Who won the offseason? We look at every Power 4 team

The assemblage shot offseason utilized to diagnostic flimsy to mean turbulence from December to February, followed by a play of calm. Not anymore.

The offseason comes successful waves, upending rosters and coaching staffs, sometimes much than once, earlier things settee down. Every squad indispensable beryllium prepared to minimize losses and marque important gains. Those who win tin marque history. Those who neglect tin besides marque history. Just look astatine Indiana and Florida State successful 2024.

ESPN assemblage shot reporters Adam Rittenberg, Max Olson, Eli Lederman and Bill Connelly acceptable retired connected the herculean task of ranking the offseasons for each Power 4 team, arsenic good arsenic nationalist runner-up Notre Dame. Certain teams had much players participate the NFL draft oregon simply tally retired of eligibility than others. We took these losses into relationship but genuinely focused our investigation connected 3 areas:

1. Retention of cardinal (non-draft-eligible) players

2. Retention of cardinal coaches oregon unit upgrades

3. Player additions, chiefly done the transportation portal but besides precocious schoolhouse recruits

All 3 elements substance arsenic these teams physique for league relevance and College Football Playoff bids. An awesome portal haul doesn't ever equate to a large offseason, particularly if the squad is besides losing players and coaches it wanted to keep. Teams that didn't adhd overmuch from the portal, but retained coveted players and adjunct coaches, meanwhile, extremity up with offseasons to beryllium celebrated.

Here are our conference-by-conference rankings and squad breakdowns, arsenic good arsenic a nationalist database of the 10 champion offseasons.

Jump to a conference:
ACC | Big 12
Big Ten | Notre Dame | SEC | Overall apical 10

ACC

1. Clemson Tigers

Key additions: DE Will Heldt, WR Tristan Smith, LB Jeremiah Alexander

Key departures: RB Phil Mafah, LB Barrett Carter, DB R.J. Mickens

Top incoming recruits: DT Amare Adams, RB Gideon Davidson, DE Ari Watford

Biggest coaching move: The Tigers needed a antiaircraft shake-up, and manager Dabo Swinney landed a large sanction successful antiaircraft coordinator Tom Allen, who near nationalist semifinalist Penn State for Clemson. Allen, a erstwhile Indiana caput coach, oversaw a Penn State defence that finished No. 8 nationally successful points allowed and volition bring acquisition and vigor to a Clemson portion that fell disconnected sharply past fall.

What went wrong: There's not overmuch to critique wrong what was a comparatively quiet, if effectual offseason for a Clemson roster that returns well-positioned for different playoff run. If we're nitpicking, it's worthy looking astatine the Tigers' deficiency of proven, high-end replacements for 1,115-yard rusher Phil Mafah and two-time All-America linebacker Barrett Carter. Four-star freshman Gideon Davidson mightiness look arsenic 1 of the nation's apical first-year rushers, and 2024 freshman All-America linebacker Sammy Brown looks similar Clemson's adjacent large linebacker, but the Tigers' postseason aspirations volition beryllium reliant astatine slightest successful portion connected processing underclassmen astatine a brace of cardinal positions.

What went right: Clemson yet dipped into the transportation portal for a large fish. Allen arrived to revamp a limp Tigers walk rush, and Swinney & Co. gave him a apical subordinate to enactment with successful Purdue transportation borderline rusher Will Heldt, a third-year walk rusher who logged 56 tackles and 5 sacks past fall. Adding Heldt to a returning antiaircraft enactment portion led by T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, Allen and Clemson person the makings of a fearsome antiaircraft beforehand successful 2025. Transfer walk catcher Tristan Smith (Southeast Missouri State) turned heads with a standout outpouring crippled show and joins a loaded Tigers wide receivers country aft catching 76 passes for 943 yards and six touchdowns successful 2024.

Connelly's take: The Tigers pb the federation successful returning accumulation and perchance made an upgrade astatine antiaircraft coordinator. That's a beauteous bully offseason! The lone happening holding them backmost present is simply a simply good recruiting haul. It's bully that Swinney is utilizing the transportation portal now, but he's inactive lone barely utilizing it.

2. Miami Hurricanes

Key additions: QB Carson Beck, DB Xavier Lucas, DT David Blay

Key departures: QB Cam Ward, WR Xavier Restrepo, LB Francisco Mauigoa

Top incoming recruits: OC S.J. Alofaituli, CB Jaboree Antoine, WR Joshua Moore

Biggest coaching move: Miami needed to reboot connected defense, and manager Mario Cristobal turned to Corey Hetherman, who had palmy FBS coordinator acquisition astatine Minnesota and James Madison. Hetherman oversaw a Gophers defence that ranked No. 5 nationally successful yards allowed and No. 9 successful points allowed past fall.

What went wrong: Miami missed connected a fistful of transportation portal quarterbacks to regenerate Cam Ward, including Ward's erstwhile Washington State teammate and Oklahoma transportation John Mateer, earlier landing Carson Beck. The aforesaid UCL wounded that ended Beck's 2024 play kept him sidelined during outpouring campy and volition beryllium a communicative to ticker into the fall. Seven NFL draught picks -- the program's highest number since 2017 -- and much than a twelve portal exits permission the Hurricanes with loads of accumulation to replace, peculiarly astatine wide receiver.

What went right: Cristobal got Beck and added accomplishment endowment each astir him successful a renovated Miami discourtesy this offseason. Transfer wide receivers CJ Daniels (LSU), Keelan Marion (BYU) and Tony Johnson (Cincinnati) contiguous intriguing caller options connected a squad that mislaid its apical six walk catchers from 2024. Former Alabama and TCU halfway James Brockermeyer joins what could go Cristobal's strongest violative enactment portion since taking implicit the Hurricanes, with North Dakota State transportation CharMar Brown arriving alongside Mark Fletcher Jr. and Jordan Lyle successful a heavy backfield. Hetherman's archetypal precedence volition beryllium to repair a leaky secondary that struggled implicit the backmost fractional of the 2024 season. A heavy formed of transportation newcomers headlined by Xavier Lucas (Wisconsin), Charles Brantley (Michigan State), Ethan O'Connor (Washington State) and Zechariah Poyser (Jacksonville State) gives the first-year coordinator plentifulness to enactment with.

Connelly's take: Recruiting? Good. Defensive coordinator change? Necessary. If Hetherman is the close prosecute and Beck is steadfast and awesome, Miami made itself amended this offseason. But that's a brace of mighty ifs.

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Lane Kiffin takes jab astatine Carson Beck

Lane Kiffin makes a gag astir Carson Beck's reported $4.3 cardinal woody with Miami.

3. Duke Blue Devils

Key additions: QB Darian Mensah, DT Josiah Green, DB Caleb Weaver

Key departures: G Caleb Krings, DT Kendy Charles, WR Jordan Moore

Top incoming recruits: DE Bryce Davis, OLB Bradley Gompers, WR Jamien Little

Biggest coaching move: Manny Diaz's quality to clasp some of his superior coordinators and others pursuing a nine-win play is noteworthy, and helium filled a vacancy astatine moving backmost with Northwestern's Chris Foster. He brings acquisition wrong the authorities from East Carolina and Appalachian State, has coached standout backs specified arsenic Keaton Mitchell, and volition enactment with seasoned backmost Jaquez Moore, who returns from an injury-plagued season.

What went wrong: The Blue Devils mislaid a batch astatine wide receiver with the departures of Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol, who combined for 115 receptions for 1,659 yards and 17 touchdowns. Duke truly needs a assistance from transfers Andrel Anthony, who played lone 8 snaps past play arsenic helium recovered from a genu injury, and Cooper Barkate, an FCS All-America enactment astatine Harvard. The Blue Devils besides were airy connected antiaircraft transfers contempt losing galore of their apical performers connected that broadside of the ball, including apical tacklers Ozzie Nicholas, Alex Howard and Cameron Bergeron.

What went right: After a nine-win play successful Diaz's archetypal year, Duke showed nary signs of dropping off. Although backmost Maalik Murphy acceptable records successful his lone play arsenic a Blue Devil, Duke boldly landed transportation backmost Darian Mensah, a amended acceptable for coordinator Jonathan Brewer's offense. Mensah has 3 years of eligibility left. The Blue Devils besides retained galore of their apical non-seniors, including standout cornerback Chandler Rivers and violative tackle Brian Parker II. They didn't adhd a batch of antiaircraft transfers, but Josiah Green and Jaiden Francois should help. Diaz kept astir his full unit together.

Connelly's take: Diaz landed 1 of the apical quarterbacks successful the portal and volition bask coagulated continuity heading into Year 2. The turnover successful the accomplishment corps and astatine linebacker hurts a little, though.

4. Florida State Seminoles

Key additions: QB Tommy Castellanos, WR Duce Robinson, CB Jeremiah Wilson

Key departures: CB Azareye'h Thomas, DT Joshua Farmer, WR Ja'Khi Douglas

Top incoming recruits: RB Ousmane Kromah, DT Kevin Wynn, OT Chastan Brown

Biggest coaching move: After a stunning backslide from 13-1 to 2-10, manager Mike Norvell had to shingle up his staff, bringing successful splashy coordinators Gus Malzahn (offense) and Tony White (defense). Malzahn is the large sanction -- the erstwhile caput manager astatine UCF, Auburn and Arkansas State, who has mentored Norvell -- but White mightiness beryllium adjacent much impactful, arsenic a Rocky Long disciple with a way grounds of improving defenses.

What went wrong: The Seminoles apt welcomed a dense dose of roster turnover pursuing the program's disastrous 2024 campaign, but they did suffer respective erstwhile blue-chip recruits, specified arsenic backmost Luke Kromenhoek, wide receiver Hykeem Williams and antiaircraft extremity Marvin Jones Jr. The outpouring portal exit of inferior assemblage wide receiver Jordan Scott -- who joined the programme successful January -- marked different disappointment. A bid of precocious adds successful the 2025 recruiting rhythm lone did truthful overmuch to marque up for decommitments from 10 ESPN 300 prospects past fall.

What went right: The autumn volition archer the afloat story, but Norvell appears to person taken a brace of affirmative steps toward a turnaround with the coordinator hires of Malzahn and White, and some volition person a bevy of transfers to enactment with. Tommy Castellanos arrives with caller weapons successful 6-foot-6 Duce Robinson and erstwhile Tennessee speedster Squirrel White down a new-look violative line. On defense, White brings 2024 breakout walk rusher James Williams (5.0 sacks past fall) with him from Nebraska to a beforehand 7 revamped with 7 full transfers. Jeremiah Wilson, No. 11 successful ESPN's outpouring portal rankings, comes implicit from Houston and marks a imaginable interaction summation successful the secondary.

Connelly's take: We'll spot however overmuch betterment is imaginable aft an astir unprecedented collapse, but Norvell washed arsenic overmuch stink disconnected the programme arsenic helium could, particularly connected the violative broadside of the ball.

5. Virginia Cavaliers

Key additions: QB Chandler Morris, WR Jahmal Edrine, S Devin Neal

Key departures: S Jonas Sanker, WR Malachi Fields, C Brian Stevens

Top incoming recruits: QB Cole Geer, OLB Isaiah Reese, WR Isaiah Robinson

Biggest coaching move: There's presumption quo successful Charlottesville arsenic manager Tony Elliott retained his full on-field unit from 2024, erstwhile the squad made a two-win improvement. After an assertive transportation portal push, Virginia is banking connected continuity with coordinators Des Kitchings (offense) and John Rudzinski (defense), and a unit that has tried to physique backmost the program.

What went wrong: Not a full batch arsenic Virginia had its smoothest and astir productive offseason nether Elliott. The squad mislaid its apical receiver successful Malachi Fields to Notre Dame, though, arsenic good arsenic No. 1 choky extremity Tyler Neville. Although Jahmal Edrine is an absorbing addition, helium has a batch riding connected him to reboot the passing onslaught with Chandler Morris. Jonas Sanker was Virginia's lone first-team All-ACC enactment successful 2024, and helium leaves a important void aft starring the squad successful full tackles (98) and tackles for nonaccomplishment (8.5). Virginia's violative enactment turns implicit rather a spot from past play with 7 additions via the portal. Experienced transfers should assistance there, but the radical inactive indispensable fig retired however to jell.

What went right: Virginia ramped up its concern and aggressiveness successful the portal to springiness Elliott what should beryllium his champion roster since taking implicit arsenic caput coach. The squad added an experienced backmost successful Morris, who had 3,774 passing yards and 31 touchdowns for North Texas past season, arsenic good arsenic immoderate bully security successful Nebraska transportation Daniel Kaelin. Edrine is among the cardinal additions connected offense, and Virginia bolstered its instrumentality crippled with James Madison's Cam Ross. Virginia made a beardown propulsion for violative enactment transfers, and its antiaircraft additions could truly basal out, including linebacker Mitchell Melton (Ohio State), information Devin Neal (Louisville) and cornerback Ja'son Prevard (Morgan State).

Connelly's take: Elliott kept his coordinators and added immoderate breathtaking playmakers done the portal. That's good, though the information that helium needed this galore transfers aft 3 seasons isn't an encouraging motion of a beardown civilization taking root.

6. Louisville Cardinals

Key additions: QB Miller Moss, LB Clev Lubin, WR TreyShun Hurry

Key departures: QB Tyler Shough, DE Ashton Gillotte, CB Quincy Riley

Top incoming recruits: DE C.J. May, ILB Caleb Matelau, WR Kamare Williams

Biggest coaching move: Deion Branch had been portion of Louisville's enactment unit and adjacent served arsenic interim caput manager for a vessel triumph successful 2022, but successful February helium joined the on-field coaches astatine a presumption helium knows good -- wide receiver. The MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX starred for Louisville, earning first-team all-league honors, and volition present manager a radical that includes seniors Caullin Lacy and Chris Bell.

What went wrong: Between the graduations of Michael Gonzalez and Jonathan Mendoza and portal exits by Monroe Mills (Virginia) and Austin Collins (Syracuse), the Cardinals are down 4 of their apical 5 violative linemen, successful presumption of snaps, from a twelvemonth ago. Louisville has supplemented with the additions of six transportation linemen this offseason. That radical is led by Mahamane Moussa (Purdue), Naeer Jackson (Florida International) and Makylan Pounders (Mississippi State), but this unproven violative enactment portion remains a imaginable liability for an different loaded offense. The Cardinals experienced akin turnover successful the secondary, wherever the programme brought connected 5 transfers -- lone 1 of them from the Power 4 -- to regenerate 4 starters connected the backmost extremity of the defense.

What went right: The Cardinals retained moving backs Isaac Brown (1,527 all-purpose yards successful 2024) and Duke Watson and added portal walk catchers Dacari Collins (NC State) and TreyShun Hurry (San Jose State) alongside seasoned receivers Lacy and Bell. Together, they'll situation USC backmost transportation Miller Moss, who arrives to regenerate Tyler Shough successful an discourtesy that finished 13th nationally successful yards per crippled (449.2) a twelvemonth ago. Clev Lubin (Coastal Carolina) joins the Cardinals aft notching 9.5 sacks successful his archetypal FBS play past fall, landing arsenic a prized offseason summation alongside 3 different transportation newcomers connected a antiaircraft enactment portion replacing six players who combined for much than 200 tackles past fall.

Connelly's take: Coach Jeff Brohm has rapidly go 1 of the nation's much reliable portal shoppers, and his Cardinals instrumentality immoderate superior prima powerfulness astatine moving back. But having to capable tons of holes astatine receiver, violative line, antiaircraft enactment and antiaircraft backmost opens up truthful galore opportunities for regression.

7. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Key additions: WR Eric Rivers, OT Malachi Carney, DL Akelo Stone

Key departures: WR Eric Singleton Jr., TE Jackson Hawes, DT Zeek Biggers

Top incoming recruits: OT Josh Petty, S Tae Harris, DT Christian Garrett

Biggest coaching move: After losing antiaircraft coordinator Tyler Santucci to the NFL, manager Brent Key selected Texas adjunct Blake Gideon to pb the unit. Gideon hasn't been a antiaircraft coordinator -- helium oversaw peculiar teams astatine Houston and Ole Miss -- but brings extended acquisition successful the secondary, wherever helium starred astatine information for Texas earlier coaching antiaircraft backs astatine 4 programs.

What went wrong: Eric Singleton Jr.'s departure wasn't wholly unexpected, but it surely stings, arsenic helium brought elite velocity to Georgia Tech's passing game, averaging 13.5 yards per reception. The Yellow Jackets mislaid different notable transfers specified arsenic violative tackle Corey Robinson II, an honorable notation All-ACC enactment who landed astatine Arkansas, and linebacker Romello Height, who near for Texas Tech. Santucci's departure aft lone 1 play creates the imaginable for disruption connected defense. Although Gideon projects well, helium hasn't been a superior antiaircraft coordinator before.

What went right: After a play successful which Georgia Tech won immoderate large games but could person won much overall, the roster is acceptable up for perchance large things this fall. Key retained his starting violative backfield of backmost Haynes King and moving backmost Jamal Haynes, arsenic good arsenic backup backmost Aaron Philo, who could beryllium key, fixed King's wounded history. Receptions person Malik Rutherford besides is backmost aft concisely considering a transportation successful December. As colleague Dan Murphy precocious detailed, information Clayton Powell-Lee came precise adjacent to entering the portal earlier returning. Gifted violative playcaller Buster Faulkner is besides backmost to enactment with King.

Connelly's take: Keeping the Faulkner-King combo was great, arsenic was adding possibly FIU's 2 champion players to an already speedy accomplishment corps. Considering however important physicality was to 2024's success, however, turnover successful the trenches is worrisome.

8. SMU Mustangs

Key additions: DE Jahkai Lang, OG Addison Nichols, DT Jeffrey M'Ba

Key departures: RB Brashard Smith, DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, DE Elijah Roberts

Top incoming recruits: OT Dramodd Odoms, QB Ty Hawkins, WR Daylon Singleton

Biggest coaching move: Coach Rhett Lashlee kept his unit intact aft reaching the ACC rubric crippled and the CFP, which provides large continuity entering 2025. Defensive coordinator Scott Symons has been successful the premix for caput coaching roles but volition instrumentality to SMU for his 4th play to oversee a playmaking unit.

What went wrong: Can the Mustangs prolong their 2024 occurrence and travel up connected the 11-3 decorativeness that took SMU to the league rubric crippled and a playoff quality successful the program's ACC debut? Hanging connected to Symons and violative coordinator Casey Woods volition help. But failing to adhd a proven, interaction newcomer to measurement successful for 1,332-yard rusher Brashard Smith oregon a replacement for apical walk catcher Roderick Daniels Jr. could wound the Mustangs. Symons' alloy volition beryllium tested arsenic well, with SMU perchance preparing to regenerate upward of 80% of its starting 11 connected defense, including apical tackler Kobe Wilson and antiaircraft tackles Jared Harrison-Hunte and Elijah Roberts.

What went right: The Mustangs made size and extent connected some sides of the enactment of scrimmage a precedence up of their archetypal ACC play past fall. That paid disconnected for an violative enactment that allowed lone 18 sacks (T-30th nationally) and paved the mode for the league's seventh-ranked rushing attack. SMU accounted for the losses of halfway Jakai Clark and close defender Justin Osborne with Oklahoma transportation Joshua Bates and Arkansas' Addison Nichols, a 12-game starter past fall, on with seasoned Miami transportation Zion Nelson. The Mustangs drew akin dividends connected a antiaircraft enactment that finished seventh successful rushing yards per crippled (100.7). Jeffrey M'Ba, Damarjhe Lewis and Texas State portal newcomer Terry Webb volition beryllium fixed the gangly task of replacing Harrison-Hunte and Roberts.

Connelly's take: Lashlee held connected to his backmost and some coordinators. That's an undeniable plus, but it's beauteous casual to beryllium a small disquieted astir the receiving corps arsenic good arsenic a defence that could person arsenic galore arsenic 9 caller starters.

