Breaking down how Michigan, Washington show the best use of the transfer portal

In a number of ways, both teams squaring off in the national championship game in Houston on Monday encapsulate perhaps the most successful model of using the transfer portal. Both Michigan and Washington feature a number of key players who are transfers, but to augment already-talented rosters built on high school recruits.

The balance both teams have manage to strike between building through high school recruiting classes versus the college version of free agency stood out to On3’s Pete Nakos and Andy Staples as the pair discussed the matchup.

“I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on this, but I think what Michigan and Washington really show off is how the portal is that version of NFL free agency in the sense of like, if you go in it knowing what positions you need to fill, it can be the best spot to reload. I think we’ve also seen though how only taking athletes from the portal to build a roster maybe isn’t the best way — you need the good mesh of high school and portal. And I mean Michigan and Washington are both good testaments of that. You think of what Jim Harbaugh’s built around J.J. McCarthy, but at the same time, J.J. was a highly-touted quarterback coming out of high school who went to Michigan,” Nakos said.

On the offensive line, Michigan features a pair of starters who are transfers: Center Drake Nugent and left tackle LaDarius Henderson. Additionally, tight end AJ Barner transferred in to supplement the passing and run game.

Defensively, transfers dot the field at various spots for the Wolverines, but one in particular stood out on the final play of scrimmage in the Rose Bowl: Edge rusher Josaiah Stewart. On Alabama’s failed 4th and goal attempt in overtime to seal the game for Michigan, Stewart blew right tackle JC Latham — a former five-star recruit — so far back that the offensive lineman caused the initial contact that brought down Milroe.

And perhaps the single best transfer in the entire game will be Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who transferred to play for the Huskies ahead of the 2022 season. He’s joined in the backfield by transfer running back Dillon Johnson and, much like Michigan, the Huskies defense has a number of transfers shining.

“Yeah, you gotta get your J.J. McCarthys and your Will Johnsons, but you also have to get your Josiah Stewarts,” Staples said.

Another transfer dynamic that Staples highlighted is preventing attrition, something both the Wolverines and Huskies have managed to stave off in the portal era. Staples pointed to the likes of Michigan defender and veteran Mike Sainristil, who converted from receiver to defensive back.

“There’s an alternate history with Mikey Sainristil at Michigan, who is one of their great DBs, doesn’t convert from receiver but instead transfers to go play receiver elsewhere and they kept him. And so the retention piece of it’s just as important,” Staples said.

Nakos also pointed to Michigan’s NIL-fueled “One More Year” fund to bring back, among others, star tailback Blake Corum for another year to chase a national championship.

“Retention is the name of the game now, right, with NIL and collectives and everything. Michigan and Washington are both schools who have pretty strong collectives and obviously Michigan did the return for another year fund that brought Blake Corum back for another year,” Nakos said.

“And Blake Corum, as we know: very, very important,” Staples added.