Carver Cheeks, a standout for the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) Bears, is making headlines with his return to the team. After testing the NCAA transfer portal, Cheeks is back—this time without a scholarship.
This move shakes things up for both Cheeks and the UNC football program. The details of Cheeks’ journey, the transfer portal, and what it all means for college football are worth a closer look.
The Return of Carver Cheeks
Cheeks, a junior who switched from defensive back to wide receiver, was a rare bright spot for UNC’s struggling offense in 2024. He finished the season with 20 catches for 355 yards, ranking second among receivers.
He tied for the team lead with three receiving touchdowns. Despite the breakout, Cheeks entered the NCAA transfer portal, hoping for a shot at bigger Division I programs.
Exploring the Transfer Portal
With two years left to play, Cheeks figured it was the right moment to see what else was out there. Coach Ed Lamb put it simply: “That was his feeling, that he was going to be the most marketable.”
But after weeks in the portal, Cheeks didn’t find the opportunity he wanted. He got offers from Abilene Christian, Colorado State Pueblo, Bethune-Cookman, Tennessee at Chattanooga, and Houston Christian—mostly FCS schools, just like UNC, except for CSU Pueblo, which is Division II.
Returning Without a Scholarship
When Cheeks asked to come back, Lamb agreed, but only if Cheeks returned as a walk-on. No scholarship this time. Lamb stressed that he needs a consistent approach to the portal.
“I don’t want to build a culture where the players see that, I as the head coach, if a good player goes into the portal, we’ll take them right back if they don’t find anything,” Lamb said. “And if a player that’s not as good goes into the portal, then we’ll give their scholarship to somebody else. So you have to have a consistent policy.”
The Financial Implications
Now, Cheeks will have to pay to attend UNC. Like other walk-ons, he’ll have a shot to earn a scholarship in the future.
Lamb made it clear there’s no set timeline or guarantee for Cheeks to get that scholarship back. “There are no guarantees,” Lamb said. NCAA rules allow a scholarship to be reduced or revoked only once per year, with notification by July 1. When athletes enter the portal, their football scholarships are canceled, freeing up those funds.
The Broader Impact of the Transfer Portal
Lamb talked about Cheeks’ situation on a podcast with 1310 KFKA radio host Brady Hull. He mentioned other UNC football players have asked to return after entering the portal, but none were willing to come back as walk-ons.
Lamb thinks Cheeks probably regrets entering the portal. “I would’ve wanted to talk with Cheeks before he filed to leave,” Lamb said. “This would’ve allowed us to discuss his options to play in another program.”
Comparisons with College Basketball
Lamb isn’t against the portal but wants players to be more selective about using it. He pointed out that college basketball players have more information before entering the portal—probably because there are fewer players on each team.
“The transfer portal is a desert for college football players,” Lamb said. He noted that stats and analytics don’t always capture the reality for every position.
Future Changes to NCAA Rules
Big changes might be coming because of a $2.8 billion federal antitrust lawsuit called House v. NCAA. The case, which started in 2020, centers on paying all Division I college athletes.
The defendants are athletes from five major conferences: the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC. Schools in these conferences must follow the settlement terms, while other Division I schools only have to if they opt in.
Implications for Roster and Scholarship Limits
One part of the settlement would remove athletic scholarship limits and set roster limits for each sport. The first proposal capped college football rosters at 105 players for both FBS and FCS teams.
The Big Sky Conference, which includes UNC, voted to keep a scholarship limit of 63 in football for 2025-26. Football is the only sport where Big Sky schools wanted a smaller scholarship or roster limit than what’s proposed under House v. NCAA.
Lessons Learned for Carver Cheeks
Last fall, Cheeks switched to wide receiver. His scholarship for 2025 could’ve been up for grabs.
He stepped up and earned his spot, so the scholarship stuck around until he decided to enter the portal. Because of team policy, they didn’t renew his scholarship.
Lamb pointed out that if you want a positive outcome in the portal, you’ve got to be one of the conference’s best players. “That’s the way to go into the portal for every athlete,” Lamb said. He thinks Carver gets it now—that’s the real bar for a happy ending.
For more details on Carver Cheeks’ return to UNC, you can read the full article on the Greeley Tribune.
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