9. Pittsburgh Panthers

Key additions: OT Kendall Stanley, WR Cataurus Hicks, DE Blaine Spires

Key departures: OL Branson Taylor, TE Gavin Bartholomew, WR Konata Mumpfield

Top incoming recruits: OT Jordan Fields, WR Bryce Yates, DE Trevor Sommers

Biggest coaching move: Coach Pat Narduzzi didn't alteration overmuch connected the unit aft an progressive offseason the twelvemonth before. Offensive coordinator Kade Bell, who helped Pitt emergence to No. 15 successful passing successful his archetypal season, received a caller declaration with a rise earlier this year. He remains an intriguing sanction to ticker successful upcoming manager cycles.

What went wrong: Pitt followed a 7-0 commencement past autumn with six consecutive losses to adjacent the season, past suffered a brace of blows connected defence via transportation portal exits of cornerback Ryland Gandy (Indiana) and antiaircraft extremity Sincere Edwards (UCF). Tack connected the graduations of All-ACC information Donovan McMillon and third-leading tackler Brandon George and Pitt has holes to capable arsenic it rebuilds a defence that finished 91st nationally successful points allowed past autumn (28.4). The Panthers could person a replacement for Edwards if Blaine Spires tin rediscover his 2023 form. Redshirt sophomore Cruce Brookins volition beryllium among the returners Pitt hopes volition measurement successful to capable the void near by McMillon's exit.

What went right: For astatine slightest 1 fractional of the 2024 season, Pitt proved it could play winning shot with backmost Eli Holstein and all-purpose moving backmost Desmond Reid guiding the offense. The Panthers volition request to place a replacement for Konata Mumpfield, but they've crucially reinforced an violative enactment that struggled mightily past autumn with the transportation additions of violative tackles Jeff Persi (Michigan) and Kendall Stanley (Charlotte) on with defender Keith Gouveia (Richmond). If that radical tin find cohesion, Bell should beryllium capable to get much retired of an discourtesy that averaged 19.2 points per contention implicit its last 5 regular-season games.

Connelly's take: Narduzzi retained each the sparkly violative puzzle pieces that produced betterment past season, which is good. But we'll spot whether incoming transfers tin supply a boost for what has been a mediocre defence for 2 consecutive years.

10. Virginia Tech Hokies

Key additions: OL Tomas Rimac, RB Terion Stewart, DE James Djonkam

Key departures: RB Bhayshul Tuten, DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland, CB Mansoor Delane

Top incoming recruits: WR Micah Matthews, ILB Brett Clatterbaugh, QB Kelden Ryan

Biggest coaching move: Coach Brent Pry had to capable 2 coordinator roles -- Chris Marve was fired, Tyler Bowen near for Ohio State -- and took antithetic routes with the replacements. He tapped erstwhile Tulsa manager Philip Montgomery, who has coordinator acquisition from Baylor and different stops, to pb the offense. Sam Siefkes is simply a lesser-known sanction but has FCS and Division III antiaircraft coordinator acquisition and spent the past 4 seasons with 2 NFL teams.

What went wrong: Turnover was the taxable of the Hokies' offseason aft a disappointing 7-6 decorativeness past fall. But not overmuch of it was particularly bully arsenic Virginia Tech saw much than 2 twelve players exit via the transportation portal and mislaid a fistful of cardinal contributors to the NFL. Among those gone successful 2025 are apical rusher Bhayshul Tuten, sack person Antwaun Powell-Ryland and each 5 starters from a antiaircraft backmost portion that finished successful the apical fractional nationally successful passing yards allowed per crippled (215.9). With the portal departures of near tackle Xavier Chaplin (Auburn) and halfway Braelin Moore (LSU), the Hokies could diagnostic 5 caller starters connected the violative enactment this fall.

What went right: Virginia Tech held connected to redshirt elder backmost Kyron Drones and added reinforcements successful the portal to assistance Montgomery crook astir an discourtesy that finished 88th nationally successful yards per crippled (367.8) past fall. Running backmost transfers Terion Stewart (Bowling Green), Marcellous Hawkins (Central Missouri) and Braydon Bennett (Coastal Carolina) marque for an intriguing trio to regenerate Tuten and erstwhile backup Malachi Thomas (Purdue transfer). Former Tennessee moving backmost Cameron Seldon is expected to play wide receiver for the Hokies successful 2025, and Virginia Tech added needed acquisition astatine the presumption successful walk catchers Donavon Greene (Wake Forest) and Isaiah Spencer (Jackson State). Tomas Rimac, a 29-game starter astatine West Virginia, represents the program's astir experienced newcomer connected a renovated violative line.

Connelly's take: Pry's archetypal 3 seasons successful Blacksburg person been decent but unspectacular, and having to marque large changes -- 2 coordinators, double-digit antiaircraft transfers -- could marque things overmuch amended oregon overmuch worse. The scope of imaginable outcomes for Tech is tremendous this season.

11. NC State Wolfpack

Key additions: S Jeremiah Johnson, OT Teague Andersen, OLB Joseph Adedire

Key departures: OT Anthony Belton, WR Kevin Concepcion, S Bishop Fitzgerald

Top incoming recruits: RB Deandre Desinor, OT Ta'Khyian Whitset, OC Isaac Sowells Jr.

Biggest coaching move: After his 12th play arsenic coach, Dave Doeren replaced some coordinators, promoting seasoned playcaller Kurt Roper to oversee the discourtesy and bringing successful D.J. Eliot, who has Big 12 and SEC antiaircraft coordinator acquisition and spent clip successful the ACC astatine Florida State, to telephone the defense. Roper and Eliot worked unneurotic astatine Colorado successful 2018, and their familiarity should assistance arsenic NC State comes disconnected its worst play since 2019.

What went wrong: After a disappointing 2024 season, NC State took immoderate hits successful the portal, namely with Kevin Concepcion, who led the squad successful receptions (48) and touchdown catches (6) and landed astatine Texas A&M. Bishop Fitzgerald, an honorable notation All-ACC selection, had 3 interceptions and 8 walk breakups. NC State besides mislaid linebacker Kamal Bonner, No. 3 rusher Kendrick Raphael, cornerback Brandon Cisse and others. The bigger transportation losses seemed to travel connected defense, which volition person a caller strategy nether Eliot and perchance a steeper learning curve.

What went right: Despite the changes, NC State has a wide imaginativeness connected discourtesy with backmost CJ Bailey, who completed astir 65% of his passes with 17 touchdowns arsenic a freshman. Bailey has gone done the full offseason arsenic the starter and has familiarity with Roper, who has coached the quarterbacks. NC State retained starring rusher Hollywood Smothers arsenic good arsenic choky extremity Justin Joly and wide receivers Noah Rogers and Wesley Grimes, who should assistance relationship for Concepcion's departure. The squad didn't adhd a ton of surefire antiaircraft starters successful the portal but picked up extent with players specified arsenic linebacker Kenny Soares (Northwestern), extremity Sabastian Harsh (Wyoming) and cornerback Jamel Johnson (Temple).

Connelly's take: The defense's abrupt illness needed to beryllium addressed, and Doeren brought successful an experienced (if uninspiring) coordinator and tons of caller transfers. That's good, though it's hard to consciousness excessively strongly, bully oregon bad, astir the wide moves here.

12. North Carolina Tar Heels

Key additions: QB Gio Lopez, DE Pryce Yates, OL Daniel King

Key departures: RB Omarion Hampton, DE Beau Atkinson, OT Howard Sampson

Top incoming recruits: QB Bryce Baker, WR Adrian Wilson, DT Nicco Maggio

Biggest coaching move: All is quiescent astatine UNC but for six-time Super Bowl-winning manager Bill Belichick taking implicit arsenic coach, hiring sons Steve and Brian to the staff, and adding different notable names specified arsenic erstwhile UConn manager Bob Diaco and erstwhile North Carolina and NFL moving backmost Natrone Means to the staff. The "Chapel Bill" epoch volition beryllium rather the experiment, arsenic North Carolina is going all-in connected football.

What went wrong: There was immoderate expected turbulence astir the Belichick prosecute and a brand-new mode of operating. North Carolina mislaid respective starters, including Beau Atkinson, who led the squad successful sacks (7.5) and tackles for nonaccomplishment (12) past season, and linebacker Amare Campbell (6.5 sacks, 10.5 tackles for nonaccomplishment successful 2024). Both could person been centerpieces for the defense, which already loses tackle Jahvaree Ritzie, linebacker Power Echols, cornerback Alijah Huzzie and others. North Carolina besides mislaid a apt extent enactment connected the violative enactment successful tackle Zach Rice, ESPN's No. 8 wide enlistee successful the 2022 class.

What went right: North Carolina recovered its backmost successful the outpouring portal with Gio Lopez, a dual-threat left-hander who ranked 22nd nationally successful full discourtesy (274.7 YPG) past play for South Alabama. Lopez gives coordinator Freddie Kitchens a gathering block, and North Carolina brings backmost wide receiver Kobe Paysour and adds velocity menace Aziah Johnson from Michigan State. Omarion Hampton's nonaccomplishment surely volition beryllium felt successful the tally game, but North Carolina added Michigan transportation Benjamin Hall to the group. The caller unit seemingly made immoderate gains with its antiaircraft transfers, including Pryce Yates and Gavin Gibson, a productive nickelback astatine East Carolina past fall. North Carolina besides added immoderate bully options to boost its violative enactment depth.

Connelly's take: Hiring 1 of the champion shot coaches of each clip was surely a bully start, but the off-the-field play hasn't been encouraging, and speech from possibly the antiaircraft beforehand six, it's hard to warrant that the Heels person a azygous portion that is much talented than it was a twelvemonth ago.

13. Boston College Eagles

Key additions: G Tommy Matheson, OT Amir Johnson, QB Dylan Lonergan

Key departures: DE Donovan Ezeiruaku, OT Ozzy Trapilo, C Drew Kendall

Top incoming recruits: OLB Griffin Collins, RB Mekhi Dodd, QB Shaker Reisig

Biggest coaching move: The Eagles hired Jordan Thomas to oversee a antiaircraft enactment that loses standout walk rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku and others. Thomas spent the past 3 seasons arsenic adjunct antiaircraft enactment manager with the Cleveland Browns, but he's a erstwhile subordinate and adjunct astatine San Diego State, an progressively fashionable coaching histrion due to the fact that of the antiaircraft occurrence nether Rocky Long.

What went wrong: Boston College's champion teams are built astatine the enactment of scrimmage, and the Eagles volition consciousness the departures of Ezeiruaku, Ozzy Trapilo, Drew Kendall and others. Ezeiruaku was ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and the Eagles didn't adhd galore evident interaction transfers connected defense. Transfers specified arsenic Michigan linebacker Jason Hewlett person potential, but Boston College volition request holdovers specified arsenic KP Price, Daveon Crouch and Carter Davis to transportation the unit. The moving crippled volition person a antithetic look arsenic Kye Robichaux and Treshaun Ward determination on. BC added transportation Vaughn Pemberton, a backup astatine Ball State.

What went right: The Eagles retained galore of their apical players, including wide receiver Lewis Bond and productive defenders specified arsenic Price, Crouch and Davis. Quarterback Grayson James, who took implicit for Thomas Castellanos down the agelong successful 2024, went done the offseason arsenic the team's projected starter. Guard Logan Taylor, an honorable notation All-ACC selection, is back, and Boston College had immoderate of its biggest transportation portal gains astatine violative line, a signature presumption radical nether manager Bill O'Brien. The squad avoided large shakeups to the coaching unit and the roster, and it has a accidental to instrumentality different measurement successful O'Brien's 2nd season.

Connelly's take: The Eagles decidedly mislaid much than they gained successful the trenches, but it's been a comparatively quiescent offseason for O'Brien & Co., and quiescent decidedly doesn't person to beryllium a atrocious thing.

14. Syracuse Orange

Key additions: QB Steve Angeli, QB Rickie Collins, OT Kam Pringle

Key departures: QB Kyle McCord, RB LeQuint Allen, WR Trebor Pena

Top incoming recruits: S Demetres Samuel, OT Jayden Mann, ILB Antoine Deslauriers

Biggest coaching move: Coach Fran Brown retained violative coordinator Jeff Nixon, contempt immoderate extracurricular interest, and added 2 caller assistants successful peculiar teams coordinator Ricky Brumfield and wide receivers manager Myles White, a erstwhile NFL and CFL wideout. Brumfield has ACC acquisition from Georgia Tech and Virginia, portion White volition oversee a new-look receivers country aft spending 2024 moving with the Green Bay Packers.

What went wrong: The Orange couldn't bash thing astir the NFL departures of playmakers Kyle McCord, LeQuint Allen and Oronde Gadsden II oregon violative enactment starters Savion Washington and Jakob Bradford. But the portal exits of Trebor Pena (Penn State), apical antiaircraft tackle Maraad Watson (Texas) and starting halfway J'Onre Reed (USC) took a hammer to Syracuse's returning seasoned extent aft a 10-3 decorativeness successful Year 1 nether Brown. The programme struggled to retool astatine cardinal positions via the portal, peculiarly successful the accomplishment spots connected offense, leaving question marks hovering implicit a portion that led the federation successful passing yards per crippled (370) past fall.

What went right: Syracuse mightiness not person different backmost similar McCord, but astatine slightest determination are options arsenic the programme moves guardant without assemblage football's 2024 passing leader. The Orange added Rickie Collins successful the wintertime portal window, and Brown named the erstwhile top-200 enlistee arsenic starting backmost astatine the extremity of outpouring campy past month. Two weeks later, Syracuse added Steve Angeli, an experienced fourth-year passer from Notre Dame who could situation Collins for starting snaps this fall. While truthful overmuch other remains uncertain for the Orange, there's solidity successful the backmost options.

Connelly's take: Brown held connected to Nixon and landed 2 intriguing caller QBs. That's good. The monolithic turnover astatine receiver and connected the violative enactment was discouraging, however, and a beauteous shaky defence didn't adhd immoderate guaranteed difference-makers.

15. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Key additions: OT Fa'alili Fa'amoe, DE Gabe Kirschke, C Devin Kylany

Key departures: C Luke Petitbon, CB Jamare Glasker, WR Horatio Fields

Top incoming recruits: QB Elijah Oehlke, DE Cole Funderburk, OT Will Saba

Biggest coaching move: New manager Jake Dickert made the cross-country determination from Washington State and brought respective assistants with him, but some coordinators, Rob Ezell (offense) and Scottie Hazelton (defense), were not connected Dickert's staff. Ezell is simply a dynamic up-and-coming adjunct with Nick Saban ties who helped South Alabama emergence to 19th nationally successful scoring. At Wyoming, Dickert worked nether Hazelton, who has been antiaircraft coordinator astatine Michigan State, Kansas State and North Dakota State.

What went wrong: Wake Forest not amazingly mislaid a large radical to the portal amid the coaching transition, including 3 apt cardinal contributors astatine wide receiver successful Horatio Fields, Deuce Alexander and Donavon Greene. The squad tried to backfill with transfers but volition request respective of the newcomers to beryllium amazingly productive. Luke Petitbon, a mainstay connected the violative enactment the past 2 seasons, transferred to Florida State, portion different enactment starter, Keagen Trost, landed with Missouri. Other than moving backmost and choky end, wherever Harry Lodge returned aft spending the outpouring astatine Georgia Tech, Wake Forest volition thin connected transfers astatine each violative position.

What went right: The squad retained its champion violative subordinate successful moving backmost Demond Claiborne, who eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards past play and has drawn fantabulous reviews from the caller coaches. Wake Forest besides brought backmost enactment and accumulation connected defence with players specified arsenic information Nick Andersen (team-high 122 tackles successful 2024) and linebacker Dylan Hazen (seven tackles for nonaccomplishment past season). Dickert delivered 8 transfers from Washington State, including bolstering the violative enactment with tackle Fa'alili Fa'amoe and halfway Devin Kylany and the wide receiver radical with Carlos Hernandez. In backmost transfers Robby Ashford and Deshawn Purdie, Wake Forest has 2 antithetic but susceptible options to pb the offense.

Connelly's take: After back-to-back 4-8 seasons, a implicit overhaul isn't the worst happening successful the world. But this is simply a complete overhaul -- caller coaching staff, 9 oregon 10 caller violative starters, 8 oregon 9 caller antiaircraft starters. Might instrumentality a portion for things to jell.

16. California Golden Bears

Key additions: QB Devin Brown, DE TJ Bush Jr., LB Harrison Taggart

Key departures: QB Fernando Mendoza, RB Jaydn Ott, LB Teddye Buchanan

Top incoming recruits: QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, OG Justin Hasenhuetl, TE Jacob Houseworth

Biggest coaching move: Cal has 2 caller coordinators, though Bryan Harsin, the erstwhile Auburn, Boise State and Arkansas State coach, is the headliner. He returns to coaching for the archetypal clip since 2022, overseeing a portion that includes Ohio State backmost transportation Devin Brown and a new-look moving backs room. Coach Justin Wilcox seeks continuity connected defense, wherever helium promoted Vic So'oto and Terrence Brown arsenic co-coordinators.

What went wrong: Put simply, Cal has been crushed by outgoing transfers, peculiarly connected offense, wherever the Bears mislaid 18 players from the squad that finished 6-7 a twelvemonth ago. A outpouring portal exodus from the program's moving backs country saw Cal suffer its apical 5 rushers, headlined by the departures of erstwhile All-Pac-12 enactment Jaydn Ott and 2024 rushing yards person Javian Thomas (UCLA). Combined with portal exits from Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), apical wide receiver Nyziah Hunter (Nebraska) and pb choky extremity Jack Endries (Texas), positive aggregate newcomers connected the violative line, Harsin volition person his enactment chopped retired for him successful his debut play overseeing a afloat renovated Bears offense.

What went right: Although Cal mislaid its 2024 starter, the programme secured its contiguous and aboriginal astatine backmost with the portal arrivals of Brown and freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, an ESPN 300 imaginable who returned to the Bears pursuing a signing time flip to Oregon. UNLV transportation wide receiver Jacob De Jesus is simply a two-time All-Mountain West peculiar teamer with explosive imaginable connected offense, and Cal added reinforcements up beforehand with 4 violative enactment transfers who combined for 40 starts past fall. If the outpouring portal stung Harsin's offense, it was benignant to So'oto and Brown -- antiaircraft extremity TJ Bush Jr. (Liberty), antiaircraft tackle Zae Smith (Houston Christian) and linebacker Harrison Taggart (BYU) are among the latest members of a heavy transportation people connected defense.

Connelly's take: Changing coordinators could crook retired to beryllium a bully thing, but the abrupt nonaccomplishment of accumulation successful the outpouring importantly changed the tenor of the offseason. Wilcox replaced Mendoza with immoderate intriguing options, but the accomplishment corps mislaid acold much than it gained, and the secondary is starting over.

17. Stanford Cardinal

Key additions: WR C.J. Williams, OT Niki Prongos, LB Hunter Barth

Key departures: WR Elic Ayomanor, OLB David Bailey, WR Emmett Mosley V

Top incoming recruits: WR JonAnthony Hall, DE Adam Shovlin, DT Kole Briehler

Biggest coaching move: Troy Taylor's firing successful precocious March rocked the Stanford programme up of his 3rd play arsenic caput coach. New wide manager Andrew Luck leaned connected his ain past successful hiring Frank Reich, who coached Luck with the Indianapolis Colts and has spent his full vocation successful the NFL. Reich volition manager Stanford for the 2025 play only, moving with Taylor's assistants.

What went wrong: Unexpected coaching changes ever bring immoderate bumps, and Stanford surely wasn't spared by Taylor's dismissal. The Cardinal mislaid immoderate of their champion non-seniors this spring, including David Bailey, who led the squad successful forced fumbles (5), sacks (6), backmost hurries (8) and tackles for nonaccomplishment (8) past season. He cashed successful astatine Texas Tech, portion Emmett Mosley V is headed to Texas aft finishing 2nd connected the squad successful receptions (48) and receiving yards (525). Cornerback Julian Neal, a cardinal transportation perpetrate from Fresno State, reentered the portal aft Taylor's firing and landed with Arkansas. The roster is surely successful flux for Reich.

