Sports
Tracking which Ohio Football players have entered the transfer portal
By: Grant Kiefer
Posted on:
ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — The landscape of college athletics is everchanging, and Ohio Football has been hit hard by that reality the last two seasons. The Bobcats ranked 133rd out of 134 teams in terms of returning production entering 2024 and will have a similar mass exit again this season. This year has a different caveat: former head coach Tim Albin accepted the head coaching job at Charlotte on Dec. 8. While every player decided to stick around for the team’s StaffDNA Cure Bowl victory, players have started to enter the transfer portal. We’ll track who has entered their name in the portal and where they’re heading.
Some key notes for the transfer portal: While the main NCAA transfer portal closes on Dec. 28, Ohio players will have until Jan. 7 to enter their names during the winter window. This is due to an NCAA-mandated 30-day window being opened after a head coach leaves a school. The spring transfer window opens in late April as well. In addition, if a player enters their name in the portal, there’s always a possibility they could pull their name out of the portal and return. For example, defensive end Bradley Weaver entered the portal following last season but opted to return during the spring of 2024.
Confirmed Players in the Portal
Stellan Bowman, Freshman, Linebacker
Transferred to: TBA
Bowman saw lots of action early in the season with Ohio’s defense being hit hard with injuries to start 2024. Bowman tallied six tackles against Syracuse in week one and had at least one tackle in the first five games of the season. With three years of eligibility left, Bowman should be highly sought after considering the impact he made as a true freshman.
Xander Karagosian, Redshirt Sophomore, Safety
Transferred to: TBA
While Karagosian didn’t see the field much in his three seasons in Ohio, he was well-liked being a local kid from the 740. Karagosian attended both Alexander High School and Jackson High School. Karagosian has two seasons left of eligibility.
Rickey Hunt Jr., Redshirt Freshman, Running Back
Transferred to: TBA
Hunt came onto the scene late last season in the Myrtle Beach Bowl against Georgia Southern, exploding for four rushing touchdowns en route to an Ohio victory. Hunt started week one at Syracuse, but after Anthony Tyus III ran for over 200 yards and two touchdowns in the game, he became the backup for most of the season. Hunt was expected to be the starter next season with Tyus and Nolan McCormick graduating, but will look for a different role in a different program. Hunt should be highly sought after given how much eligibility he has left. Hunt has announced he’s already received scholarship offers to Tulsa and Western Kentucky.
Colby Garfield, Graduate, Long Snapper
Transferred to: TBA
Garfield entered his name in the portal and quickly received an offer from Albin at Charlotte. For a North Carolina native with Garfield, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him return to his old program and home state under some familiar coaching. Garfield started his collegiate career at Charlotte in 2020 before transferring to East Carolina in 2022. 2024 was Garfield’s only season in Athens. Garfield had an infamous fumble recovery in a week two game against South Alabama this season.
CJ Doggette, Redshirt Sophomore, Defensive Tackle
Transferred to: TBA
Doggette played a key role on a stellar defensive line in 2024. Doggette transferred to Ohio after spending two seasons at Cincinnati and immediately made an impact. Doggette tallied 32 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three sacks. Doggette was part of an Ohio defense that limited offenses to 91.9 rushing yards per game, which was the least in the MAC. With two years of eligibility left, Doggette could return to the Power Four level and contribute right away. Doggette is rumored to be having conversations with Virginia Tech and Syracuse.
Austin Brawley, Junior, Safety
Transferred to: TBA
Despite limited action this season, Brawley put up some impressive numbers. In just seven games, Brawley earned 38 total tackles and an interception. Brawley started the first five games of the season before missing seven consecutive games due to a personal matter. He returned for the MAC Championship Game and StaffDNA Cure Bowl and contributed on special teams. Depending on where Brawley ends up, he could redshirt in 2025 and play his senior season in 2026, or forgo the redshirt year altogether and make 2025 his last season in college football.
Jacob Dennison, Redshirt Senior, Offensive Tackle
Transferred to: TBA
A key contributor to Ohio’s incredible offensive line, Dennison has made an impact up front and on the team’s culture during his three seasons in Athens. Dennison spent his first two seasons at Jacksonville State before transferring to Ohio in 2022. Dennison’s final year of eligibility comes from the extra year the NCAA granted all student-athletes competing during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the 2020-2021 athletic season. Dennison missed parts of the 2024 due to injury but returned in time to help the Bobcats win the 2024 MAC Championship and StaffDNA Cure Bowl.
Transferred to: TBA
Spetic stepped up last season after kicker Nathanial Vakos transferred to Wisconsin following the 2022 season. Spetic took a major leap in his development in 2024, going 13-16 on field goals with a long of 52 yards. Spetic was near-perfect on extra points this season, going 47-48 with the only miss coming against Jacksonville State in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl. With at least two seasons of eligibility left, Spetic could become a key contributor for a Power Four school after showcasing his combination of accuracy and leg strength for the Bobcats.
This article will be updated as more players announce they’ve entered the transfer portal.