The spring transfer portal period in college football has opened with over three thousand players eager to find a new home. While some programs have hit it big, securing a huge commitment, others have been less fortunate and have seen immense talent walk out the door.
We’re here to highlight three programs and one player who have the biggest question marks surrounding them after Week 1 of the spring portal period. We begin with an ACC squad that lost nearly its entire backfield in 72 hours.
Biggest Questions After Week 1 of Spring Transfer Portal
California Golden Bears’ Running Back Exodus
It has been a disaster of a week for the California Golden Bears. Coach Justin Wilcox has seen all of the ugly that comes with the new landscape in college football, with little to no positives.
It all began when star running back Jaydn Ott, who had repeatedly announced his loyalty to the Bears, entered the portal on Wednesday and promptly landed with the Oklahoma Sooners. At the same time, backup RBs Kadarius Calloway, Byron Caldwell Jr., and Justin Williams-Thomas also headed out the door.
That left the spotlight on junior-to-be Jaivian Thomas, who rushed for 626 yards and seven touchdowns while filling in for the injured Ott in 2024. Widely expected to assume the bell-cow role, Thomas surprised Cal faithful and entered the portal himself.
That left all five of the Bears’ RBs departing from the program, leaving freshman Jamal Wiley as the lone man in the backfield ahead of 2025. He has six career carries.
To make matters worse, the team’s leading receiver, sophomore tight end Jack Endries, also entered the portal and signed with the Texas Longhorns. The mass exodus of Cal’s RBs and top receiving threat may have been caused by coaching turnover—the entire offensive staff was changed from 2024—and lack of NIL funds.
Regardless, Wilcox will need to dip right back into the portal to rebuild his running back room, which is now squarely considered the weakest in the country.
UCLA Bruins Secure QB Nico Iamaleava From Tennessee
The Iamaleava saga has seemingly, for now, come to a close, as the former Tennessee Volunteers passer is now joining the Bruins ahead of the 2025 season.
Just two weeks ago, this situation wouldn’t have been believable in the slightest—but after an absent spring practice, NIL renegotiations gone south, and a surprise transfer portal entry, Iamaleava’s reputation has taken a massive hit.
Coming into the 2024-25 season, he was considered one of the top talents in the country at the QB position. While his redshirt freshman campaign was far from perfect, he did lead Tennessee to its first-ever College Football Playoff berth while tossing 19 touchdowns versus only five interceptions. The dial seemed to be pointing upwards in Knoxville.
That was until reports surfaced earlier this month that Iamaleava was “holding out” of spring practice in hopes of receiving more NIL compensation, an unprecedented action in collegiate sports. His asking price was $4 million, up from the roughly $2 million he was slated to make. Tennessee and coach Josh Heupel were not having it.
They refused to fulfill his request, and Iamaleava quickly entered his name into the transfer portal. The criticism was loud almost immediately. Fans and analysts alike questioned if he was worth the $4 million, picking apart his claim as potentially the highest-paid player in the nation.
While he eventually found a home with UCLA, it wasn’t without public humiliation along the way. Both the North Carolina Tar Heels and Tulane Green Wave backed out on their interest in Iamaleava, citing a prior QB commitment and lack of NIL resources, respectively.
In the end, the 2025 top-rated transfer portal player faced questions about his play, inner circle, finances, and overall decision-making, but he landed with the 5-7 Bruins.
Tennessee Volunteers’ QB Situation
While Iamaleava certainly didn’t “win” the situation with his former program, the Vols didn’t either.
Heupel will presumably hand the keys to redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger, a four-star recruit from the 2024 class. Standing 6’3″ and 215 pounds, Merklinger enrolled early and has spent the past year and a half in the Tennessee program. He appeared in two games in 2024, completing six of nine passes for 48 yards.
Class of 2025 four-star recruit George MacIntyre could push Merklinger once summer practices begin.
There are options, but none are with the signal-caller who just led the team to the CFP at only 20 years old. He’s out the door, replaced by another young QB or an addition through the transfer portal.
RELATED: UCLA Officially Lands Tennessee Transfer QB Nico Iamaleava
Regardless, it’s a stark change in a short period of time—and a move that undoubtedly lowers Tennessee’s chances of making it back to the CFP and competing for a national title.
Syracuse Orange’s Offensive Production
It’s hard enough having to replace quarterback Kyle McCord, RB LeQuint Allen, WR Jackson Meeks, and TE Orande Gadsden II, who led the Orange in passing and rushing and were first and third in receiving in 2024, respectively.
But when the second-leading receiver, who was tops in receptions and touchdowns, suddenly enters the portal, it’s time to sound the alarm.
That’s exactly what happened to the Syracuse program when junior WR Trebor Pena announced his departure, with reports citing a lack of NIL money as a motivation. Coach Fran Brown even publicly shot down the notion of paying Pena $2 million.
Unfortunately for Brown, it isn’t just the skill positions he’s having to replace.
Eight of the team’s 18 offensive lineman also jumped ship and placed their name in the portal, and while a majority weren’t expecting to see the field in 2025, it greatly affects the depth at the position for the future.
On the heels of a 10-3 campaign led by its 20th-ranked scoring offense in the country (and the 96th-ranked scoring defense), it looks like Brown and the Orange will be heading back to the drawing board to field a competitive team in 2025.
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