The Transfer Portal Creates New Opportunities for Incoming and Outgoing Coyote Athletes

Brock Weidner Brock.Weidner@coyotes.usd.edu

The Transfer Portal has become the new normal for college athletics with more players entering it the last couple of seasons. Let’s take a look at the outgoing and incoming transfers for the football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as of this issue.

Football

Ten players exit the Coyotes football team, seven of which were offensive players including two quarterbacks.

Andrew Jacobs. Grade: Redshirt Freshman. Position: Wide Receiver. New Team: Charlotte.

Jacobs played in two games as a freshman and recorded one catch for five yards against Kansas State before redshirting for the season.

Carson Camp. Grade: Junior. Position: Quarterback. New Team: Sacramento State.

Camp made an instant impact at USD as he was the first true freshman to start a season opener. In his second season, Camp made everyone know his name after throwing the game-winning hail mary versus South Dakota State with one second on the clock. He started in seven games last season before being benched in the Dakota Days’ game versus Southern Illinois. Camp threw for 4,123 yards, 24 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and rushed for three more touchdowns in his three seasons at USD.

Cole Stenstrom. Grade: Sophomore. Position: Quarterback. New Team: Winona State.

In 2021, Stenstrom worked as Camp’s backup and played in five games that year completing 13 of his 27 throws for 146 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while also picking up 68 yards on the ground and a touchdown. Last year he converted to running back and recorded 27 rushing yards and seven receiving yards. Stenstrom will switch back to playing quarterback for the Warriors.

Corey Hollinger. Grade: Redshirt Freshman. Position: Tight End. New Team: Wayne State.

Hollinger redshirted last season and now will return back to his home state of Nebraska to play for the Wildcats.

Da’Raun McKinney. Grade: Junior. Position: De- fensive Back. New Team: Undecided.

McKinney started his collegiate career at Iowa for two years before spending two seasons at USD where he played in 17 games making 13 starts at cornerback. He recorded 91 tackles, one interception and 12 pass breakups. McKinney is the newest addition to the portal and has yet to make his decision as he 13 holds offers from Prairie View A&M, Mississippi Valley State, Miami (OH), Central Michigan, Illinois State, Samford, Austin Peay ,Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Texas Southern and East Tennessee State.

Jakari Starling. Grade: Redshirt Junior. Position: Linebacker. New Team: Western Carolina.

Starling was on the MVFC All-Newcomer team in 2019 as he recorded 70 tackles and a sack. The last two seasons have been injury riddled for Starling as he’s only played in eight games the last two years with only one appearance last season.

Jason Samec. Grade: Junior. Position: Tight End. New Team: Southwest Minnesota State.

Samec came to USD as a defensive lineman. After redshirting and two years of no appearances he switched positions to tight end last year. Samec will go back to playing defensive line for the Mustangs. Shomari Lawerence. Grade: Redshirt Sophomore. Position: Running Back. New Team: Florida International (FIU).

Lawrence exploded onto the scene last year after not playing much the previous two years due to a COVID-19-shortened season and an injury that led him to redshirting. He was named on the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) all-Newcomer Team after compiling 597 yards and three touchdowns on the ground paired with 14 catches for 135 yards and a receiving touchdown.

Tre Thomas. Grade: Grad Student. Position: Linebacker. New Team: Idaho.

Thomas made 12 starts in his 30 games as a Coyote. He recorded 78 tackles, six for a loss, two sacks and one interception in his career.

Wesley Eliodor. Grade: Fifth Year. Position: Wide Receiver. New Team: North Dakota.

Eliodor was known for his kick returning ability as he returned four kicks for touchdowns in highschool. In his first kick return at USD, he took it for 69 yards in a Dakota Days win against No. 24

Missouri State. He is coming off his best offensive year with 30 catches for 482 yards and six touchdowns.

With ten players transferring out for the Coyotes, they have brought in five players from the portal three of which played at the FBS level and two of which played at the Power Five level.

Cannon Blauser. Grade: Junior. Position: Linebacker. Previous Team: Ohio.

Spending four years at Ohio, Blauser had a breakout season in 2021 where he made 86 tackles which was second best on the Bobcats. Last season recorded 33 tackles, 3.5 for a loss.

Mosai Newsom. Grade: Junior. Position: Defensive Line. Previous Team: Nebraska.

After redshirting his first season at Nebraska, Newsom did not see the field the next two years until last season where he played in nine games recording three tackles all against No. 17 Illinois.

Okey Egbuziem. Grade: Junior. Position: Defensive Line. Previous Team: Fresno City College.

In two seasons at Fresno City College Egbuziem recorded 22 tackles and a sack in 15 games for the Rams.

Tim White. Grade: Redshirt Sophomore. Position: Defensive Back. Previous Team: Robert Morris.

In his first season in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, White recorded nine tackles and two pass breakups. Last season, White picked up his first interception and tallied six more tackles in four games, he later redshirted.

Tristan Michaud. Grade: Sophomore. Position: Wide Receiver. Previous Team: Iowa State.

The 6-foot-6-inch receiver from Canada comes in from Iowa State after redshirting for the Cyclones after appearing in one game. Michaud is the next former Cyclone to become a Coyote and will join redshirt sophomore quarterback Aidan Bouman who transferred in last season.