Shea Kuykendall, QB, So.	Played in no games after transferring from Northern Colorado, where he was a 3-game starter in 2023.
Ryan Otton, TE, So.	Injury-riddled two seasons at UW, played in 1 game, missed current season.
Caleb Presley, CB, Rd. Fr.	Hasn't played in two seasons for the Huskies.
Curley Reed, CB, Rd. Fr.	Appeared in just one game in two seasons for the UW.

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