The college football transfer portal’s become a huge factor in shaping rosters, especially for teams with new head coaches. The 2026 cycle? It’s been wild, with first-year coaches hustling to piece together their squads.
This article takes a look at the transfer portal grades for the 17 Power Four programs that brought in new head coaches. From Lane Kiffin’s headline-grabbing class at LSU to Tavita Pritchard’s rough go at Stanford, we’re unpacking how these coaches worked the portal to strengthen their teams—or at least tried to.
Top Performers in the Transfer Portal
Some first-year coaches really nailed it in the portal, pulling in high-level talent to reshape their rosters. They leaned on recruiting skills and a bit of savvy to set up their teams for the coming season.
Lane Kiffin at LSU
Lane Kiffin leaned into his “Portal King” nickname and landed the country’s top transfer class. Eight four-star additions, plus a five-star in Sam Leavitt, send a clear message.
The quarterback duo of Leavitt and Husan Longstreet could give LSU both immediate spark and long-term upside. Kiffin’s also stacked up on wide receivers, aiming for one of those signature, high-octane offenses he loves.
Eric Morris at Oklahoma State
Eric Morris didn’t mess around—he brought in a staggering 51 transfers, the biggest haul of the cycle. Among them is quarterback Drew Mestemaker, the No. 3 overall player in the portal.
Morris also snagged North Texas stars Caleb Hawkins and Wyatt Young, who lit up scoreboards last year. Oklahoma State suddenly looks like a real threat in the Big 12.
Pete Golding at Ole Miss
Pete Golding managed to guide Ole Miss to a College Football Playoff run and lock down the nation’s No. 2 transfer class. He added quarterback Deuce Knight and defensive standouts like four-star corner Jay Crawford.
Defensive linemen Michai Boirea and Jehiem Oatis round out a group that could keep the Rebels in the playoff conversation—assuming these new faces hit the ground running.
Notable Mid-Tier Performances
Some coaches went for more balanced, targeted moves. These mid-tier classes might not make headlines, but they fill gaps and set up teams for steady progress.
James Franklin at Virginia Tech
James Franklin brought in a strong group to Virginia Tech, leaning heavily on former Penn State players. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, once a top-10 recruit, is set to lead the offense.
Tight end Luke Reynolds is another name to watch, and the defense gets a lift from ex-Nittany Lions. Hokies fans have reasons to be cautiously optimistic in the ACC.
Ryan Silverfield at Arkansas
Ryan Silverfield zeroed in on Arkansas’ struggling defense. Four-star linebacker Khmori House and corner Jahiem Johnson headline the new arrivals.
These moves should make the Razorbacks more competitive in the SEC, but it’s a wait-and-see situation on how quickly things gel.
Alex Golesh at Auburn
Alex Golesh brought over 13 players from USF, including dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown, who averaged 347.2 total yards a game last year. That’s impressive, but questions linger about both lines.
Still, Golesh has probably done enough to avoid a step back from 2025, and maybe even surprise a few folks on offense.
Challenges and Struggles
Not every first-year coach found the portal to be a gold mine. Some ran into real roadblocks—academic standards, money, you name it—that made landing top talent tough.
Tavita Pritchard at Stanford
Tavita Pritchard had an uphill battle at Stanford, where strict academics make transfer life tricky. Only three commits came in, with quarterback Davis Warren among them.
Stanford’s class ranks dead last among Power Four schools, leaving Pritchard with a big challenge to field a competitive roster.
Jimmy Rogers at Iowa State
Jimmy Rogers brought in 43 transfers, trying to fill holes after losing 55 players in the offseason. But the class is made up entirely of three-star prospects or lower.
Most of these guys come from Group of Five programs, so it’s an open question whether they can hang in the Big 12.
Pat Fitzgerald at Michigan State
Pat Fitzgerald focused on fixing Michigan State’s offensive line, adding four new faces to the trenches. It’s a gamble—building a line from the portal isn’t exactly foolproof.
Six outgoing Spartans rank higher than the best incoming transfer, which says plenty about the talent flow right now. Fitzgerald’s got some work to do.
The 2026 transfer portal cycle really shook things up for college football. Programs with new head coaches felt the impact the most.
Some coaches, like Lane Kiffin and Eric Morris, managed to bring in some impressive talent. Not everyone had it easy, though—Tavita Pritchard and Jimmy Rogers ran into some real hurdles.
If you want a closer look at how each first-year coach did with their transfer portal class, check out the full article on CBS Sports.
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