What went right: Not much. Stanford already was going done turnover astatine respective cardinal positions successful the wintertime portal, and Taylor's firing acceptable disconnected different unit frenzy. The bully quality is Stanford brings backmost productive defenders similar safeties Scotty Edwards and Mitch Leigber, extracurricular linebacker Tevarua Tafiti and choky extremity Sam Roush. Taylor's assistants are besides staying connected done the 2025 season, including superior antiaircraft coordinator Bobby April, co-defensive coordinator Andy Thompson and Nate Byham, who was promoted from choky ends manager to violative coordinator. Significant changes are coming, but not close away, which is bully for the returning players.

Connelly's take: Stanford made zero advancement successful 2 years nether Taylor, truthful adjacent an awkwardly timed coaching alteration doesn't person to beryllium a atrocious thing. But ... it's not automatically bully either, and portion really utilizing the portal is good, the Cardinal inactive mislaid much than they brought in.

Big 12

1. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Key additions: DT Lee Hunter, OLB David Bailey, OT Howard Sampson

Key departures: RB Tahj Brooks, OL Caleb Rogers, WR Josh Kelly

Top incoming recruits: WR Bryson Jones, OG Connor Carty, OLB Brock Golwas

Biggest coaching move: Coach Joey McGuire has 2 caller coordinators up of a much-anticipated play successful Lubbock. Shiel Wood, who served arsenic Troy's antiaircraft coordinator erstwhile the squad won the Sun Belt and spent past play successful the aforesaid relation astatine Houston, volition instrumentality implicit a Texas Tech defence that finished 121st nationally successful points allowed. McGuire brought successful Mack Leftwich, a rising prima violative coordinator overmuch successful the aforesaid mold arsenic predecessor Zach Kittley, to pb the offense.

What went wrong: Not much! McGuire, GM James Blanchard and billionaire committee president Cody Campbell acceptable retired to physique the astir talented roster successful Texas Tech past this offseason and spared nary disbursal successful their efforts to vie for the champion players successful the portal. McGuire besides went retired and got precisely who helium wanted for his coordinator vacancies. The 1 subordinate Tech didn't privation to lose, five-star wideout Micah Hudson, has already returned aft a little stint astatine Texas A&M. Post-spring attrition was expected aft reserves were supplanted by newcomers, and a full of 22 assistance players person moved connected since the extremity of the 8-5 season.

What went right: If you're consenting to walk millions connected transfers, tin you get anybody you want? The Red Raiders came beauteous darn close. They've assembled 1 of the champion antiaircraft lines successful the athletics with the additions of Hunter, Bailey, Romello Height (Georgia Tech) and Skyler Gill-Howard (Northern Illinois). They made monolithic upgrades to their violative enactment with Sampson, Illinois State's Hunter Zambrano and Miami (Ohio)'s Will Jados starring the way. Miami (Ohio) transportation receiver Reggie Virgil and Louisiana transportation choky extremity Terrance Carter should beryllium big-time playmakers, and the database of interaction additions surely doesn't halt there. It's 1 of the astir ambitious offseason overhauls successful assemblage shot history, creating playoff-or-bust expectations for this coaching unit and the loaded roster.

Connelly's take: Tech's 8-5 grounds was a spot of a mirage past season, propped up by a 6-1 grounds successful one-score games. Joey McGuire volition truthful request to get adjacent much betterment retired of this astonishing transportation people than you mightiness deliberation astatine archetypal glance. But this was so a spectacular offseason successful Lubbock.

2. Arizona State Sun Devils

Key additions: WR Jaren Hamilton, RB Kanye Udoh, WR Jalen Moss

Key departures: RB Cam Skattebo, OL Leif Fautanu, DB Shamari Simmons

Top incoming recruits: QB Cameron Dyer, ILB Isaiah Iosefa, S Joseph Smith

Biggest coaching move: After winning the Big 12 and reaching the CFP for the archetypal time, Arizona State kept its coaching unit intact. Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, a finalist for the Broyles Award (nation's apical assistant) and the erstwhile UNLV caput coach, could soon get different accidental to pb a program, but helium volition beryllium backmost with manager Kenny Dillingham successful Tempe.

What went wrong: There's not overmuch to nitpick astir however the Sun Devils' offseason has played out. The sanction of the crippled this offseason was endowment retention, and Dillingham succeeded successful keeping this unit together. Five players who started 10-plus games successful 2024 moved on, and each of them were seniors. In fact, lone 2 of their outgoing transfers (WR Troy Omeire and TE Markeston Douglas) earned starts past season.

What went right: Dillingham indispensable beryllium thrilled with however everything is mounting up for Year 3. Arizona State brings backmost a ton of acquisition from its CFP squad, including 25 players with starts past season. You didn't perceive rumors astir Sam Leavitt, Jordyn Tyson oregon different returning starters investigating the unfastened market. The Sun Devils brought successful Udoh to squad with Kyson Brown and landed a trio of talented receivers successful Hamilton, Moss and Noble Johnson (Clemson) to regenerate departing seniors. They besides added assistance successful the secondary, but for the astir part, the Sun Devils were looking to boost depth. They've got much than capable to pursuit different Big 12 rubric and are anxious to tally it back.

Connelly's take: ASU has 1 of the champion returning accumulation percentages successful the state and kept some coordinators aft a late-season breakthrough. Continuity makes plentifulness of sense, adjacent though the Sun Devils did payment from immoderate close-game luck (6-2 successful one-score finishes).

3. Baylor Bears

Key additions: WR Kobe Prentice, LB Travion Barnes, QB Walker White

Key departures: LB Matt Jones, LB Garmon Randolph, WR Hal Presley

Top incoming recruits: RB Michael Turner, DE Kamauryn Morgan, DT Jackson Blackwell

Biggest coaching move: Coach Dave Aranda became the antiaircraft playcaller during Baylor's rebound play successful 2024, and helium made cardinal additions to his antiaircraft unit this winter. Baylor hired Paul Gonzales, an adjunct astatine rival TCU for the past 13 seasons, to beryllium antiaircraft passing crippled coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Aranda besides hired Carson Hall, a Western Kentucky adjunct with SEC ties, to enactment with the extracurricular linebackers.

What went wrong: Aranda and his unit got disconnected the blistery spot successful 2024 with a stunning turnaround from 2-4 to 8-5. Now they look good positioned to beryllium a Big 12 contender again with 14 returning starters. Defensive lineman Brendan Bett transferring to Florida was a pugnacious post-spring loss, but this has been a mostly palmy offseason from a endowment retention standpoint with lone 4 different assistance players departing for different Power 4 programs.

What went right: Sawyer Robertson was a revelation past season, producing an 83.7 QBR (fifth champion successful FBS) and powering an discourtesy that averaged 41.3 points per crippled implicit the 2nd fractional of the regular play (second astir successful FBS). He's getting much assistance astatine receiver with the accomplishment of Prentice and Texas State transportation Kole Wilson. There are plentifulness of prime pickups to constituent to connected defense, too. Barnes was the Defensive Player of the Year successful Conference USA past play aft racking up a league-high 129 tackles. Oregon transportation Emar'rion Winston and Tulane transportation Matthew Fobbs-White should assistance disconnected the edge, and the Bears picked up 4 caller DBs to bolster their secondary.

Connelly's take: Like ASU, Baylor improved connected some sides of the shot successful 2024 (especially precocious successful the season), kept its coordinators and present returns precocious accumulation levels. That's a bully offseason close there.

4. Iowa State Cyclones

Key additions: WR Chase Sowell, WR Xavier Townsend, DL Tamatoa McDonough

Key departures: WR Jayden Higgins, WR Jaylin Noel, CB Darien Porter

Top incoming recruits: DE Jack Limbaugh, DE Trey Verdon, RB Ryver Peppers

Biggest coaching move: Coach Matt Campbell has had to capable respective vacancies connected the violative unit successful caller years, and did truthful again with Tony Landry, who volition manager ISU's moving backs aft Tyler Roehl joined the Detroit Lions. Landry was violative coordinator successful 2024 for North Dakota State, which won the FCS nationalist title, and besides has coordinator acquisition from St. Thomas (Minnesota) and Wisconsin-La Crosse.

What went wrong: Starting antiaircraft lineman Tyler Onyedim transferring to Texas A&M and information Malik Verdon turning pro aboriginal past going undrafted were the lone important departures the Cyclones had to woody with this offseason. Four of the elder leaders of their first-ever 11-win play got drafted, and Campbell and his coaches were capable to get done the portal windows with minimal issues.

What went right: The Cyclones knew they'd person to regenerate Higgins and Noel going into 2025 and landed the apical 2 targets connected their committee successful Sowell, a talented 6-foot-4 wideout from East Carolina, and Townsend, who had antecedently committed to the Cyclones successful precocious school. Both lived up to large expectations successful outpouring signifier and should spot a ton of targets from Rocco Becht this fall. There are caller starters to plug successful crossed the extent chart, but the information this unit didn't spell dense connected portal pickups sent a wide connection they similar their depth, younker and momentum pursuing a historical play for the program.

Connelly's take: This was an highly Iowa State offseason. Campbell brought successful a mates of speedsters astatine wideout and needed to relationship for turnover connected the antiaircraft line, but this continuity-based programme boasts plentifulness of continuity pursuing its 2nd AP top-15 decorativeness ever.

5. Kansas State Wildcats

Key additions: S Gunner Maldonado, WR Jerand Bradley, OL George Fitzpatrick

Key departures: RB DJ Giddens, DE Brendan Mott, CB Jacob Parrish

Top incoming recruits: TE Linkon Cure, OG Brock Heath, S R.J. Collins

Biggest coaching move: After 1 play arsenic violative coordinator but 12 connected manager Chris Klieman's staff, Conor Riley departed for the NFL. Klieman prioritized continuity successful naming Matt Wells, the team's co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, to the superior role. Wells is simply a erstwhile caput manager astatine Texas Tech and Utah State. Klieman shifted Brian Lepak from choky ends to violative line, which Riley oversaw, and hired seasoned Big 12 adjunct Luke Wells to manager the choky ends.

What went wrong: Three losses successful November knocked K-State retired of the Big 12 rubric contention aft it had climbed arsenic precocious arsenic No. 16 successful the CFP rankings. The Wildcats volition request to regenerate tons of invaluable enactment and accumulation from that squad but person Avery Johnson backmost for his 2nd play arsenic QB1 and bully endowment astir him. The superior vexation for Klieman this outpouring was the information helium and his unit had to chopped down the Wildcats' walk-on roster to conscionable the expected caller 105-man roster bounds for 2025. For galore Big 12 programs, beardown developmental walk-on programs person been a important constituent for semipermanent success.

What went right: The Wildcats successfully fought disconnected immoderate efforts to tamper with Johnson and mislaid lone 2 assistance players during the December transportation model who ended up signing with Power 4 programs. They were capable to get Johnson much assistance with a trio of transportation receivers led by Bradley, who antecedently played for Wells astatine Texas Tech, positive Jaron Tibbs (Purdue) and Caleb Medford (New Mexico). Klieman and his unit besides held disconnected a beardown precocious propulsion from Oregon for Cure, the No. 66 enlistee successful the 2025 ESPN 300, and brought successful 1 of the highest-rated signees successful programme history.

Connelly's take: That Johnson volition person his 3rd violative coordinator successful 3 seasons is suboptimal, but K-State inactive boasts fantabulous continuity successful astir units, and Klieman was assertive with portal additions some connected the violative enactment and successful the secondary, capable truthful that the Wildcats person top-15 returning accumulation levels.

6. TCU Horned Frogs

Key additions: WR Jordan Dwyer, WR Joseph Manjack IV, DT Ansel Din-Mbuh

Key departures: WR Jack Bech, WR Savion Williams, OL James Brockermeyer

Top incoming recruits: DE Chad Woodfork, DE Jared Martin, WR Terry Shelton

Biggest coaching move: Coordinators Andy Avalos (defense) and Kendal Briles (offense) are back, but manager Sonny Dykes added caller faces connected some sides of the ball. Veteran assistants Brian Norwood (safeties) and Randy Clements (offensive line) came aboard, on with erstwhile Baylor prima wide receiver Corey Coleman, who volition enactment with the Frogs' wideouts. Tre Watson comes implicit from Cal to manager the safeties and nickels, and Dykes grew some the on-field radical and the unit unit with men who person Big 12/Texas roots.

What went wrong: After a bumpy 3-3 start, the Horned Frogs enjoyed a beardown decorativeness with six wins implicit their past 7 games, pulling disconnected a bully bounce-back from 5-7 successful 2023. Dykes' squad indispensable regenerate 11 starters from a solid, transfer-heavy elder people that yielded 2 top-100 draught picks successful Bech and Williams. But the Frogs did not suffer excessively overmuch to the portal implicit the offseason beyond Brockermeyer, their starting center, transferring to Miami and Hejny, the backup QB, moving connected to Oklahoma State.

What went right: Several schools inquired astir the availability of TCU starting QB Josh Hoover, whose 3,949 passing yards past play fertile second-most among each returning FBS QBs down LSU's Garrett Nussmeier. But the redshirt inferior had nary involvement successful leaving Fort Worth and is locked successful for different year. He'll beryllium getting seasoned assistance astatine receiver with the accomplishment of Manjack and Dwyer, who enactment up 1,192 receiving yards and 12 TDs past play astatine FCS Idaho. UTSA transportation moving backmost Kevorian Barnes, the C-USA Freshman of the Year successful 2022, should assistance regenerate the accumulation of Cam Cook. The Frogs besides secured bully transportation additions successful the secondary to resoluteness those needs. An offseason with beardown retention of the 9 returning players who started much than six games successful 2024 sets this squad up to physique connected their advancement and get backmost successful the Big 12 rubric race.

Connelly's take: The Frogs ended the twelvemonth arsenic 1 of the Big 12's champion and held connected to Hoover and some coordinators. Dykes wasn't overly assertive successful the portal, and we'll spot if Hoover gets what helium needs from the accomplishment corps. Experience levels are beardown conscionable astir everyplace else, though.

7. Utah Utes

Key additions: QB Devon Dampier, RB Wayshawn Parker, WR Ryan Davis

Key departures: DT Junior Tafuna, LB Karene Reid, CB Zemaiah Vaughn

Top incoming recruits: ILB Christian Thatcher, OLB Cyrus Polu, QB Wyatt Becker

Biggest coaching move: Utah manager Kyle Whittingham mightiness beryllium entering his last season, but he'll person a caller violative coordinator successful Jason Beck, hired to boost a portion that finished 102nd nationally successful scoring past fall. Beck played backmost astatine BYU and has coaching acquisition successful the state, some astatine BYU and Weber State. He held coordinator roles astatine Syracuse and New Mexico, and helium brought Lobos backmost Devon Dampier with him to the Utes.

What went wrong: The preseason Big 12 front-runner endured a brutal 5-7 tally done their archetypal twelvemonth successful their caller league -- a play wrecked by injuries, inconsistency and a seven-game losing streak. Whittingham isn't conscionable having to overhaul the discourtesy this offseason. He needs to find bully replacements for 27 departures (16 seniors, 11 transfers) who earned starts for the Utes successful 2024. A full of 30 assistance players transferred retired of the programme this offseason, creating tons of country for newcomers to assistance remake this roster.

What went right: Dampier was 1 of the astir breathtaking playmakers astatine the Group of 5 level and a first-team All-Mountain West performer past season, starring the league with 3,934 full yards of discourtesy including 1,166 yards and 19 TDs successful the tally game. The 5-foot-11 inferior gets to play down possibly the champion violative enactment successful the Big 12 with each 5 starters returning and tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu already receiving first-round hype for adjacent year's NFL draft. Beck has loaded up with six caller transportation receivers and a caller trio of transportation moving backs led by Parker. The defence added extent successful the secondary and the D-line via the portal but appears to beryllium successful bully signifier with 10 returning players who started games past season.

Connelly's take: Depth whitethorn beryllium a interest connected defense, but this offseason was each astir resetting an discourtesy that fell isolated owed to backmost injuries and a deficiency of ideas. And damned if Whittingham didn't bash a beauteous coagulated occupation successful landing Beck, Dampier and a marque caller accomplishment corps. Utah could instantly go a league contender again.

8. Cincinnati Bearcats

Key additions: OL Joe Cotton, WR Cyrus Allen, CB Matthew McDoom

Key departures: OL John Williams, OL Luke Kandra, RB Corey Kiner

Top incoming recruits: RB Zion Johnson, WR Giyahni Kontosis, QB Zebulin Kinsey

Biggest coaching move: Coach Scott Satterfield made adjustments to the antiaircraft unit successful hiring Adam Braithwaite, who has FCS coordinator experience, to manager safeties, and LSU elder expert Eddie Hicks arsenic cornerbacks coach. Linebackers manager Cortney Braswell besides added a co-coordinator rubric and volition enactment with Tyson Veidt aft a beardown play from the Bearcats' backers.

What went wrong: Cincinnati endured a pugnacious late-season descent successful 2024, missing retired connected vessel eligibility by losing 5 successful a enactment aft a 5-2 start. What does it instrumentality to flip a 2-8 grounds successful games decided by one-score margins? Continuity should assistance arsenic Scott Satterfield enters Year 3. The Bearcats weren't deed particularly hard during the portal windows and mislaid a full of 16 assistance players, but lone 4 person landed astatine different Power 4 programs.

What went right: The Bearcats took attraction of concern successful December and got their apical returning players re-signed, including QB Brendan Sorsby, antiaircraft tackle Dontay Corleone and choky extremity Joe Royer. They landed proven newcomers on the violative enactment successful Cotton, 1 of the apical players successful the outpouring portal window, and Ball State's Taran Tyo, and they added a trio speedsters astatine receiver successful Allen, Colorado State's Caleb Goodie and Lindenwood's Jeff Caldwell. This unit does arsenic bully of a occupation arsenic immoderate of uncovering under-the-radar gems successful the portal and did truthful erstwhile again this offseason.

Connelly's take: The Bearcats bask coagulated returning accumulation levels, and Satterfield made immoderate indispensable additions connected defence (especially successful the secondary). This is simply a decent offseason ... but is "decent" capable aft 8 wins successful 2 years?

9. BYU Cougars

Key additions: DT Keanu Tanuvasa, TE Carsen Ryan, DT Justin Kirkland

Key departures: DE Tyler Batty, OL Caleb Etienne, CB Jakob Robinson

Top incoming recruits: OT Austin Pay, WR Lamason Waller, OT Siosiua Vete

Biggest coaching move: After an 11-win season, BYU retained apical coordinators Jay Hill (defense) and Aaron Roderick (offense) and had minimal changes to Kalani Sitake's staff. Hill, whose sanction surfaced for Utah State's coaching vacancy, promoted Jernaro Gilford, the team's cornerbacks coach, to antiaircraft passing crippled coordinator. Gilford starred astatine cornerback for BYU and has been connected the unit for the past decade.

What went wrong: The Cougars came up 1 crippled abbreviated of playing for a Big 12 title successful their 2nd twelvemonth successful the league, rolling to a 9-0 commencement earlier back-to-back losses -- by a combined borderline of 9 points -- enactment them connected the incorrect broadside of a four-team tiebreaker. Now they indispensable find a mode to regenerate 12 of the 18 players who started 9 oregon much games past season, with receiver Keelan Marion and linebacker Harrison Taggart joining the database arsenic outpouring portal departures. The Cougars' lone returning All-Big 12 performer entering 2025 is kicker Will Ferrin. This squad has large returning enactment but volition request tons of players to measurement up into much important roles.

What went right: The Cougars person a dependable returning starting QB successful Jake Retzlaff, who enactment up much than 3,300 full yards and 26 TDs successful 2024, and bring backmost six much violative starters from their Alamo Bowl rout of Colorado. They needed to reload on the antiaircraft enactment with 4 elder starters moving connected and pulled disconnected immoderate large portal additions with Tanuvasa, Kirkland and Texas transportation antiaircraft extremity Tausili Akana, a erstwhile top-150 recruit. The post-spring summation of Stanford transportation receiver Tiger Bachmeier should assistance marque up for the nonaccomplishment of Marion, and Ryan helped resoluteness a large request astatine choky end.

Connelly's take: Returning your backmost and some coordinators aft a bully twelvemonth is ne'er a atrocious thing, but the Cougars are replacing a fig of starters and didn't bring successful overmuch of a portal haul. Sitake volition request to find immoderate interior answers.

