Transfer portal breakdown: 7 particularly interesting transfer/offensive coordinator combinations

Some transfer portal “marriages,” as it were, seem perfect: They’re a great match of player’s skills and coach’s strengths. Last year, for instance, Caleb Williams-Lincoln Riley and Jahmyr Gibbs-Nick Saban fit the bill. But there were some other decisions that, in retrospect, should’ve been recognized early as perfect matches, like Charlie Jones-Jeff Brohm and Christian Gonzalez-Dan Lanning.

Today, we’re looking at seven transfer-offensive coordinator matchups that may have been overlooked but should be quite productive. We are including head coaches who call their own plays. The combinations are listed alphabetically by school. We will look at seven defensive combinations Thursday.

Alabama

Transfer/coordinator match: TE C.J. Dippre (from Maryland)/OC Tommy Rees
The buzz: Fortuitously for Dippre (6 feet 5, 250 pounds), Alabama hired Rees to replace Bill O’Brien, who went back to the NFL. The offenses Rees oversaw the past three seasons at Notre Dame leaned heavily on TE Michael Mayer. No, Dippre isn’t as talented as Mayer, but Rees has shown he likes to throw to the tight end. And while the ID of Alabama’s starting quarterback in 2023 remains unknown, the Tide looks to have found a more-than-capable tight end. Dippre had 30 receptions for 314 yards and three TDs in 2022 in a good passing attack at Maryland. (Coincidentally, he caught passes from Alabama transfer Taulia Tagovailoa with the Terps.) Dippre has “old-school tight end” size, but could stand to improve as a blocker. Still, his receiving ability is a major selling point, and that should come to the fore with Rees calling plays.

Florida

Transfer/coordinator match: G Micah Mazzccua (Baylor)/coach Billy Napier
The buzz: Napier serves as his own play-caller, and he certainly doesn’t mind running the ball. He prefers a physical, downhill rushing attack, but the Gators lost three starting offensive linemen from 2022. The best was transfer G O’Cyrus Torrence, a first-team All-America pick who turned pro. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Mazzccua (6-5, 331) is the Gators’ best lineman this fall. He started 10 games at left guard and was an honorable mention All-Big 12 guy in ’22. He played in nine games as a redshirt freshman reserve in 2021. Mazzccua (it’s pronounced “Muh-ZOO-cuh”) is an especially good run-blocker, which should play well in an offense that wants to mash people.

Iowa

Transfer/coordinator match: TE Erick All (Michigan)/OC Brian Ferentz
The buzz: One thing Ferentz’s offense is known for (well, one good thing) is that tight ends are legit receiving weapons. In each of the past three seasons, a tight end led the Hawkeyes in receptions; in 2022, the top two receivers were tight ends. That should suit All (6-5, 255) just fine. He was second on the team with 38 receptions at Michigan in 2021. But he played in just three games in 2022 before being sidelined by a back injury that required surgery. An added bonus: He joins former Wolverines QB Cade McNamara with the Hawkeyes. McNamara was Michigan’s starting quarterback in 2021, so he is used to throwing to All. All has a bit more explosiveness than departed TE Sam LaPorta, too.

Louisville

Transfer/coordinator match: WR Jamari Thrash (Georgia State)/coach Jeff Brohm
The buzz: Louisville’s leading receiver in 2022 was a transfer (Tyler Hudson, from Central Arkansas, who is headed to the NFL) and that could be the case again in 2023. Plus, Brohm (who calls the plays) will install a more pass-oriented offense, so the receivers figure to be much busier in ’23 than in ’22. Thrash (6-0, 180) led Georgia State with 61 receptions for 1,122 yards and seven TDs in 2022. He is in line to be the Cardinals’ No. 1 receiver. He averaged 18.4 yards per catch, second nationally (behind Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt) among the 68 players with at least 60 receptions. Thrash had 14 catches of at least 30 yards (third nationally) and eight of at least 40 (fourth). Louisville returns two wide receivers who had more than seven catches; neither had more than 31. If Thrash is the No. 1 receiver, an 80-catch season beckons.

NC State

Transfer/coordinator match: QB Brennan Armstrong (Virginia)/OC Robert Anae
The buzz: NC State is hoping an old friend can help Armstrong (6-2, 210). The key numbers: 4,449 and 2,210. The first number is the passing yards for Armstrong in 2021, when Anae was his OC. The second number is the passing yards for Armstrong in 2022, after Anae left for Syracuse and a new staff installed a new offense. Armstrong accounted for 40 TDs in 2021 (31 in the air, nine on the ground); that number fell to 13 in 2022, with just seven passing TDs. If Anae can help Armstrong regain his 2021 form, the Wolfpack can contend for the ACC title.

Texas Tech

Transfer/coordinator match: WR Drae McCray (Austin Peay)/OC Zach Kittley
The buzz: McCray (5-9, 177) adds another weapon to what should be a high-level receiving corps for Texas Tech. Additionally, McCrae adds legit deep speed. “We are fortunate to be signing easily one of the fastest players in college football,” Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire said of McCray. McCray was a state-ranked 110-meters hurdler in high school in Florida. The Red Raiders return five wide receivers who had at least 30 receptions in 2022 in Kittley’s version of the “Air Raid.” Now they add a different kind of weapon in McCray, who led Austin Peay in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in each of his two seasons with the Governors. (The respective totals: 129, 1,888 and 17). McCray can be used in the slot, out wide and on jet sweeps.

USC

Transfer/coordinator match: WR Dorian Singer (Arizona)/coach Lincoln Riley
The buzz: Jordan Addison, USC’s best receiver, is bound for the NFL, and while it’s still a deep position group, Singer may become the Trojans’ go-to guy. Singer (6-1, 185) had a big 2022 season at Arizona, where he was part of one of the nation’s top receiving trios with Jacob Cowing and standout true freshman Tetairoa McMillan. Now he’ll be part of a deep group at USC that will catch passes from Caleb Williams. Singer had 66 receptions for 1,105 yards (16.7 per catch) and six TDs in 2022. He was tied for the Pac-12 lead with five receptions of at least 40 yards and with 11 for at least 30; he also led the league with 21 receptions of at least 20 yards. His ability to get deep will be a nice fit for Riley’s offense.