10. Colorado Buffaloes

Key additions: DT Jehiem Oatis, WR Joseph Williams, QB Kaidon Salter

Key departures: WR/CB Travis Hunter, QB Shedeur Sanders, DL BJ Green II

Top incoming recruits: QB Julian Lewis, DE London Merritt, OT Carde Smith

Biggest coaching move: Coach Prime not lone retained antiaircraft coordinator Robert Livingston, who received NFL involvement and landed a caller enhanced declaration with Colorado, but helium besides added different Pro Football Hall of Famer to the unit successful Marshall Faulk. An NFL MVP and a three-time violative subordinate of the twelvemonth selection, Faulk was 1 of the champion all-purpose moving backs ever and present volition enactment with the Buffs' backs.

What went wrong: Critics expected Coach Prime to determination connected aft Year 2, but he's afloat committed to starring the Buffaloes into the aboriginal and earned a five-year, $54 cardinal hold aft a breakthrough 2024 season. This was ever going to beryllium a challenging offseason with 2 superstars and a clump of seniors going pro. The Buffs did suffer 8 players -- who earned starts past play -- to the portal, and Sanders had to marque caller hires to regenerate 4 adjunct coaches. But the programme is rolling close on with 2 breathtaking options astatine QB and different large portal class.

What went right: Lewis, the No. 12 wide enlistee successful the 2025 ESPN 300, flipping from USC to Colorado past November was a monolithic infinitesimal for this programme that kicked disconnected different engaged offseason of roster additions. The Buffaloes inked 4 ESPN 300 recruits, secured a proven 29-game starting QB successful Salter and landed 1 of the astir talented antiaircraft linemen successful the portal successful Oatis. They've besides done a bully occupation of addressing their needs astatine wide receiver and on the violative line. While Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are irreplaceable talents, Colorado has added plentifulness of assistance this offseason to support this programme successful Big 12 rubric contention.

Connelly's take: Between Salter and Lewis, possibly nary 1 successful the league has higher upside astatine QB than Colorado. But the Buffaloes mislaid astir 17 starters -- including 9 from a bully discourtesy -- and Sanders chose not to load up rather arsenic overmuch successful the portal. That makes this consciousness similar a modulation twelvemonth of sorts.

11. Houston Cougars

Key additions: QB Conner Weigman, TE Tanner Koziol, LB Carmycah Glass

Key departures: CB Jeremiah Wilson, S A.J. Haulcy, QB Donovan Smith

Top incoming recruits: QB Austin Carlisle, TE Wyatt Herbel, DL Travis Buhake

Biggest coaching move: After a unsmooth archetypal play astatine Houston, manager Willie Fritz volition person 2 caller coordinators. Austin Armstrong takes implicit the defence aft 2 seasons astatine Florida, wherever helium was the SEC's youngest coordinator (31) erstwhile helium took implicit successful 2023. Slade Nagle, who worked nether Fritz arsenic a Tulane adjunct from 2016 to 2023, volition pb the offense, a relation helium held for Tulane successful 2023.

What went wrong: Fritz's debut play with the Cougars featured immoderate encouraging moments, including upset wins implicit TCU and Kansas State, but an discourtesy that averaged a Big-12-worst 12.9 points per crippled successful league play made it pugnacious to compete. The Cougars mislaid antiaircraft coordinator Shiel Wood to Texas Tech, mislaid receivers Joseph Manjack IV (TCU) and Jonah Wilson (Texas A&M) to the portal aft the play and mislaid 3 talented DBs successful Wilson (Florida State), Haulcy (LSU) and Keionte Scott (Miami) aft the spring. They're counting connected different large injection of transportation endowment to assistance expedite this rebuilding process.

What went right: The summation of Weigman, ESPN's No. 1 backmost enlistee successful 2022, was a immense archetypal measurement successful the Cougars' efforts to revamp their discourtesy for Year 2. Transfer receiver Harvey Broussard (Louisiana) and the choky extremity duo of Tanner Koziol (Wisconsin) and Luke McGary (Tulsa) should boost their passing attack, and the violative enactment got tons of seasoned help. This unit recovered prime pickups astatine linebacker and successful the secondary during the outpouring transportation window, bringing the portal people up to 28 signees. It's not an exceedingly splashy group, but they recovered bully players to assistance powerfulness this turnaround.

Connelly's take: Fritz overhauled the discourtesy successful a precise indispensable way, and the passing crippled looks a batch sturdier now. That's good. The antiaircraft overhaul, however, was little voluntary, and the Coogs volition request a fig of newcomers to deed immediately.

12. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Key additions: DE Kyran Duhon, OL Markell Samuel, CB Jaylin Davies

Key departures: WR Brennan Presley, RB Ollie Gordon II, LB Nick Martin

Top incoming recruits: DE Michael Riles, OT Jaylan Beckley, OLB Carl'veon Young

Biggest coaching move: The worst play successful manager Mike Gundy's agelong tenure brought expected large changes. Oklahoma State fired longtime violative coordinator Kasey Dunn and brought backmost a acquainted sanction successful Doug Meacham, a erstwhile Cowboys lineman with Big 12 coordinator experience. Gundy made an adjacent much notable prosecute connected defence successful Todd Grantham, the erstwhile antiaircraft coordinator astatine Georgia, Florida and different assemblage and NFL spots.

What went wrong: It's been a fascinating offseason afloat of alteration successful Stillwater. Gundy agreed to instrumentality successful 2025 connected a restructured woody with a $1 cardinal wage chopped aft a brutal 3-9 play with a squad that was expected to contend for a Big 12 title. He replaced each 10 of his full-time adjunct coaches. His assemblage president stepped down successful February. He and his caller coaches afloat leaned into portal recruiting to remake their roster with 26 assistance players transferring retired this offseason. After each the turbulence and turnover that followed the worst play of the Gundy era, the Cowboys volition look wholly antithetic entering his 21st season.

What went right: This brand-new coaching unit has a ton of enactment and a ton of teaching to bash with 38 caller transfers coming in. But if they tin propulsion this off, Oklahoma State could beryllium 1 of the astir improved teams successful the Big 12 this fall. The combo of Zane Flores and TCU transportation Hauss Hejny astatine QB is young but promising, and the Pokes managed to onshore seasoned starting violative linemen successful the portal. Grantham is moving with a ton of caller endowment connected defense, particularly up front. Gundy's willingness to get amended faster mightiness person been retired of necessity, but this looks similar a truly coagulated portal people that could assistance flip the Pokes' fortunes.

Connelly's take: It's hard to foretell large occurrence conscionable due to the fact that the Pokes volition person caller seasoned coordinators and astir of a caller roster, but that transfusion was indispensable aft 2024's collapse. The receiving corps additions are peculiarly intriguing. We'll spot if it's capable for a turnaround.

13. West Virginia Mountaineers

Key additions: DL Jimmori Robinson, WR Cam Vaughn, CB Michael Coats Jr.

Key departures: OL Wyatt Milum, OL Tomas Rimac, QB Garrett Greene

Top incoming recruits: CB Dawayne Galloway, DT Taylor Brown, DE Brandon Caesar

Biggest coaching move: Rich Rodriguez is backmost astatine his alma mater, 17 years aft his infamous departure to Michigan. His unit is filled with notable names, including adjunct quarterbacks manager Pat White, the erstwhile WVU star, and Jeff Casteel, the Mountaineers' erstwhile antiaircraft coordinator. Rodriguez besides brought successful antiaircraft coordinator Zac Alley, who held the aforesaid relation nether Rodriguez astatine Jacksonville State earlier spending past autumn astatine Oklahoma.

What went wrong: Rodriguez is moving connected 1 of the much melodramatic roster flips successful the Power 4 during his archetypal offseason backmost astatine West Virginia. The Mountaineers person had 47 assistance players deed the portal during this transition. A clump of proven starters moved connected aft the firing of erstwhile manager Neal Brown, including Rimac (Virginia Tech), moving backmost CJ Donaldson Jr. (Ohio State), receiver Hudson Clement (Illinois) and linebacker Josiah Trotter (Missouri). Rodriguez and his coaches person loaded up with much than 40 newcomers via the portal to regenerate them, but this is going to beryllium rather a reset for the roster with a ton of caller faces filling the two-deep.

What went right: In this epoch of assemblage football, it's amended to execute a roster makeover of this magnitude earlier Year 1 alternatively than after. The caller unit has won battles for immoderate coveted players successful the portal including Robinson, who earned AAC Defensive Player of the Year past play astatine UTSA, and brought prime starters specified arsenic Vaughn and DB Fred Perry with them from Jacksonville State. They besides managed to support respective cardinal players similar QB Nicco Marchiol and moving backmost Jahiem White retired of the portal. But these Mountaineers are going to look practically brand-new successful 2025. If a batch of these waiver ligament pickups enactment retired and they tin make bully depth, West Virginia could drawback up rapidly to their Big 12 peers.

Connelly's take: Rodriguez was not shy successful some bringing players from and seemingly sending players to the portal. WVU could person arsenic galore arsenic 19 oregon 20 caller starters successful 2025, though betwixt Alley and a fewer Jacksonville State transfers, he'll admit astatine slightest immoderate of the faces astir him.

14. Kansas Jayhawks

Key additions: WR Emmanuel Henderson Jr., LB Bangally Kamara, LB Trey Lathan

Key departures: RB Devin Neal, CB Cobee Bryant, CB Mello Dotson

Top incoming recruits: QB David McComb, WR Jaden Nickens, OLB Malachi Curvey

Biggest coaching move: The Jayhawks volition person their 3rd violative coordinator successful arsenic galore seasons, but Jim Zebrowski is simply a acquainted sanction aft coaching Jalon Daniels and the KU quarterbacks for the past 3 seasons. Coach Lance Leipold besides brought successful Matt Lubick, a seasoned coordinator who spent 2022 and 2023 arsenic a elder expert astatine Kansas, to service arsenic co-offensive coordinator.

What went wrong: The Jayhawks flashed their imaginable successful November with a three-game triumph streak implicit top-25 opponents and a beardown decorativeness to a pugnacious 5-7 season. The information that the Jayhawks mislaid lone 9 assistance players to the portal, adjacent with Leipold making cardinal changes to his coaching staff, shows there's inactive a precocious level of buy-in to physique on. Zebrowski and recently promoted antiaircraft coordinator D.K. McDonald volition enactment their ain rotation connected things, but this offseason is each astir getting backmost to playing with consistency aft the ups and downs of 2025.

What went right: Kansas had to regenerate 1 of the astir impactful elder classes successful programme history, but Daniels agreed to instrumentality for 1 last season. The sixth-year elder QB volition pb a squad that features 24 caller additions via the portal. The unit did a bully occupation of restocking astatine wide receiver with Henderson, Cam Pickett (Ball State), Levi Wentz (Albany) and Bryson Canty (Columbia) and succeeded successful landing seasoned starters astatine linebacker. This unit has ever been capable to find gems portion scouting the portal and should person capable competitory extent to get backmost to playing to the modular Leipold has set. Another cardinal to bouncing back: The Jayhawks volition beryllium backmost connected their location turf this play erstwhile the archetypal signifier of renovations astatine David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium are completed.

Connelly's take: KU wasn't arsenic atrocious arsenic its grounds past season, but present Leipold indispensable technologist a bounce backmost with 2 caller coordinators and astir 16 caller starters. He wasn't shy astir utilizing the portal to capable holes and could find the answers helium needs, but successful a league loaded with continuity, the Jayhawks person little than most.

15. Arizona Wildcats

Key additions: WR Kris Hutson, CB Michael Dansby, RB Ismail Mahdi

Key departures: WR Tetairoa McMillan, OL Jonah Savaiinaea, CB Tacario Davis

Top incoming recruits: WR Isaiah Mizell, RB Cornelius Warren, CB Swayde Griffin

Biggest coaching move: Arizona's triumph full dropped from 10 to 4 nether first-year manager Brent Brennan, who not amazingly overhauled his staff. Brennan promoted Danny Gonzales, the erstwhile New Mexico manager who served arsenic linebackers manager and peculiar teams coordinator successful 2024, to oversee the defense. He brought successful Seth Doege, who helped Marshall to a Sun Belt rubric past fall, arsenic violative coordinator. Craig Naivar comes implicit from Coastal Carolina to coordinate peculiar teams.

What went wrong: Heavy attrition was to beryllium expected aft a disappointing 4-8 debut season, and the Wildcats person seen 37 assistance players exit via the portal this offseason. Davis, LB Jacob Manu and DL Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei joined their erstwhile coaches astatine Washington. Gunner Maldonado (Kansas State) and Emmanuel Karnley (Virginia) were besides pugnacious losses for the secondary. Offensive lineman Wendell Moe Jr., a 26-game starter, is present astatine Tennessee, and the violative enactment is simply a large question people entering 2025 with tons of newcomers needing to measurement up. It's telling, though, that lone 8 of Arizona's 37 transfers person landed connected different Power 4 rosters.

What went right: There's crushed for optimism astir Arizona's violative absorption nether Doege aft past year's suboptimal setup. Brennan was capable to support Fifita connected committee and worked hard to get the roster flipped with much than 25 transfers. No 1 receiver is going to lucifer McMillan's production, but they look to person done a bully occupation adding to that room. They spot their quality to measure with a important fig of newcomers coming from the FCS ranks. The Wildcats were successful a pugnacious no-man's-land aft winning 10 games successful 2023, with win-now expectations for a caller unit coaching successful a caller conference, and the results were brutal. This offseason brought a much-needed reset.

Connelly's take: The unit overhaul was warranted, and portion Brennan leaned heavily connected the FCS ranks to solidify the antiaircraft beforehand six, helium could tract astir an wholly caller lineup of players who were starters elsewhere if helium wanted to. Experience levels volition beryllium solid.

16. UCF Knights

Key additions: QB Tayven Jackson, DL Sincere Edwards, OL Carter Miller

Key departures: RB RJ Harvey, WR Kobe Hudson, DT Lee Hunter

Top incoming recruits: RB Taevion Swint, DT RyShawn Perry, CB Rukeem Stroud

Biggest coaching move: Scott Frost is backmost astatine the programme helium elevated to nationalist prominence with a 13-0 play successful 2017. Frost, retired of assemblage shot since being fired by Nebraska aboriginal successful the 2022 season, oversees a coaching unit with notable names specified arsenic antiaircraft coordinator Alex Grinch, violative enactment manager Shawn Clark and quarterbacks manager McKenzie Milton, the erstwhile UCF star.

What went wrong: The modulation that Gus Malzahn acceptable disconnected by leaving for the Florida State OC occupation had rather a outgo successful presumption of roster attrition. The Knights person had 34 assistance players depart this offseason, including 11 who started games past season. They were deed particularly hard on the violative enactment with Adrian Medley (Florida State), Marcellus Marshall (Minnesota), Caden Kitler (Arkansas) and Waltclaire Flynn (Georgia) moving on. Hunter, an All-Big 12 selection, became 1 of the astir coveted players successful the portal and landed astatine Texas Tech. Tight extremity Randy Pittman Jr. besides followed Malzahn to the Seminoles. Add successful a ample elder people moving connected and you get a large roster rebuild for Frost and his caller staff.

What went right: The Knights person attacked their needs good successful the portal windows and person loaded up with 34 transportation signees. Frost is moving with a rebuilt QB country featuring Jackson, who started six games astatine Indiana, competing with Jacurri Brown, Cam Fancher (FAU) and Davi Belfort (Virginia Tech). Running backmost Jaden Nixon, a first-team All-MAC prime astatine Western Michigan past season, volition effort to assistance regenerate Harvey's production. There are tons of caller faces astatine receiver and connected the violative line, and Grinch is moving with 16 caller transfers connected defense.

Connelly's take: Last clip Frost took implicit successful Orlando, helium was inheriting pieces from an 0-12 team. So it has been worse! But UCF has the lowest returning accumulation levels successful the conference, and Frost volition commencement retired with an discourtesy that boasts astir virtually nary proven pieces. This renovation mightiness instrumentality a small while.

Big Ten

1. Penn State Nittany Lions

Key additions: WR Trebor Pena, WR Devonte Ross, LB Amare Campbell

Key departures: DE Abdul Carter, TE Tyler Warren, WR Harrison Wallace III

Top incoming recruits: TE Andrew Olesh, CB Daryus Dixson, WR Lyrick Samuel

Biggest coaching move: Penn State fans tin instrumentality contented with definite things astir James Franklin but not his quality to prosecute coordinators. After bringing successful Manny Diaz, Andy Kotelnicki and Tom Allen successful the past 2 offseasons, Franklin made a large splash with Jim Knowles, who moved implicit from nationalist champion Ohio State to regenerate Allen arsenic antiaircraft coordinator. Knowles, a Philadelphia native, is 1 of the nation's astir respected playcallers.

What went wrong: Allen's departure aft lone 1 twelvemonth forced Penn State into different change, though the squad couldn't person recovered a amended replacement than Knowles. The Lions had 2 players selected successful the apical 15 of the NFL draught successful Carter and Warren. The squad didn't truly adhd to either presumption different than Texas A&M transportation Enai White, a projected reserve. Penn State besides mislaid Wallace, its apical wide receiver successful 2024, to Ole Miss, arsenic good arsenic big-play menace Omari Evans to Washington. The Lions besides saw respective rotational defenders transportation out, including cornerback Cam Miller, who had 27 tackles, an interception and 5 walk breakups past season.

What went right: After a heartbreaking nonaccomplishment successful the CFP semifinal, Penn State kept overmuch of its halfway together. The violative backfield volition erstwhile again diagnostic backmost Drew Allar and moving backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Defensive extremity Dani Dennis-Sutton is back, arsenic good arsenic linebackers Tony Rojas and Dominic DeLuca, information Zakee Wheatley, cornerback A.J. Harris and others. Penn State didn't adhd galore transfers but addressed by acold its biggest request astatine wide receiver with Pena, a 2024 second-team All-ACC enactment astatine Syracuse who had 84 catches for 941 yards and 9 touchdowns, arsenic good arsenic Ross (Troy) and Kyron Hudson (USC). The squad besides made a cardinal precocious summation successful Campbell, who gives Knowles a proven pass-rushing threat.

Connelly's take: Typically having to prosecute your 4th antiaircraft coordinator successful 5 years isn't great, particularly erstwhile you besides suffer 3 starters from a dynamite beforehand seven. But pilfering your rival's awesome antiaircraft coordinator and keeping each of your violative stars (while utilizing the portal for receiver upgrades) is simply a bully mode to nail the offseason.

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Why DC Jim Knowles near OSU for PSU

Heather Dinich breaks down wherefore antiaircraft coordinator Jim Knowles opted to permission Ohio State for Penn State.

2. Oregon Ducks

Key additions: OT Isaiah World, S Dillon Thieneman, RB Makhi Hughes

Key departures: OT Josh Conerly Jr., DT Derrick Harmon, WR Tez Johnson

Top incoming recruits: WR Dakorien Moore, CB Na'eem Offord, OT Douglas Utu

Biggest coaching move: Dan Lanning kept the halfway of a unit that helped Oregon to a Big Ten rubric and the No. 1 effect successful the archetypal 12-team CFP. The lone important alteration came astatine wide receivers coach, arsenic Lanning hired Syracuse's Ross Douglas to regenerate Junior Adams, who near for the NFL. Douglas besides has coaching acquisition with the New England Patriots.

What went wrong: Not much. Lanning avoided large unit losses and astir of Oregon's outgoing transfers projected arsenic rotational players. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who signed with Oregon successful aboriginal December earlier flipping to Cal successful January, could extremity up hurting the Ducks' aboriginal backmost plans beyond Dante Moore, the team's projected starter this fall. Oregon mislaid respective antiaircraft reserves specified arsenic borderline Emar'rion Winston and information Tyler Turner, who some landed astatine Baylor. The squad added the oft-traveled Bear Alexander to bolster the antiaircraft enactment but didn't adhd immoderate different interaction linemen for a radical that mislaid Harmon, a first-round draught pick, arsenic good arsenic third-round picks Jordan Burch and Jamaree Caldwell.

What went right: Lanning retained his apical assistants and champion non-NFL-bound players, and helium made respective cardinal additions successful the portal, particularly for the secondary. The cardinal returnees see wide receiver Evan Stewart, antiaircraft extremity Matayo Uiagalelei and linebacker Bryce Boettcher. Oregon besides landed respective of the champion portal players astatine their respective positions, including World, Hughes and Thieneman. The Ducks further addressed their violative enactment departures with Alex Harkey (Texas State) and Emmanuel Pregnon (USC). They landed 2 All-Big Ten antiaircraft backs successful Thieneman and cornerback Theran Johnson from Northwestern. Although Alexander is simply a chaotic card, if Oregon's coaches tin maximize his ability, they'll person something.

Connelly's take: Lanning's programme remains successful bully signifier wide and landed astatine slightest a mates of dynamite pieces successful the portal. But the Ducks conscionable had so much to regenerate overall, and there's astir obscurity to spell from 13-1 but down.

3. Illinois Fighting Illini

Key additions: WR Hudson Clement, DT James Thompson Jr., WR Justin Bowick

Key departures: WR Pat Bryant, WR Zakhari Franklin, RB Josh McCray

Top incoming recruits: DE Erik Gayle, TE Logan Farrell, WR Brayden Trimble

Biggest coaching move: Bret Bielema retained each of his superior assistants pursuing a 10-win season, and made immoderate absorbing additions to enactment staff. Among them: erstwhile Ball State manager Mike Neu, hired arsenic a elder violative assistant, and James White, a erstwhile prima moving backmost for Bielema and Wisconsin who played 8 NFL seasons and volition assistance Thad Ward with the Illini moving backs.

What went wrong: Almost thing until the outpouring transportation portal, erstwhile Josh McCray, Illinois' starring rusher successful 2024, entered and transferred to Georgia. McCray had 609 yards and 10 touchdowns, and helium earned Cheez-It Citrus Bowl MVP honors successful his last crippled with the Illini. Although Illinois returns Aidan Laughery and Kaden Feagin, who showed immoderate accumulation past fall, McCray would person been a bully subordinate to feature. Wide receiver is the lone presumption wherever Illinois loses important accumulation with some Bryant and Franklin departing. While Clement and Bowick are coagulated additions, neither has had the accumulation of the 2 wideouts they're replacing.

What went right: Bielema kept astir each cardinal contributor -- subordinate and manager -- from Illinois' champion play since the Rose Bowl squad successful 2007. Draftable players specified arsenic linebacker Gabe Jacas, information Xavier Scott, violative tackle J.C. Davis and backmost Luke Altmyer each instrumentality from a 10-win team. Altmyer is particularly significant, arsenic Tennessee made a propulsion to adhd him pursuing Nico Iamaleava's departure. The Illini volition person their champion violative enactment successful Bielema's tenure with each 5 starters back. Although Illinois didn't person to adhd a ton of transfers, it addressed wide receiver and brought successful Wisconsin antiaircraft lineman James Thompson Jr. and respective different Badgers expected to contribute.

Connelly's take: Last year's 5-1 grounds successful one-score finishes is going to beryllium hard to match, but the Illini fertile successful the apical 5 successful returning accumulation and held onto some coordinators aft past year's delightful run. Almost nary 1 enjoys amended continuity successful 2025.

4. Indiana Hoosiers

Key additions: QB Fernando Mendoza, C Pat Coogan, DT Hosea Wheeler

Key departures: DT CJ West, QB Kurtis Rourke, LB Jailin Walker

Top incoming recruits: S Byron Baldwin, WR LeBron Bond, DE Triston Abram

Biggest coaching move: Indiana's accrued resources successful shot showed arsenic Curt Cignetti retained superior coordinators Bryant Haines (defense) and Mike Shanahan (offense). He mislaid lone 1 assistant, co-OC and quarterbacks manager Tino Sunseri, and hired an absorbing replacement successful Chandler Whitmer. Whitner is simply a erstwhile assemblage backmost with immoderate coaching acquisition with 2 NFL teams arsenic good arsenic Clemson and Ohio State.

What went wrong: Not overmuch arsenic the Hoosiers mislaid lone 1 large assistant, Sunseri, who near for the superior coordinator relation astatine UCLA, and IU mostly worked the transportation portal to their favor. Indiana mislaid starting cornerback Jamier Johnson and respective rotational players connected the violative and antiaircraft lines. After a 2024 play wherever Indiana mostly avoided large injuries extracurricular of a ruptured Achilles sustained by violative lineman Drew Evans, the team's wide extent could beryllium tested much this fall.

What went right: Indiana brought backmost All-Big Ten players connected some sides of the shot successful antiaircraft extremity Mikail Kamara, linebacker Aiden Fisher, cornerback D'Angelo Ponds and wide receiver Elijah Sarratt. The Hoosiers addressed Rourke's NFL departure by adding Mendoza, 1 of the apical quarterbacks successful the portal, and brought successful accomplished moving backs Roman Hemby (Maryland) and Lee Beebe Jr. (UAB). Indiana knew it would request replacements connected some lines and added Coogan (Notre Dame), Wheeler (Western Kentucky), violative tackle Zen Michalski (Ohio State), defender Kahlil Benson (Colorado) and antiaircraft lineman Stephen Daley (Kent State).

Connelly's take: After past year's astonishing breakthrough, Indiana astir apt would person loved a spot much continuity, but winning large with a immense load of transfers apt means you'll person to instrumentality connected different immense load of transfers the adjacent year. At slightest the coordinators stayed.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes

Key additions: TE Max Klare, DE Beau Atkinson, OT Ethan Onianwa

Key departures: WR Emeka Egbuka, DT Tyleik Williams, OL Donovan Jackson

Top incoming recruits: QB Tavien St. Clair, CB Devin Sanchez, OLB Riley Pettijohn

Biggest coaching move: The Buckeyes mislaid some coordinators from the nationalist rubric team, but there's much intrigue connected defence arsenic Matt Patricia, the erstwhile Detroit Lions manager who hasn't coached successful assemblage since serving arsenic a Syracuse postgraduate adjunct successful 2003, replaces Jim Knowles. Coach Ryan Day moved Brian Hartline backmost into the superior violative coordinator, and the splashiest determination connected that broadside was hiring violative enactment manager Tyler Bowen, the erstwhile OC astatine Virginia Tech.

What went wrong: Staff turnover aft a nationalist title is somewhat expected, but Knowles' departure to different Big Ten contender successful Penn State is astatine slightest a tiny blow. He dramatically elevated Ohio State's defence during his tenure, and his departure coincides with 8 players being selected successful the NFL draft, including the full starting antiaircraft line. Although Patricia is simply a large name, his occurrence hasn't travel astatine the assemblage level. Ohio State besides mislaid immoderate rotational players connected defense, violative enactment and backmost to the portal. Day volition participate the autumn with his slightest experienced quarterbacks country since arriving astatine Ohio State.

What went right: Ohio State knew it would suffer a ample and decorated radical to the NFL, but it retained its apical returning players -- wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, information Caleb Downs and cornerback Davison Igbinosun. The Buckeyes aren't a measurement transportation portal squad but made respective interaction additions, including Klare, a precise coveted choky extremity from Purdue, arsenic good arsenic Atkinson, who had 7.5 sacks for North Carolina past twelvemonth and volition assistance regenerate ends JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. Minnesota transportation Phillip Daniels volition assistance support Ohio State's adjacent quarterback, and West Virginia moving backmost transportation CJ Donaldson Jr. volition assistance offset the draught losses of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.

Connelly's take: The Buckeyes mightiness commencement the twelvemonth arsenic a justifiable preseason No. 1, but that doesn't mean they've made large offseason upgrades. Ryan Day volition commencement his rubric defence with infinitely less proven coordinators, a caller backmost and a caller antiaircraft line.

6. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Key additions: WR Dane Key, T Elijah Pritchett, G Rocco Spindler

Key departures: DT Ty Robinson, DT Nash Hutmacher, RB Dante Dowdell

Top incoming recruits: OLB Christian Jones, OLB Dawson Merritt, WR Cortez Mills

Biggest coaching move: Matt Rhule took a layered attack to regenerate antiaircraft coordinator Tony White to Florida State. He promoted John Butler, who coached the Huskers secondary successful 2024 and has coordinator acquisition astatine Penn State and clip successful the NFL, to White's role. Rhule besides brought backmost Phil Snow, a antiaircraft coordinator nether Rhule with Temple, Baylor and the Carolina Panthers, arsenic subordinate caput coach. He hired Daikiel Shorts Jr. to oversee wide receivers, which helped onshore Key from Kentucky.

What went wrong: White's departure hurts arsenic Nebraska had a top-20 defense, and helium near for a overmuch shakier concern astatine Florida State. Although Butler and Snow some person large familiarity with Rhule, the portion goes done different transition. Nebraska's antiaircraft enactment turns implicit rather a spot without Robinson, a fourth-round NFL draught pick, and Hutmacher positive the transportation of walk rushers Jimari Butler (LSU) and James Williams (Florida State). The Huskers mislaid Dowdell, their starring rusher, to Kentucky and somewhat amazingly didn't adhd immoderate transfers to assistance capable the accumulation void. Homegrown backmost imaginable Daniel Kaelin transferred to Virginia, an unsurprising move, but 1 that hurts Nebraska's depth.

What went right: Nebraska had to clasp backmost Dylan Raiola and did, arsenic the erstwhile five-star enlistee volition participate his 2nd play arsenic the starter and person consistency with playcaller Dana Holgorsen. The Huskers besides kept a apical antiaircraft playmaker successful Malcolm Hartzog Jr., who led the squad with 4 interceptions past season. Raiola needed much receiving targets with respective graduation losses, and Nebraska brought successful productive transfers Key (Kentucky) and Nyziah Hunter (Cal), who combined for 87 receptions and 1,263 yards past season. Spindler started for nationalist runner-up Notre Dame successful 2024, and volition adhd to the violative enactment alongside Pritchett, a starter astatine Alabama.

Connelly's take: Rhule made Holgorsen a full-timer, held onto Raiola and utilized the portal to adhd some a brace of erstwhile blue-chip linemen and possibly Kentucky's astir breathtaking player. Obviously, losing White hurts, but it decidedly feels similar the Huskers gained much than they mislaid here.

7. USC Trojans

Key additions: RB Eli Sanders, CB DJ Harvey, S Bishop Fitzgerald

Key departures: CB Jaylin Smith, G Emmanuel Pregnon, WR Zachariah Branch

Top incoming recruits: DE Jahkeem Stewart, QB Husan Longstreet, OT Aaron Dunn

Biggest coaching move: USC's biggest unit splashes came connected the enactment broadside with caller wide manager Chad Bowden and others joining Lincoln Riley. The biggest on-field determination was Rob Ryan, a longtime NFL antiaircraft coordinator, joining arsenic linebackers manager and adjunct caput manager for defense. Riley besides promoted Luke Huard to violative coordinator arsenic Josh Henson near for Purdue.

What went wrong: USC had lone 3 players selected successful the NFL draft, a fig that figures to emergence successful the coming years. The squad absorbed much harm with transportation portal exits, including Pregnon, a second-team All-Big Ten enactment successful 2024, and receiver/returner Branch leaving for Georgia alongside his brother, Zion, a information who had 19 tackles past fall. Starting close tackle Mason Murphy transferred to Auburn, and respective apt reserve violative linemen besides deed the portal. USC's moving backs room, already losing apical rusher Woody Marks to the NFL, saw Quinten Joyner transportation to Texas Tech.

What went right: Riley wants to trust little connected transfers and showed greater selectivity during the offseason portion upgrading precocious schoolhouse recruiting and keeping respective important players from the 2024 team. USC has stableness connected discourtesy with backmost Jayden Maiava, violative linemen Elijah Paige and Alani Noa, and productive wide receiver tandem Ja'Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon. Key antiaircraft holdovers included information Kamari Ramsey and linebacker Eric Gentry. USC upgraded its extent astatine some antiaircraft backmost (Harvey, Fitzgerald) and moving backmost (Sanders, inferior assemblage prima Waymond Jordan). The squad besides added antiaircraft tackle transportation Keeshawn Silver, a erstwhile apical 10 nationalist recruit, from Kentucky.

Connelly's take: Nothing great, thing terrible. Riley recruited good and held onto some Lynn and his starting quarterback, but the antiaircraft turnover mightiness beryllium a spot excessively overmuch to guarantee different twelvemonth of improvement.

8. Michigan Wolverines

Key additions: DT Tre Williams, RB Justice Haynes, DB TJ Metcalf

Key departures: DT Mason Graham, TE Colston Loveland, EDGE Josaiah Stewart

Top incoming recruits: QB Bryce Underwood, OT Ty Haywood, OLB Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng

Biggest coaching move: Michigan needed changes connected discourtesy aft tumbling to 113th nationally successful scoring and 130th successful passing past season. Coach Sherrone Moore brought successful caller coordinator Chip Lindsey, who has worked with quarterbacks similar Drake Maye, Jarrett Stidham, Nick Mullens and others. Lindsey is the erstwhile caput manager astatine Troy.

What went wrong: Michigan ended the 2024 play connected a high, but it inactive went 8-5 with a roster that would nutrient 3 first-round draught picks and 5 successful the apical 90. The Wolverines knew they would suffer a batch successful the antiaircraft beforehand 7 and made portal gains, but they inactive volition participate the autumn with questions. The squad didn't marque splashy additions for a passing crippled that mislaid Loveland, the team's receptions leader, and finished lone supra the work academies successful accumulation past fall. Wide receiver transportation Donaven McCulley near Indiana aboriginal past play aft signaling lone 2 catches, and Anthony Simpson played successful lone 2 games past twelvemonth astatine UMass due to the fact that of injury. Also, Moore's self-imposed two-game suspension and the uncertainty astir the NCAA probe added to the offseason angst.

What went right: Moore settled connected a caller violative imaginativeness with Lindsey, a proven playcaller and backmost developer. Michigan addressed its antiaircraft tackle losses with transfers Williams (Clemson) and Damon Payne Jr. (Alabama), who drew bully reviews this spring. Alabama moving backmost transportation Justice Haynes should assistance offset the losses of Mullings and Donovan Edwards. The 2025 play apt volition beryllium astir Underwood's development, but backmost transportation Mikey Keene has 35 vocation starts with 8,245 passing yards with 65 touchdowns. Metcalf, a transportation from Arkansas, volition assistance offset immoderate of the losses successful the secondary. Michigan besides retained cardinal defenders specified arsenic linebackers Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham.

Connelly's take: Michigan floated into the offseason by beating Ohio State and Alabama and stealing the No. 1 imaginable successful the state from LSU. The Wolverines person top-20 returning accumulation levels and an "it astir virtually can't get worse" concern astatine QB. It's hard to ideate a happier offseason.

9. UCLA Bruins

Key additions: QB Nico Iamaleava, RB Jaivian Thomas, CB Andre Jordan Jr.

Key departures: LB Carson Schwesinger, DE Oluwafemi Oladejo, DT Jay Toia

Top incoming recruits: QB Madden Iamaleava, CB Jadyn Hudson, RB Karson Cox

Biggest coaching move: Coach DeShaun Foster retained lone 2 assistants arsenic helium went done his archetypal afloat offseason astatine the helm of the Bruins. His caller hires see violative coordinator Tino Sunseri, who had large occurrence astatine Indiana and James Madison, arsenic good arsenic seasoned antiaircraft enactment manager Jethro Franklin and secondary manager Demetrice Martin, who coached antiaircraft backs astatine UCLA from 2014 to 2019 and has extended acquisition connected the West Coast.

What went wrong: Change tin beryllium good, but tin determination beryllium excessively galore moving parts? UCLA volition find retired this fall. The Bruins surely volition person a pugnacious clip replacing its NFL departures connected defense, particularly Schwesinger, a Butkus Award finalist, on with Oladejo, Toia and productive linebacker Kain Medrano. UCLA besides mislaid notable players successful the transportation portal, including moving backmost T.J. Harden, the team's starring rusher successful 2024, who is disconnected to SMU. Also gone are cornerback Jaylin Davies (Oklahoma State) and wide receivers Logan Loya (Minnesota) and J.Michael Sturdivant (Florida).

What went right: There are wide risks to taking connected Nico Iamaleava and his member Madden, a one-time UCLA commit, but the rewards are greater for a Bruins programme seeking much relevancy nether Foster. If Nico Iamaleava maximizes his talents successful Sunseri's offense, UCLA volition person 1 of the Big Ten's champion quarterbacks this fall. The squad benefited from Cal's turbulent offseason by adding Thomas (626 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns) and wide receiver Mikey Matthews (32 receptions). UCLA reshaped its secondary with experienced players astatine some cornerback (Jordan, Jamier Johnson) and information (Ben Perry, Bryon Threats, Key Lawrence). The Bruins besides picked up respective reserve antiaircraft backs.

Connelly's take: That a atrocious discourtesy got massively overhauled is astir apt a bully thing. That a beauteous bully defence mislaid astir each starter is astir apt a atrocious thing. Ikaika Malloe has rather a spot of enactment to do.

10. Washington Huskies

Key additions: CB Tacario Davis, S Alex McLaughlin, OT Carver Willis

Key departures: LB Carson Bruener, CB Thaddeus Dixon, TE Keleki Latu

Top incoming recruits: OLB Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, ATH Dylan Robinson, WR Marcus Harris

Biggest coaching move: Jedd Fisch mislaid some of his coordinators aft Year 1 astatine Washington, though helium promoted Jimmie Dougherty, who coached quarterbacks nether Fisch the past 3 seasons, to violative coordinator. The bigger changes travel connected defense, wherever erstwhile Purdue manager Ryan Walters steps in. Walters has coordinator acquisition from Illinois, Missouri and Colorado, and helium volition oversee a unit that includes safeties manager Taylor Mays, a erstwhile three-time All-America information astatine USC.

What went wrong: After a precocious commencement and truthful overmuch alteration successful 2024, Washington ideally didn't privation to beryllium replacing some coordinators again truthful soon. Fisch surely doesn't privation to endure 2 Year 1s. The defence mislaid Bruener, its champion player, to the NFL and had respective portal departures, including Dixon, who had a team-high 10 walk breakups past season. Both helium and reserve information Peyton Waters followed coordinator Steve Belichick to North Carolina. The passing crippled loses a batch with Latu and receivers Giles Jackson and Jeremiah Hunter each moving onto pro ball. Washington concisely addressed the radical with Texas' Johntay Cook II earlier rapidly dismissing him from the team.

What went right: Washington got up of its backmost modulation by starting Demond Williams Jr. precocious past play and past retaining him. He could beryllium 1 of the nation's apical young quarterbacks. Williams has enactment with moving backmost Jonah Coleman, wide receiver Denzel Boston and others, including Penn State receiver transportation Omari Evans. Washington's bigger moves came connected defense, including the Walters prosecute and the additions of Davis (Arizona) and McLaughlin (Northern Arizona) successful the secondary, and linebackers Taariq Al-Uqdah (Washington State), Xe'ree Alexander (UCF) and Jacob Manu, a first-team All-Pac-12 enactment nether Fisch astatine Arizona successful 2023.

Connelly's take: An violative coordinator alteration doesn't wounded overmuch aft coagulated regression, and adding 5 FBS starters -- and a proven coordinator -- to a defence that was already beauteous coagulated offsets the violative uncertainty.

11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Key additions: DE Eric O'Neill, DE Bradley Weaver, WR DT Sheffield

Key departures: RB Kyle Monangai, CB Robert Longerbeam, DE Wesley Bailey T

Top incoming recruits: WR Michael Thomas III, OLB D.J. McClary, S Tariq Hayer

Biggest coaching move: After Joe Harasymiak near to go UMass caput coach, Greg Schiano turned to a acquainted sanction successful Robb Smith, who had 2 erstwhile stints arsenic Scarlet Knights DC (2012, 2021-22). Smith volition service arsenic co-coordinator alongside Zach Sparber, who had a palmy tally astatine James Madison. Several antiaircraft presumption coaches were shuffled from erstwhile roles.

What went wrong: Harasymiak's departure hurts a spot -- adjacent though Rutgers has schematic continuity with Smith -- arsenic a fig of antiaircraft players deed the portal successful the wintertime and spring. Bailey was successful enactment to beryllium a important contributor past play earlier an injury. He'll alternatively suit up for Louisville successful 2024. Rutgers linebacker Mohamed Toure, a erstwhile squad skipper who battled genu injuries, entered the portal this spring. Linebacker Timmy Hinspeter, a apt rotational piece, followed Harasymiak to UMass. Offensive tackle Ja'Elyne Matthews, a decorated in-state recruit, transferred to Florida State, arsenic portion of a tiny radical of linemen to depart the programme this spring.

What went right: Rutgers compiled an fantabulous postulation of portal defenders, and added weapons to assistance backmost Athan Kaliakmanis. O'Neill and Weaver, who combined for 21.5 sacks and 33.5 tackles for nonaccomplishment past play astatine James Madison and Ohio, respectively, signifier an fantabulous pass-rushing tandem. Schiano added to the secondary with cornerbacks Jacobie Henderson (Marshall) and Cam Miller (Penn State). Rutgers had less transfers connected discourtesy but boosted its passing crippled with Sheffield, who had 66 receptions and 11 touchdowns for North Texas past season. The squad besides addressed Monangai's departure with moving backmost CJ Campbell Jr., a 2024 third-team All-AAC enactment astatine Florida Atlantic.

Connelly's take: The discourtesy enjoys fantabulous continuity, and the defence enjoys precise little. Schiano added a mates of shop-wreckers up beforehand successful O'Neill and Weaver, but erstwhile your defence loses astir 8 starters and its coordinator, that's inactive beauteous tough.

12. Michigan State Spartans

Key additions: OT Conner Moore, RB Elijah Tau-Tolliver, WR Omari Kelly

Key departures: G Luke Newman, CB Charles Brantley, LB Jordan Turner

Top incoming recruits: RB Jace Clarizio, DT Derrick Simmons, OG Drew Nichols

Biggest coaching move: Coach Jonathan Smith retained astir of his unit contempt a 5-7 play but brought successful 2 caller assistants successful safeties manager James Adams and quarterbacks manager Jon Boyer. Smith has familiarity with Boyer, who worked connected his Oregon State unit for 5 seasons successful antithetic enactment roles. Together, they look to assistance Aidan Chiles find his groove aft a bumpy archetypal play astatine MSU.

What went wrong: Michigan State mislaid a tiny radical of cardinal contributors pursuing Smith's archetypal season, including Brantley, who transferred to Miami aft starring the Spartans successful interceptions (3) and walk breakups (7). The Spartans besides mislaid borderline Anthony Jones (UCLA) and information Dillon Tatum (Northwestern) to different Big Ten teams. The wide receiver country took immoderate hits with Aziah Johnson (North Carolina) and Jaron Glover (Mississippi State) moving on, though Michigan State addressed the spot with transportation additions. Although Michigan State addressed astir of its needs done the portal, it didn't marque the splashiest additions, leaning connected the Group of 5 and FCS ranks.

What went right: The Spartans avoided large roster turnover contempt the team's 3rd consecutive losing season. They brought backmost their backmost successful Chiles, their apical young playmaker successful wide receiver Nick Marsh and cardinal defenders specified arsenic information Nikai Martinez and linebacker Darius Snow. The Spartans besides added respective imaginable interaction transfers, specified arsenic Moore, an FCS All-America enactment astatine Montana State, Tau-Tolliver from Sacramento State and Burt from Eastern Illinois. Wide receivers Kelly (Middle Tennessee) and Chrishon McCray (Kent State) should complement Marsh, and respective of Michigan State's violative and antiaircraft enactment transfers get with experience.

Connelly's take: Smith plumbed smaller schools for stars, and the Spartans should beryllium infinitely much experienced successful 2025. You would emotion a fewer much proven pieces, but sometimes you nail the offseason by simply not screwing up the offseason.

13. Iowa Hawkeyes

Key additions: QB Mark Gronowski, WR Sam Phillips, DT Jonah Pace

Key departures: RB Kaleb Johnson, LB Jay Higgins, G Connor Colby

Top incoming recruits: DE Iose Epenesa, TE Thomas Meyer, OG Lucas Allgeyer

Biggest coaching move: Continuity is king successful Iowa City, wherever manager Kirk Ferentz returns for his 27th twelvemonth astatine the helm. He has lone 1 caller superior adjunct this autumn successful moving backs manager Omar Young, who has caller NFL acquisition with New England and Chicago, and past coached successful assemblage astatine Eastern Illinois successful 2021. He replaces Ladell Betts, the erstwhile Iowa moving backmost who near for the New York Giants.

What went wrong: Iowa didn't adhd transfers astatine moving backmost oregon choky extremity aft losing Johnson -- who rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, and finished 3rd connected the squad successful receptions -- and Luke Lachey, who was 2nd successful receptions. Phillips was productive astatine the FCS level and apical receiver Jacob Gill returns, but volition that beryllium capable to boost a passing onslaught that has been the worst among non-service academies implicit the past 4 seasons? Quarterback Brendan Sullivan, who started 3 games past season, transferred earlier the extremity of outpouring practice, though his departure wasn't a immense astonishment aft Iowa added Gronowski and Auburn transportation Hank Brown.

What went right: After the Cade McNamara saga went horribly wrong, Iowa has genuine anticipation for a breakthrough connected discourtesy with Gronowski starring the unit. He helped South Dakota State to an FCS nationalist title successful 2023 and has eclipsed 2,700 passing yards successful each of the past 3 seasons. Although helium missed outpouring signifier aft enarthrosis surgery, he's connected way for afloat information this summer. Iowa added a fewer pieces on the antiaircraft enactment and kept the players it expects to instrumentality connected bigger roles passim the defense. Ferentz continues to person large continuity connected his unit with antiaircraft coordinator Phil Parker and others.

Connelly's take: Ferentz, the king of continuity, ne'er has excessively noisy an offseason. But his Hawkeyes request caller difference-makers astatine quarterback, linebacker and antiaircraft back. That's astatine slightest a small spot scary, isn't it?

14. Northwestern Wildcats

Key additions: QB Preston Stone, WR Griffin Wilde, LB Yanni Karlaftis

Key departures: CB Theran Johnson, G/T Josh Thompson, LB Xander Mueller

Top incoming recruits: RB Daniel Anderson, QB Marcus Romain, OT Michael O'Connell

Biggest coaching move: Northwestern retained violative coordinator Zach Lujan contempt a play wherever the Wildcats finished 128th nationally successful scoring and 130th successful yards. The lone alteration comes astatine moving backs coach, wherever Braun hired Aristotle Thompson, who coached Cal standouts Jadyn Ott and Jaivian Thomas the past fewer seasons.

What went wrong: The Wildcats person struggled to clasp immoderate productive antiaircraft backs successful the portal epoch and mislaid Johnson and Devin Turner, who combined for 5 interceptions and 13 walk breakups past fall, to Oregon and Baylor, respectively. Northwestern besides has mislaid a fewer violative linemen successful caller years, with Thompson moving connected to LSU aft earning honorable notation All-Big Ten honors. Although Wilde is simply a cardinal summation to a depleted passing game, Northwestern added lone 1 much transportation successful Stanford's Chase Farrell, a promising but unproven player, alternatively than going pedal down into the portal for much guarantees.

What went right: Some on-campus argumentation adjustments allowed Northwestern to go a existent wintertime portal subordinate for the archetypal time. The Wildcats landed the backmost they desperately needed successful Stone, who started for SMU's league title-winning squad successful 2023. They besides addressed a depleted violative enactment with respective experienced transfers, including guards Evan Beerntsen (South Dakota State), Martes Lewis (Minnesota) and tackle Xavior Gray. Wilde, a standout receiver astatine South Dakota State, gives Stone a apical option. Northwestern besides helped its defence with transfers Karlaftis (Purdue), Fred Davis (Jacksonville State) and precocious summation Dillon Tatum (Michigan State). The squad besides retained talented linemen Anto Saka and Caleb Tiernan.

Connelly's take: After a twelvemonth successful which the defence went from large to decent and the discourtesy went from atrocious to atrocious, you would person possibly expected a spot much turnover successful the coaching staff. Braun made immoderate decent portal additions, but his 2 astir proven violative players are a backmost who got benched past twelvemonth and an FCS receiver.

15. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Key additions: WR Javon Tracy, G Marcellus Marshall, CB Jaylen Bowden

Key departures: OT Aireontae Ersery, CB Justin Walley, OT Phillip Daniels

Top incoming recruits: OLB Emmanuel Karmo, QB Jackson Kollock, OT Daniel Shipp

Biggest coaching move: Coach P.J. Fleck has prioritized continuity successful his caller coordinator hires and selected Danny Collins, the team's safeties coach, to regenerate Corey Hetherman arsenic antiaircraft coordinator. Collins has spent the past 13 seasons moving for Fleck, who reshaped overmuch of the antiaircraft unit and hired erstwhile Purdue and SMU antiaircraft coordinator Kevin Kane to manager nickelbacks and extracurricular linebackers.

What went wrong: Fleck has mislaid respective cardinal assistants successful caller years and Hetherman's departure to Miami -- aft coordinating a apical 10 defence successful 2024 -- could sting a bit. Minnesota knew Ersery was NFL-bound, but losing Daniels (who started immoderate games past season) arsenic good arsenic cardinal reserve Martes Lewis created adjacent much turnover for an violative enactment that volition look rather a spot antithetic successful 2025. The Gophers mislaid apical receiver Daniel Jackson, 1 of lone 3 players with much than 28 receptions past season. Despite Minnesota occurrence connected defense, it didn't onshore excessively galore interaction transfers.

What went right: Minnesota retained galore of its halfway pieces, including first-team All-Big Ten nickel Koi Perich -- who volition person a relation connected discourtesy arsenic good this autumn -- and moving backmost Darius Taylor. The squad besides added extent astatine some receiver and moving backmost successful the portal, which should assistance caller backmost Drake Lindsey. Offensive enactment transfers specified arsenic Marshall, who has starting acquisition from some UCF and Kent State, arsenic good arsenic Kahlee Tafai and Dylan Ray springiness the violative enactment a accidental to reload. Bowden had a bully outpouring for the secondary, which has go 1 of Minnesota's signature presumption groups for NFL-level talent.

Connelly's take: Losing Hetherman and some starting cornerbacks hurts. The discourtesy could payment from portal upgrades successful the accomplishment corps, but having a 4th starting backmost successful 4 years -- and a redshirt freshman astatine that -- isn't great.

16. Wisconsin Badgers

Key additions: QB Billy Edwards Jr., OLB Mason Reiger, DL Charles Perkins

Key departures: S Hunter Wohler, RB Tawee Walker, WR Will Pauling

Top incoming recruits: QB Carter Smith, ILB Mason Posa, OT Logan Powell

Biggest coaching move: The Air Raid didn't enactment successful Madison, arsenic galore coaches predicted it wouldn't, and caller violative coordinator Jeff Grimes is viewed arsenic a instrumentality to Wisconsin's roots. Grimes played and coached violative enactment and volition stress the powerfulness tally successful antithetic ways. Coach Luke Fickell besides shifted Kenny Guiton, the erstwhile Ohio State quarterback, from wide receivers manager to oversee the QBs.

What went wrong: Wisconsin made the indispensable pivot connected discourtesy to Grimes and a much accepted scheme, but did the squad bring successful capable done the portal? Edwards could stabilize the backmost situation, but the Badgers mislaid Walker, their starring rusher, to Cincinnati and Pauling, their apical receiver, to Notre Dame. Wisconsin seemingly upgraded the choky extremity spot with Ball State's Tanner Koziol, but helium transferred retired successful the outpouring and the squad scrambled to adhd Missouri State's Lance Mason. The Badgers' constricted portal attack connected discourtesy extracurricular of wide receiver and backmost could beryllium costly. Wisconsin addressed its extent needs connected defense, but not adding a transportation moving backmost seemed odd.

What went right: The Badgers correctly reset their violative attack and Edwards has the endowment to thrive successful the close situation. Wisconsin besides needed caller bodies connected defence aft a play wherever it generated lone 17 sacks and 4 interceptions. The squad not lone brought backmost linebacker Christian Alliegro, antiaircraft backs Preston Zachman and Ricardo Hallman, and others, but added transfers similar Reiger, cornerback Geimere Latimer II, extracurricular linebacker Corey Parker and antiaircraft linemen Perkins and Parker Petersen. The staff's quality to make antiaircraft transfers mostly from Group of 5 oregon FCS programs could marque a monolithic quality this fall.

Connelly's take: The discourtesy is undergoing highly indispensable changes, and the defence is adding a mates of known FBS starters and a fig of smaller-school stars. The Badgers person top-20 returning accumulation levels but incorporated immoderate invited changes.

17. Maryland Terrapins

Key additions: CB Dontay Joyner, TE Dorian Fleming, OT Rahtrel Perry

Key departures: WR Tai Felton, LB Caleb Wheatland, RB Roman Hemby

Top incoming recruits: DE Zahir Mathis, OT Jaylen Gilchrist, QB Malik Washington

Biggest coaching move: After a 4-8 season, manager Mike Locksley made important changes to the staff, including bringing successful veterans Pep Hamilton (offensive coordinator) and Ted Monachino (defensive coordinator). Both person NFL coordinator acquisition and person notable assemblage stops, including Michigan and Stanford (Hamilton), and North Carolina and Arizona State (Monachino).

What went wrong: Maryland had much NFL draught picks (6) than wins (4) and saw respective cardinal contributors participate the portal. Starting backmost Billy Edwards Jr. and Hemby, a three-year starter, some transferred wrong the Big Ten astatine Wisconsin and Indiana, respectively. Maryland lacks a proven backmost connected the roster. Others to depart included antiaircraft tackle Lavon Johnson (Texas), and violative linemen Terez Davis (Ole Miss) and Jayvin James (Mississippi State). After a pugnacious 2024 play connected the violative line, Maryland's country turned implicit significantly. A precocious antiaircraft coordinator alteration creates imaginable flux with that unit, which mislaid 4 NFL draught picks.

What went right: Maryland addressed respective areas of request successful the portal with players specified arsenic Joyner, who had 2 interceptions against Big Ten teams past play for Arkansas State, and Perry, an intriguing standout from the FCS who could assistance stabilize the Terrapins' violative front. Cornerback Jamare Glasker, who started astatine Wake Forest past season, besides should help. Fleming is simply a bully replacement for choky extremity Preston Howard, and Locksley has a bully way grounds with receivers specified arsenic Jalil Farooq, a coagulated contributor astatine Oklahoma successful 2022 and 2023 earlier missing astir each of past play with a breached foot.

Connelly's take: Adding caller coordinators aft some the discourtesy and defence regressed could crook retired to beryllium a bully thing, but the outpouring tally of transfers was awfully alarming.

18. Purdue Boilermakers

Key additions: CB Tony Grimes, DE CJ Nunnally IV, OT Jalen St. John

Key departures: TE Max Klare, S Dillon Thieneman, DE Will Heldt

Top incoming recruits: RB Ziaire Stevens, CB Zyntreacs Otey, DE Landon Brooks

Biggest coaching move: Despite Purdue's past connected offense, the schoolhouse went with different defensive-minded manager successful Barry Odom aft a precise unsmooth 2 seasons with Ryan Walters. Odom, who went 19-8 astatine UNLV, should supply a wide imaginativeness for betterment and hired a unit that includes respective of his UNLV assistants arsenic good arsenic seasoned newcomers specified arsenic violative coordinator Josh Henson and quarterbacks manager Darin Hinshaw.

What went wrong: Purdue mislaid a immense radical of coveted players to the portal. Klare, Thieneman and Heldt were each among the apical transfers astatine their respective positions and landed with CFP contenders Ohio State, Oregon and Clemson. The Boilers besides mislaid cornerbacks ​​Kyndrich Breedlove and Nyland Green, some to Arizona State, antiaircraft lineman Jeffrey M'ba (SMU), violative lineman Mahamane Moussa (Louisville), wide receivers Jaron Tibbs (Kansas State) and Jahmal Edrine (Virginia) and others. Although retaining all-conference-level players during a coaching alteration is difficult, Odom surely could person benefited from much returning starters connected defence and a seasoned backmost transfer.

What went right: Odom and his unit had to beryllium highly assertive successful the portal and added cardinal players connected some sides of the ball. Grimes and St. John followed the coaches from UNLV to Purdue, on with linebacker Mani Powell, choky extremity Christian Moore and respective others. The antiaircraft additions are particularly intriguing, arsenic Purdue brought successful Nunnally, a first-team All-MAC enactment astatine Akron past fall, arsenic good arsenic information Crew Wakley (BYU), cornerback Chad Brown (Nevada) and others. The unit retained moving backmost Devin Mockobee, which volition assistance with an inexperienced quarterback, and an absorbing radical of violative lineman that includes Canadian assemblage prima Giordano Vaccaro.

Connelly's take: The Boilermakers person the worst returning accumulation and recruiting rankings successful the league and truthful fertile past here. But that's lone due to the fact that there's nary "nowhere to spell but up" origin built into the formula. Odom hasn't added known studs, but Purdue volition person astir nary prime but to amended successful 2025.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Key additions: WR Malachi Fields, CB DeVonta Smith, WR Will Pauling

Key departures: S Xavier Watts, QB Riley Leonard, DT Rylie Mills

Top incoming recruits: OLB Madden Faraimo, OT Will Black, TE James Flanigan

Biggest coaching move: Notre Dame volition miss antiaircraft coordinator Al Golden, who won the Broyles Award arsenic the nation's apical adjunct coach, earlier returning to the NFL. Coach Marcus Freeman went with acquisition successful hiring Chris Ash -- the erstwhile Rutgers caput manager and antiaircraft coordinator astatine Ohio State, Texas, Arkansas and Wisconsin -- to oversee a defence that had 4 players selected successful the NFL draft.

What went wrong: Notre Dame knew it would beryllium losing respective antiaircraft standouts to the NFL, which played retired during draught weekend. The Irish aren't a measurement transportation portal squad and returned a ample radical of defenders with starting experience. But the team's antiaircraft transportation additions mightiness person been a tad underwhelming, extracurricular of antiaircraft backs DeVonta Smith (Alabama) and Jalen Stroman (Virginia Tech). Notre Dame knew it apt couldn't transportation 3 quarterbacks past outpouring practice, but Steve Angeli's portal introduction leaves the Irish without immoderate existent crippled acquisition astatine the position. Three violative linemen with starting acquisition Pat Coogan, Rocco Spindler and Sam Pendleton -- each transferred out.

What went right: The Irish kept their astir important players, apt prevented a important dip and acceptable up different propulsion for the CFP and a nationalist title. Although teams tin ne'er person capable susceptible violative linemen and immoderate of the transportation departures sting, Notre Dame retained younger, much talented players who could signifier 1 of the nation's champion O-lines for aggregate seasons. Heisman Trophy campaigner Jeremiyah Love returns, but truthful bash Jadarian Price and Aneyas Williams, arsenic Notre Dame volition person arguably the nation's apical moving backs room. The Irish besides addressed their biggest violative request astatine wide receiver with transfers Fields (Virginia) and Will Pauling (Wisconsin).

Connelly's take: Freeman didn't request a ton of portal additions -- we'll spot if helium brought successful capable astatine receiver -- and volition beryllium banking connected a young blue-chip subordinate astatine quarterback. Replacing Golden with Ash feels beauteous uninspiring, but lord knows Ash volition inherit immoderate experienced pieces.

SEC

1. LSU Tigers

Key additions: WR Nic Anderson, WR Barion Brown, DB Mansoor Delane

Key departures: OL Will Campbell, TE Mason Taylor, DE Bradyn Swinson

Top incoming recruits: OT Solomon Thomas, CB D.J. Pickett, RB Harlem Berry

Biggest coaching move: LSU had the quietest coaching unit offseason since Brian Kelly arrived connected the Bayou successful 2022. All of the team's superior coordinators are backmost and the lone notable changes were astatine antiaircraft enactment coach, with erstwhile LSU All-America antiaircraft tackle Kyle Williams taking implicit for Bo Davis, and erstwhile Florida State OC Alex Atkins coming successful arsenic choky ends manager and tally crippled coordinator.

What went wrong: The last-minute nonaccomplishment of No. 1 wide enlistee Bryce Underwood to Michigan, aft the quarterback's astir year-long commitment, was a brutal setback precocious successful a play that ended with LSU extracurricular the Top 25 astatine 9-4. Starting QB Garrett Nussmeier bypassing the NFL draught and returning for different play did assistance soften that blow, and the Tigers ended up losing lone 2 starters -- receiver CJ Daniels (Miami) and DB Sage Ryan (Ole Miss) -- among the 22 assistance players who entered the portal aft the season.

What went right: LSU acceptable retired to physique an elite portal people successful December and won a batch of pugnacious battles for proven starters astatine captious positions. Nussmeier gets to enactment with 2 highly talented wideouts successful Anderson (Oklahoma) and Brown (Kentucky), caller additions astatine choky extremity and 2 of the apical violative linemen successful the portal successful halfway Braelin Moore (Virginia Tech) and defender Josh Thompson (Northwestern). Second-year antiaircraft coordinator Blake Baker is getting a ton of assistance with 5 transportation D-linemen and 4 caller DBs, and cipher volition beryllium shocked if Pickett, their five-star freshman cornerback, is playing aboriginal and often.

Connelly's take: Kelly retained 1 of the astir proven quarterbacks successful the SEC and brought successful the astir celebrated transportation people successful the league arsenic well. One mightiness person suggested bringing successful different O-lineman oregon two, but it definite seems similar the Tigers enjoyed the champion offseason this broadside of Norman.

2. Oklahoma Sooners

Key additions: QB John Mateer, RB Jaydn Ott, LB Kendal Daniels

Key departures: LB Danny Stutsman, S Billy Bowman Jr., WR Nic Anderson

Top incoming recruits: OT Michael Fasusi, DE C.J. Nickson, WR Elijah Thomas

Biggest coaching move: Entering a pivotal year, manager Brent Venables made a large violative coordinator prosecute successful Ben Arbuckle, who brought Mateer with him from Washington State. Arbuckle coached Cam Ward and Mateer successful Pullman, and helium should instantly boost a Sooners discourtesy that finished 97th nationally successful scoring past season.

What went wrong: Almost thing went close for the Sooners successful 2024 crossed a disastrous SEC debut that resulted successful the program's 2nd losing play since 1998 and turned up the vigor connected Venables' seat. That prompted the violative overhaul. Past Mateer, Ott, Florida State borderline rusher Marvin Jones Jr. and Daniels marked Oklahoma's flashiest bits of portal business. But questions stay implicit whether the Sooners did capable to bolster the wide receiver and violative enactment units that cratered their play a twelvemonth ago.

What went right: Oklahoma got its backmost concern sorted erstwhile it swapped Arnold (Auburn) for Mateer, who accounted for 3,319 passing yards and 44 full touchdowns past fall. The fourth-year passer provides the Sooners with dual-threat playmaking ability, but besides a definite assurance Oklahoma sorely lacked successful 2024. If helium tin enactment healthy, Ott, who rushed for 1,305 yards and 12 scores successful 2023, is different caller limb for Arbuckle's offense. And the Sooners added plentifulness of caller options successful the passing crippled with JaVonnie Gibson (UAPB) and Isaiah Sategna (Arkansas) among 4 caller wide receivers joining returners Deion Burks and Jayden Gibson.

Connelly's take: No 1 needed a bully offseason much desperately than Venables, but helium astir apt enactment unneurotic the best offseason successful assemblage football. We'll spot if it translates to wins against different brutal schedule, but Arbuckle, Mateer & Co. should nutrient a coagulated turnaround successful the points department. Offseason nationalist champions.

3. Auburn Tigers

Key additions: WR Eric Singleton Jr., QB Jackson Arnold, OL Xavier Chaplin

Key departures: RB Jarquez Hunter, WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, LB Jalen McLeod

Top incoming recruits: CB Blake Woodby, DE Jared Smith, QB Deuce Knight

Biggest coaching move: Head manager Hugh Freeze retained his coordinators contempt a 5-7 play but added respective caller presumption coaches, including Chad Lunsford, the erstwhile Georgia Southern coach, who volition oversee peculiar teams. Roc Bellantoni, an Auburn adjunct successful 2021 and 2022, returned arsenic extracurricular linebackers coach.

What went wrong: The Tigers endured a unsmooth 2-6 tally done SEC play successful Year 2 nether Freeze and inactive person much gathering to do, but it's wide this roster is heading successful the close direction. Among the 23 assistance players who deed the portal this offseason, lone 2 -- OL Percy Lewis (Ole Miss) and DB Caleb Wooden (Arkansas) -- earned much than 3 starts past season. They experienced important attrition successful a mates of spots, with 7 antiaircraft backs and 3 backup quarterbacks moving on, but successful astir cases they recruited implicit their departures.

What went right: Freeze and his unit went into December determined to load up with a beardown portal people and surely accomplished their mission. The duo of Arnold and Knight gives this programme an highly agleam aboriginal astatine quarterback. Arnold had a rocky play arsenic Oklahoma's starter, but the erstwhile five-star enlistee is moving with a overmuch amended supporting formed connected discourtesy with Singleton, a coveted transportation from Georgia Tech, and Horatio Fields (Wake Forest) teaming up with rising sophomores Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons. Chaplin (Virginia Tech) was a monolithic get astatine near tackle. Nine incoming transfers connected defence volition assistance make a batch much competitory extent for a squad that is counting connected a clump of standouts from its 2024 recruiting people to radiance arsenic second-year players.

Connelly's take: There's continuity atop the coaching org chart, and determination volition beryllium plentifulness of bluish chippers connected the two-deep. Hugh Freeze had a coagulated offseason arsenic we're defining it, but the play volition thrust connected whether Auburn's wholly caller quarterbacks country produces an SEC-caliber starter.

4. Texas Longhorns

Key additions: DT Maraad Watson, TE Jack Endries, WR Emmett Mosley V

Key departures: OT Kelvin Banks Jr., CB Jahdae Barron, WR Matthew Golden

Top incoming recruits: DT Justus Terry, S Jonah Williams, WR Jaime Ffrench

Biggest coaching move: Coach Steve Sarkisian retained superior coordinators Pete Kwiatkowski (defense), Kyle Flood (offense) and Jeff Banks (special teams) aft his 2nd consecutive CFP run. He mislaid safeties manager Blake Gideon to Georgia Tech but replaced him with seasoned Duane Akina, who coached Longhorns antiaircraft backs nether Mack Brown from 2001 to 2013.

What went wrong: It's hard to find overmuch connected this beforehand with a Texas programme that conscionable reached the College Football Playoff semifinals. Quarterback Quinn Ewers sliding to the seventh circular of the NFL draught was unfortunate, arsenic was violative tackle Cameron Williams falling to the sixth aft going pro early. The Longhorns indispensable regenerate 13 players who were successful the starting lineup against the Buckeyes, astir each of whom are present connected NFL rosters. But arsenic the Arch Manning epoch officially gets underway successful Austin, Sarkisian has this programme looking acceptable to reload.

What went right: This has been a creaseless offseason successful a batch of ways for Sarkisian and his unit entering Year 5. The Longhorns finished with ESPN's No. 1 ranked recruiting class, inking 17 ESPN 300 prospects and closing by winning a conflict with Georgia for Terry, the No. 8 wide recruit. They dealt with minimal roster attrition and had nary occupation addressing their fewer remaining needs successful the portal. The unit boosted extent up beforehand with 5 caller D-linemen, recovered a caller No. 1 choky extremity successful Endries and upgraded connected peculiar teams with kicker Mason Shipley (Texas) and punter Jack Bouwmeester (Utah) coming in. A school-record 12 draught picks -- and 23 implicit the past 2 years -- amusement however acold this programme has travel successful 4 years nether Sarkisian. Now the unit is connected to spell play for a nationalist title.

Connelly's take: If Manning takes the leap radical expect, that could insubstantial implicit a clump of cracks, particularly considering the continuity astatine coordinator. But adjacent with bully recruiting and decent portal work, losing 4 violative enactment starters and your apical 4 connected the antiaircraft enactment feels beauteous scary.

5. Florida Gators

Key additions: WR J.Michael Sturdivant, CB Micheal Caraway Jr., DT Brendan Bett

Key departures: WR Chimere Dike, DT Cam Jackson, CB Jason Marshall Jr.

Top incoming recruits: WR Vernell Brown III, WR Dallas Wilson, ILB Ty Jackson

Biggest coaching move: Florida's antiaircraft unit received a mini shakeup with Austin Armstrong joining Houston successful the aforesaid role. Coach Billy Napier brought successful Vinnie Sunseri, a rising young adjunct with NFL and assemblage experience, to regenerate Armstrong and enactment alongside seasoned Ron Roberts. Deron Wilson besides comes implicit from Arkansas to manager antiaircraft backs.

What went wrong: The Gators salvaged their 2024 play and saved Napier's occupation successful the backmost fractional of the 2024 season, past dove into arsenic quiescent of an offseason of roster turnover arsenic an SEC programme could seemingly ever inquire for successful 2025. Quarterback DJ Lagway's constricted information successful outpouring campy (shoulder) up of his archetypal afloat play arsenic a starter was not ideal, nor was losing the postulation of endowment that included Dike and starring tacklers Trikweze Bridges and Shemar James to the NFL. But the Gators held onto the heavy basal of young endowment that fueled past fall's late-season resurgence and instrumentality seemingly well-equipped to contend with 1 of the nation's toughest schedules successful 2025.

What went right: Florida has a backmost successful Lagway and a pb moving backmost successful Freshman All-SEC Jadan Baugh. But the Gators had enactment to bash replacing Dike and 2024 receiving yards person Elijhah Badger. Sturdivant arrives from UCLA arsenic an experienced option, portion ESPN 300 freshmen Brown, Wilson and Naeshaun Montgomery circular retired a young, talented wide receiver radical astir Eugene Wilson III, who returns aft undergoing season-ending hep country past fall. The precocious summation of cornerback enlistee J'Vari Flowers, No. 73 successful the 2025 ESPN 300, marked an awesome last flourish for the Gators' 10th-ranked signing class.

Connelly's take: Florida has top-20 returning accumulation levels, which tin mean thing beauteous large erstwhile you decorativeness the play arsenic beardown arsenic the Gators did. The portal question was light, which could crook retired to beryllium either a large motion (they already had what they needed) oregon a foreboding 1 (they overestimated what they had). We'll see.

6. Georgia Bulldogs

Key additions: WR Zachariah Branch, WR Noah Thomas, LB Elo Modozie

Key departures: DL Mykel Williams, DL Jalon Walker, S Malaki Starks

Top incoming recruits: DT Elijah Griffin, DE Isaiah Gibson, OLB Zayden Walker

Biggest coaching move: Despite a shaky play connected offense, manager Kirby Smart kept Mike Bobo arsenic the unit's coordinator. Most of the on-field unit is backmost aft antiaircraft coordinator Glenn Schumann and choky ends manager Todd Hartley received caput manager interest. Smart promoted Andrew Thacker, the erstwhile Georgia Tech antiaircraft coordinator to nickels/stars coach.

What went wrong: The SEC champs' play didn't extremity the mode they'd hoped with a CFP quarterfinal exit, and the mode it ended enactment them successful a hard presumption with their backmost program for 2025. The timing of Carson Beck's injury, draught declaration and belated portal determination made it pugnacious to get progressive successful the transportation QB market. Smart and his unit concisely explored bringing successful Fernando Mendoza but yet stuck with backup Gunner Stockton, who started the CFP game, arsenic their champion option. This year's squad indispensable regenerate 13 NFL draught picks and 17 transportation departures but has a ton of young endowment acceptable to measurement up.

What went right: Smart and his unit did an fantabulous occupation of addressing their roster needs implicit the people of the offseason. They secured superior upgrades astatine wide receiver successful Branch (USC) and Thomas (Texas A&M) aft finishing with 36 drops past season, astir among each Power 4 offenses, per ESPN Research. Daylen Everette and Christen Miller bypassing the draught was large for their defense, and the Bulldogs got much-needed assistance astatine extracurricular linebacker with the post-spring summation of Modozie, an All-AAC performer astatine Army, positive experienced extent astatine information with 3 transportation pickups. Josh McCray, Illinois' starring rusher past season, is besides coming successful this summertime to springiness Georgia a beardown No. 2 backmost down Nate Frazier.

Connelly's take: Recruiting volition ever beryllium beardown successful Athens, but Smart has ne'er shown overmuch involvement successful mastering the portal; we'll spot if that backfires aft the nonaccomplishment of astir 15 starters. (We'll spot if loyalty to the violative coordinator backfires, too.) The developmental pipeline indispensable proceed to produce.

7. Texas A&M Aggies

Key additions: WR Kevin Concepcion, WR Mario Craver, CB Julian Humphrey

Key departures: DE Shemar Stewart, DE Nic Scourton, DT Shemar Turner

Top incoming recruits: OT Lamont Rogers, WR Jerome Myles, CB Adonyss Currie

Biggest coaching move: Coach Mike Elko volition person much-needed continuity connected his unit entering Year 2, arsenic coordinators Jay Bateman (defense) and Collin Klein (offense) are back. Elko added a notable adjunct to the antiaircraft unit successful Lyle Hemphill, a erstwhile antiaircraft coordinator astatine Wake Forest, Duke and, astir recently, James Madison.

What went wrong: The Aggies' 2024 play peaked successful a 38-23 triumph implicit LSU connected Oct. 26. From there, Texas A&M slid heavily, dropping each of its past 4 games against Power 4 opponents. Likely astir troubling to Elko is the information that his defence gave up astir 35 points per crippled crossed those losses. In 2025, Texas A&M is looking to rebuild amended connected defense, but without a trio of prima antiaircraft linemen who helped the Aggies make the 24th-most unit successful assemblage shot past fall. A failed transportation experimentation with erstwhile five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson this outpouring marked a velocity bump successful the program's offseason efforts to reenforce its pass-catching depth.

What went right: The Aggies held onto each 5 starters from an violative enactment that powered the SEC's second-leading rushing onslaught successful 2024. That bodes good for second-year starting backmost Marcel Reed and returning rushers Rueben Owens, Le'Veon Moss and Amari Daniels. As crucially, Texas A&M brought successful much-needed endowment astatine wide receiver betwixt Concepcion (NC State), a erstwhile freshman All-American and Craver (Mississippi State), a 2024 breakout player. Texas choky extremity transportation Amari Niblack has the tools to regenerate Tre Watson's downfield accumulation from a twelvemonth ago. On defense, transfers T.J. Searcy (Florida), Tyler Onyedim (Iowa State) and Dayon Hayes (Colorado) volition each play a relation successful Elko's revamped antiaircraft enactment unit.

Connelly's take: A&M has what a batch of different SEC schools lack: continuity astatine coordinator, acquisition astatine backmost and a veteran-heavy violative enactment and secondary. There volition beryllium tons of caller names, however, successful the receiving corps and connected the antiaircraft front. Will Elko's portal enactment determination stave disconnected problems?

8. Alabama Crimson Tide

Key additions: WR Isaiah Horton, OL Kam Dewberry, TE Brody Dalton

Key departures: OL Tyler Booker, LB Jihaad Campbell, QB Jalen Milroe

Top incoming recruits: QB Keelon Russell, CB Dijon Lee Jr., CB Ivan Taylor

Biggest coaching move: Coach Kalen DeBoer reunites with longtime person and adjunct Ryan Grubb, who volition service arsenic Alabama's superior violative coordinator aft a twelvemonth with the Seattle Seahawks. Grubb was instrumental successful Washington's tally to the nationalist rubric crippled nether DeBoer successful 2023, and helped groom backmost Michael Penix Jr. and different standouts.

What went wrong: The modulation to Year 2 nether DeBoer saw 23 assistance players determination connected from the program, including moving backmost Justice Haynes and antiaircraft lineman Damon Payne Jr. transferring to Michigan, nickel DeVonta Smith going to Notre Dame and tackle Elijah Pritchett joining Nebraska. It's not astonishing that each 23 of those outgoing players, astir of whom were recruited by Nick Saban's staff, landed astatine different Power 4 programs. At a fewer spots, similar wide receiver and choky end, the Tide volition request young reserves oregon newcomers to measurement up and beryllium they're acceptable to contribute.

What went right: The Crimson Tide person a beardown halfway of returning starters to physique astir with 14 players who started six-plus games successful 2024. Quarterback is the large objection with Ty Simpson, Austin Mack and Russell competing for the starting gig. Simpson holds the pb pursuing outpouring practice, but whoever earns the occupation volition payment from a beardown supporting formed and Grubb's accomplishment successful Tuscaloosa. Horton is simply a large 6-foot-4 people who enactment up 616 receiving yards astatine Miami past season. He'll signifier a trio with Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard that should beryllium among the conference's best. On defense, the Tide did a bully occupation of fortifying their extent with prime portal additions similar Nikhai Hill-Green (Colorado) and blue-chip recruits similar Lee who could lend early.

Connelly's take: DeBoer reunited with Grubb and neither needed nor got overmuch retired of the portal. He kept the blue-chip bid rolling successful recruiting, and Grubb has what helium needs astatine quarterback, truthful everything should autumn into spot beauteous nicely.

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Hottest takes for the 2025-26 CFB season

Each subordinate of the SEC Now unit goes implicit their boldest predictions connected who volition person a breakout year, instrumentality location the SEC Championship, and imaginable Heisman candidates.

9. Missouri Tigers

Key additions: QB Beau Pribula, RB Ahmad Hardy, DE Damon Wilson II

Key departures: WR Luther Burden III, OT Armand Membou, QB Brady Cook

Top incoming recruits: DE Javion Hilson, QB Matt Zollers, RB Marquise Davis

Biggest coaching move: Offensive coordinator Kirby Moore has been mentioned arsenic a campaigner for different jobs, but helium volition instrumentality for his 3rd twelvemonth arsenic Missouri moves connected from longtime backmost Brady Cook. Coach Eliah Drinkwitz selected Derek Nicholson, who has spent the past 5 seasons with Miami and Louisville, to pb the linebackers.

What went wrong: After starring Missouri to its archetypal back-to-back 10-win seasons successful a decade, Drinkwitz faces the situation of getting the Tigers implicit the hump and into the program's first-ever CFP berth. He'll embark connected that ngo successful 2025 without tract wide Brady Cook, prima walk catcher Luther Burden III, No. 7 wide prime Armand Membou and apical tacklers Corey Flagg Jr. and Johnny Walker Jr., each of whom landed successful the NFL this spring. The portal departures of erstwhile ESPN 300 signees Williams Nwaneri and Jaylen Brown marked blips successful an different effectual roster retool for the Tigers this offseason.

What went right: There's a batch of ifs connected the roster, but if Missouri's portal moves cookware out, the Tigers person imaginable to prolong different playoff pursuit. The programme brought successful Penn State transportation Beau Pribula to instrumentality implicit for Cook and added 1 of the nation's apical young moving backs successful UL Monroe transportation Ahmad Hardy, who ran for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns arsenic a freshman past fall. Wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (Mississippi State) and tackles Keagen Trost (Wake Forest) and Jaylen Early (Florida State) get arsenic respective imaginable replacements for Burden and Membou. The Tigers utilized the portal to capable holes connected defence with erstwhile West Virginia linebacker Josiah Trotter and antiaircraft backs Stephen Hall (Washington State) and Jalen Catalon (UNLV) among the notable additions.

Connelly's take: Drinkwitz brought successful a transportation for each starter mislaid -- 11 starters gone, 11 FBS starters incoming -- and held onto some coordinators. That's a bully mode of going astir your business. We'll spot if Pribula tin crook retired to beryllium arsenic bully a close-game muse arsenic Brady Cook, however: Mizzou was 10-1 successful one-score finishes successful 2023-24.

10. South Carolina Gamecocks

Key additions: RB Rahsul Faison, DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, CB Brandon Cisse

Key departures: S Nick Emmanwori, DE Kyle Kennard, DT T.J. Sanders

Top incoming recruits: WR Donovan Murph, WR Jordon Gidron, OT Damola Ajidahun

Biggest coaching move: The large alteration comes astatine violative coordinator arsenic Dowell Loggains landed the Appalachian State caput coaching role. Gamecocks manager Shane Beamer promoted Mike Shula, the erstwhile Alabama manager and an NFL violative coordinator with 3 teams, to instrumentality implicit the portion and proceed moving with prima backmost LaNorris Sellers.

What went wrong: The Gamecocks person big-time expectations going into 2025 and haven't tally into galore issues this offseason. They were capable to get Sellers, DE Dylan Stewart and their cardinal returning players locked successful connected caller deals and did not suffer immoderate starters during the 2 portal windows. In fact, the 20 assistance players who've transferred retired combined for a expansive full of 1 commencement past season. That 1 belonged to backup QB Robby Ashford, who's present competing to commencement astatine Wake Forest. His replacement, Ohio State transportation Air Noland, was a top-100 enlistee successful 2024. The Gamecocks' defence does request to regenerate 5 NFL draught picks, but they person players acceptable to measurement successful astatine those spots.

What went right: South Carolina added a clump of prime players to its two-deep via the portal, which should make contention and extent this fall. Faison could go 1 of the large steals of this portal cycle. The Utah State transportation inactive needs to get cleared for an other play of eligibility by the NCAA but was 1 of the champion backs successful the Mountain West past season, rushing for 1,109 yards and 8 TDs. Brownlow-Dindy, the No. 3 wide enlistee successful the 2022 ESPN 300, struggled to interruption done astatine Texas A&M but looks poised to contribute, and Cisse, a nine-game starter astatine NC State past season, could commencement arsenic well. The portal people mightiness not output a precocious fig of plug-and-play starters, but that's arguably a bully thing. This squad has capable coming backmost to not beryllium overly reliant connected its caller arrivals.

Connelly's take: Beamer did his champion to offset immoderate mammoth losses connected defence with portal newcomers, but acquisition levels decidedly look to beryllium down connected that broadside of the ball. That volition enactment a batch of unit connected Sellers and a rebuilt violative enactment to transportation the load, but Sellers mightiness beryllium susceptible of doing conscionable that.

11. Ole Miss Rebels

Key additions: WR De'Zhaun Stribling, OL Patrick Kutas, DE Princewill Umanmielen

Key departures: QB Jaxson Dart, DT Walter Nolen, WR Tre Harris

Top incoming recruits: WR Caleb Cunningham, OT Devin Harper, CB Cortez Thomas

Biggest coaching move: Coach Lane Kiffin retained his unit aft a 10-3 season, which volition assistance arsenic the Rebels regenerate 8 NFL draught picks. Among the returnees is Joe Judge, the erstwhile New York Giants manager who served arsenic an expert successful 2024 but volition enactment arsenic quarterbacks manager this coming season.

What went wrong: The Rebels shoved all-in for 2024 with 1 of the astir talented portal classes successful assemblage shot but came up abbreviated successful their quest for a CFP bid, winning 10 games and finishing No. 11 successful the AP poll. This offseason was inevitably going to bring monolithic roster turnover with the nonaccomplishment of a program-record 8 draught picks positive 14 much undrafted players who were picked up by NFL teams. Add successful 24 assistance players transferring retired of the programme and you get a situation that Kiffin and his unit intelligibly anticipated: gathering up a squad that volition beryllium connected tons of newcomers and caller leaders this fall.

What went right: Kiffin's latest portal people mightiness not person the headliners of past year's haul, but the Rebels person achieved a batch with the 28 players they've picked up. They've executed a large overhaul astatine wide receiver led by Stribling (Oklahoma State), Harrison Wallace III (Penn State), Deuce Alexander (Wake Forest) and Caleb Odom (Alabama) joining returning starter Cayden Lee. They've besides brought successful 7 caller transportation antiaircraft backs, 5 caller violative linemen, 1 of the apical choky ends disposable successful Luke Hasz (Arkansas), an All-Sun Belt backmost successful Damien Taylor (Troy) and plentifulness much experienced assistance passim the extent chart.

Connelly's take: Once you've committed to utilizing the portal arsenic heavy arsenic Kiffin has, you person to support doing it. He couldn't rather lucifer the accumulation helium mislaid with incoming production, however, and the Rebels volition bring 1 of the league's lowest returning accumulation averages to the table.

12. Vanderbilt Commodores

Key additions: WR Trent Hudson, OG Jordan White, S CJ Heard

Key departures: S De'Rickey Wright, OL Gunnar Hansen, S CJ Taylor

Top incoming recruits: CB Carson Lawrence, WR Cameran Dickson, CB Vanzale Hinton

Biggest coaching move: After manager Clark Lea served arsenic Vanderbilt's antiaircraft coordinator successful 2024, helium passed on the responsibilities to Steve Gregory, who served arsenic subordinate antiaircraft coordinator and secondary manager past fall. Lea besides promoted Nick Lezynski to co-coordinator and hired Bob Shoop, a Vanderbilt DC nether James Franklin from 2011 to 2013, arsenic elder antiaircraft analyst.

What went wrong: There wasn't overmuch to kick astir this offseason pursuing Vanderbilt's archetypal winning run since 2013. The question now: tin reigning SEC Coach of the Year Clark Lea and the Commodores build connected their momentum successful 2025? The departures of 4 starting violative linemen won't help, nor volition the nonaccomplishment of 2 safeties who combined for 68 vocation starts. But Vanderbilt has the halfway of the squad that upset No. 1 Alabama past October -- astir notably backmost Diego Pavia -- and returns with the pieces to contend for a 2nd consecutive vessel quality this fall.

What went right: The eligibility ruling that granted Pavia's instrumentality successful 2025 marked the azygous biggest improvement of Vanderbilt's offseason. But the Commodores are bringing backmost much than conscionable their quarterback. Tight extremity Eli Stowers, who led the programme successful catches (49), receiving yards (638) and touchdowns (five) past fall, returns alongside inferior wide receiver Junior Sherrill and transportation newcomer Trent Hudson, Pavia's erstwhile New Mexico State teammate. Lead moving backmost Sedrick Alexander is backmost pursuing his astir productive assemblage season, and Vanderbilt returns its apical 3 tacklers betwixt linebackers Langston Patterson, Bryan Longwell and Randon Fontenette. Accounting for dense losses connected the violative line, the Commodores added 4 transfers with starting acquisition successful tackles Bryce Henderson (South Dakota) and Isaia Glass (Oklahoma State) and interior linemen White (Liberty) and Sterling Porcher (Texas Tech).

Connelly's take: They got Pavia back, and they fertile successful the apical 10 successful returning production. That's great. But recruiting is lone ever going to beryllium truthful bully astatine VU, and the enactment successful beforehand of Pavia volition beryllium astir wholly new. We'll spot if past season's turnaround was a one-off oregon the commencement of thing awesome successful Nashville.

13. Kentucky Wildcats

Key additions: QB Zach Calzada, RB Dante Dowdell, DL Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace

Key departures: DT Deone Walker, WR Dane Key, WR Barion Brown

Top incoming recruits: DE Javeon Campbell, TE Mikkel Skinner, QB Stone Saunders

Biggest coaching move: Coach Mark Stoops precocious has faced a spot of a revolving doorway astatine wide receivers coach, making caller hires each of the past 2 winters. He brought successful L'Damian Washington, a rising 33-year-old who coached South Florida's receivers the past 2 seasons and played wideout successful the SEC astatine Missouri.

What went wrong: The Wildcats mislaid respective cardinal pieces this offseason betwixt draught exits for defenders Deone Walker, Zion Childress and Jamon Dumas-Johnson and the portal departures of starring walk catcher Dane Key (Nebraska) and Barion Brown (LSU). But Stoops and Kentucky were acceptable for a roster overhaul pursuing the 4-8 decorativeness that snapped the program's eight-year vessel streak past fall. Reloaded connected some sides of the enactment of scrimmage, the Wildcats person retooled with a much Stoops-like roster susceptible of playing the benignant of carnal shot that's powered Kentucky's champion teams implicit the past decade-plus.

What went right: The Wildcats gave up 35 sacks past autumn (109th nationally) and responded by adding 4 experienced starters on the violative line, led by tackles Shiyazh Pete (New Mexico State) and Alex Wollschlaeger (Bowling Green) and erstwhile Western Kentucky halfway Evan Wibberley. Kentucky turned to the portal for seasoned antiaircraft enactment talent, too. Defensive tackle David Gusta (Washington State) and Humphrey-Grace (South Dakota) volition anchor a new-look portion up beforehand successful 2025. Stoops hired a rising endowment to manager receivers successful Washington and brought successful 7 newcomers astatine the position, including transfers Kendrick Law (Alabama), Troy Stellato (Clemson) and J.J. Hester (Oklahoma). Calzada, the erstwhile Texas A&M, Auburn and Incarnate Word quarterback, and erstwhile Nebraska moving backmost Dante Dowdell circular retired a revamped discourtesy successful Lexington.

Connelly's take: After his worst play since 2013, Stoops needed a large offseason to get backmost connected track. It doesn't truly look similar helium got it. Despite tons of caller humor for the offense, the QB options are either unproven oregon uninspiring. The caller walk rushers could beryllium excellent, astatine least.

14. Tennessee Volunteers

Key additions: QB Joey Aguilar, RB Star Thomas, OG Wendell Moe Jr.

Key departures: QB Nico Iamaleava, RB Dylan Sampson, DE James Pearce Jr.

Top incoming recruits: OT David Sanders, DT Isaiah Campbell, QB George MacIntyre

Biggest coaching move: Coach Josh Heupel kept his coordinators, including Broyles Award finalist Tim Banks, aft reaching the CFP. His unit had minimal changes, arsenic helium promoted analysts Levorn "Chop" Harbin (outside linebackers) and Evan Crabtree (special teams coordinators) to on-field roles, and hired erstwhile Central Michigan manager John Bonamego, a longtime NFL peculiar teams guru, to enactment with Crabtree.

What went wrong: The Vols entered 2025 prepared to physique connected the program's first-ever CFP quality down Nico Iamaleava, the erstwhile apical backmost enlistee who appeared poised to instrumentality different leap successful his 2nd play arsenic starter. Circumstances aside, Iamaleava's late-spring departure for UCLA was a worst-case script for Tennessee's 2025 season. The Vols made a coagulated betterment successful the backmost "swap" with UCLA transportation and erstwhile Appalachian State passer Joey Aguilar, but the Iamaleava saga marked a disastrous ending to an different quiescent offseason that saw Tennessee's biggest losses travel successful the NFL draft.

What went right: Landing Aguilar, it should beryllium reiterated, was a large boon for the Vols considering the timing of Iamaleava's exit. However, if Iamaleava's accuracy and speechmaking of defenses was a occupation astatine times, Aguilar -- who completed 55.9% of his passes and threw 14 picks successful 2024 -- mightiness not beryllium a cleanable solution. Filling the shoes of 2024 SEC rushing yards and touchdown person Dylan Sampson won't beryllium simple, but Tennessee should person steadfast contention astatine the presumption betwixt returners DeSean Bishop and Peyton Lewis and Thomas (871 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns successful 2024 astatine Duke). The summation of Moe, a 27-game starter successful 3 seasons astatine Arizona, could beryllium particularly important if the Vols spell with Sanders, a five-star freshman astatine close tackle.

Connelly's take: Iamaleava didn't permission an intolerable barroom to wide astatine quarterback, but evidently the timing of that saga was astir arsenic suboptimal arsenic possible. Still, the Vols bask utmost continuity connected defense, and considering however good the defence played past season, that could beryllium a precise bully thing.

15. Arkansas Razorbacks

Key additions: WR O'Mega Blake, OT Corey Robinson II, RB Mike Washington

Key departures: DE Landon Jackson, WR Isaac TeSlaa, WR Andrew Armstrong

Top incoming recruits: OLB Tavion Wallace, DT Kevin Oatis, DT Reginald Vaughn

Biggest coaching move: After a splashy offseason successful 2024 that included Bobby Petrino's instrumentality to Arkansas, things were overmuch quieter this spring. Coach Sam Pittman's lone on-field unit alteration came with the secondary, arsenic Nick Perry arrives aft NFL stops with Seattle and Atlanta.

What went wrong: Few programs mislaid much measurement (and immoderate quality) successful the transportation portal this offseason than the Razorbacks, prompting different roster retool for Pittman up of a important sixth play successful charge. The database of cardinal transportation departures includes violative linemen Patrick Kutas (Ole Miss) and Addison Nichols (SMU), wide receiver Isaiah Sategna (Oklahoma) and choky extremity Luke Hasz (Ole Miss). Arkansas worked the portal plentifulness hard, too. But, astatine slightest connected paper, the Razorbacks failed to propulsion successful the benignant of bona fide, proven contributors needed to relationship for the NFL draught losses of apical rusher Ja'Quinden Jackson, SEC receiving yards person Andrew Armstrong and a fistful of antiaircraft starters, led by antiaircraft extremity Landon Jackson.

What went right: The Razorbacks had to rebuild connected the violative enactment aft giving up 36 sacks that ranked 114th nationally. They'll anticipation the portal additions of six violative linemen, headlined by Robinson, Oregon's Shaq McRoy and UCF's Caden Kitler, tin supply a level for Taylen Green, and support the dynamic redshirt elder backmost upright. Arkansas worked hard to supply Green with caller downfield targets, too, with Blake (Charlotte), Raylen Sharpe (Fresno State) and erstwhile All-AAC instrumentality antheral Kam Shanks (UAB) among 5 transportation wide receivers connected the roster. Former Montana State choky extremity Rohan Jones (30 catches, 470 yards, 9 touchdowns successful 2024) arrives arsenic different imaginable playmaker if helium tin set to the physicality of SEC football.

Connelly's take: It's a make-or-break twelvemonth for Pittman successful Fayetteville, and it's unclear whether helium made the close portal moves oregon simply made a batch of them. The play -- and the destiny of Pittman's tenure -- could travel down to whether the attempted upgrades successful the receiving corps and secondary travel up big.

16. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Key additions: RB Fluff Bothwell, QB Luke Kromenhoek, DL Red Hibbler

Key departures: WR Kevin Coleman Jr., WR Mario Craver, CB Brice Pollock

Top incoming recruits: OLB Tyler Lockhart, OLB Tyshun Willis, QB KaMario Taylor

Biggest coaching move: Despite a 2-10 season, manager Jeff Lebby brought backmost his superior coordinators but made immoderate different changes, including plucking 2 assistants -- Phil Loadholt (offensive line) and Vincent Dancy (defensive ends/outside linebackers) -- from Colorado's staff. Loadholt, a Minnesota Vikings lineman from 2009-15, antecedently worked with Lebby astatine Oklahoma and Ole Miss.

What went wrong: Lebby and his coaches inherited a superior roster rebuild and are hard astatine enactment trying to physique up a squad that tin support up successful the SEC aft a winless tally done league play successful Year 1. It was a high-attrition offseason arsenic 1 would expect aft a 2-10 season, with 33 assistance players transferring out, though lone 4 of them -- Coleman (Missouri), Pollock (Texas Tech), QB Michael Van Buren Jr. (LSU) and OL Makylan Pounders (Louisville) -- started much than six games past season. In fact, much than fractional of Mississippi State's departures ended up astatine G5 oregon FCS programs. The portal tin assistance expedite rebuilds, but the process of gathering up a genuinely competitive, experienced two-deep is apt going to necessitate immoderate clip and patience.

What went right: Mississippi State has a overmuch brighter aboriginal astatine backmost going guardant acknowledgment to the accomplishment of Taylor and Kromenhoek, a Florida State transfer. Sixth-year elder QB Blake Shapen opting to instrumentality for different play takes immoderate unit disconnected those erstwhile ESPN 300 recruits, but they're going to drawback up quickly. Bothwell, an All-Sun Belt performer arsenic a freshman astatine South Alabama, gives the Bulldogs a beardown trio of backs, and they've remade their receiver country with six portal pickups. Lebby has besides overhauled up beforehand by bringing successful 7 transportation violative linemen and 8 antiaircraft line/edge additions. If they tin execute a coagulated deed complaint among their much than 30 portal newcomers, expect bully advancement successful Year 2.

Connelly's take: As expected aft a dreadful debut season, Lebby had tons of holes to capable and did his best. We'll spot if the discourtesy has the weapons it needs, but astatine the precise slightest the Bulldogs should beryllium overmuch deeper and much experienced successful the trenches. And Fluff Bothwell could crook retired to beryllium an implicit steal.

Overall apical 10

1. LSU Tigers: A operation of player/staff retention and immoderate much-needed portal upgrades puts manager Brian Kelly's squad successful the apical spot. The Tigers get backmost Garrett Nussmeier for different year, brought backmost linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. from wounded and addressed cardinal positions done the portal, including wide receiver, information and some lines.

2. Texas Tech Red Raiders: From a purely unit standpoint, Texas Tech mightiness person been the squad of the offseason, doubling down successful investments. The squad retained wide manager James Blanchard, made beardown coordinator hires successful Mack Leftwitch and Shiel Wood, and pounded the portal, particularly connected the violative and antiaircraft lines. A CFP propulsion successful Lubbock could beryllium coming.

3. Penn State Nittany Lions: Not each large offseason stems from dense portal additions. Penn State improved its roster, particularly astatine a lagging wide receiver spot with Trebor Pena and others, but it besides kept NFL prospects Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen successful the backfield, and made the apical coordinator prosecute of the wintertime successful Jim Knowles from Ohio State.

4. Oregon Ducks: Dan Lanning has made Oregon a spot wherever radical privation to enactment and play. He retained astir his full unit from the Big Ten title team. The Ducks kept wide receiver Evan Stewart and respective cardinal defenders. They besides added All-Big Ten antiaircraft backs Dillon Thieneman and Theran Johnson, Doak Walker Award semifinalist Makhi Hughes and others from the portal.

5. Clemson Tigers: Coach Dabo Swinney's aversion to transfers often made Clemson an improbable campaigner for a apical offseason. But this winter, Swinney went to the portal for antiaircraft extremity Will Heldt and others. Clemson besides kept backmost Cade Klubnik, talented antiaircraft linemen T.J. Parker and Peter Woods and a dynamic radical of receivers from the ACC title team. He besides upgraded the antiaircraft unit with coordinator Tom Allen.

6. Oklahoma Sooners: OU needed a large offseason aft a disappointing 2024 and delivered. An embattled discourtesy landed the Pullman bundle woody of coordinator Ben Arbuckle and backmost John Mateer from Washington State. OU added assistance astir Mateer with moving backmost Jaydn Ott and others. The squad besides has a wide unit absorption with Jim Nagy, the erstwhile Senior Bowl enforcement director.

7. Auburn Tigers: The fiscal clout we heard astir during Auburn's courtship of Lane Kiffin showed up this offseason. Auburn bolstered its receiving corps with Eric Singleton Jr. and others, added coveted violative tackle Xavier Chaplin and gave backmost Jackson Arnold a reset opportunity. Coach Hugh Freeze should person what helium needs for a Year 3 breakthrough.

8. Miami Hurricanes: The Hurricanes' inclusion present volition undoubtedly trigger immoderate oculus rolls, but Miami continues to thrive successful the offseason. Quarterback Carson Beck could beryllium 1 of the champion portal pickups, and Miami besides added notable transfers astatine wide receiver, antiaircraft backmost and violative line. The squad retained violative coordinator Shannon Dawson and made a beardown antiaircraft coordinator prosecute successful Corey Hetherman.

9. Illinois Fighting Illini: When teams similar Illinois person 10-win seasons, the biggest situation is often retention. Coach Bret Bielema not lone kept his unit unneurotic but brought backmost a radical of NFL draught hopefuls, adjacent fending disconnected a precocious Tennessee propulsion for backmost Luke Altmyer. The Illini besides kept nationalist awards campaigner Gabe Jacas successful the linebacker corps and addressed their superior request astatine wide receiver done the portal.

10. Arizona State Sun Devils: After a shocking tally to the Big 12 rubric and the CFP, Arizona State is positioned good for an encore. Coach Kenny Dillingham didn't suffer cardinal assistants, has backmost Sam Leavitt backmost successful the fold on with wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and others. ASU besides helped its violative backfield with moving backmost Kanye Udoh and made different beardown additions astatine wide receiver and successful the secondary.