Transfer portal breakdown: 9 players off to disappointing starts

There are a handful of higher-profile transfers who have started the season slowly. Yes, it’s only three games, but the production hasn’t been there – at least not yet.

While three games seems like a small sample size, the season already is a quarter over; it’ll be a third over after this weekend’s games.

Miami EDGE Mitchell Agude

Transfer from: UCLA
Season stats: 5 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss
The buzz: Mitchell Agude was one of two ex-Bruins signed by Miami out of the transfer portal (LB Caleb Johnson was the other). Agude was a two-year starter for the Bruins who had 15.5 tackles for loss in that span; the thought was he could be a big-play guy in coordinator Kevin Steele’s aggressive scheme. It hasn’t been that way yet.

BYU RB Chris Brooks

Transfer from: California
Season stats: 36 carries, 194 yards, 2 TDs
The buzz: Chris Brooks is a big (6-1, 235), physical runner who seemed primed for a big season in replacing 1,600-yard rusher Tyler Allgeier. Brooks rumbled for 135 yards and a TD in a rout of USF in the opener, but he has managed just 59 yards the past two weeks against much tougher defenses (Baylor and Oregon). Part of that is because the line hasn’t been near as good as expected, but his 2.6 yards-per-carry average the past two games can’t be blamed entirely on the line.

Michigan State RB Jarek Broussard

Transfer from: Colorado
Season stats: 29 carries, 138 yards, 2 TDs
The buzz: Jarek Broussard is a former Pac-12 offensive player of the year for the Buffs, and he was one of two running backs signed out of the portal by Michigan State in an attempt to replace Kenneth Walker III. The other one, Wisconsin transfer Jalen Berger, won the starting job. Broussard had a big day against Akron (84 yards, two TDs), but having a big day against Akron doesn’t mean much.

Alabama WR Jermaine Burton

Transfer from: Georgia
Season stats: 8 catches, 61 yards, 2 TDs
The buzz: Jermaine Burton is second on the Tide with two TD receptions, though both came in the opener against an overmatched Utah State team. He has three catches in the past two games, and his big-play ability – which was in full view despite limited production at Georgia – has yet to show itself. Averaging 7.6 yards per catch isn’t what was expected from Burton. At Georgia last season, he averaged 19.1 yards on his 26 receptions, and his five TD catches averaged 42.0 yards.

Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart

Transfer from: USC
Season stats: 543 passing yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, 85 rushing yards
The buzz: Ole Miss has relied heavily on its rushing attack and – gasp – its defense in starting 3-0. Two of Jaxson Dart’s three TD passes came against FCS Central Arkansas. Thus far, at least, he has been a game-manager type – and you don’t expect that from a Lane Kiffin quarterback.

Kansas State QB Adrian Martinez

Transfer from: Nebraska
Season stats: 304 passing yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 150 rushing yards, 2 TDs
The buzz: The lackluster production isn’t all on Adrian Martinez. New coordinator Collin Klein’s schemes and play-calling leave something to be desired. But averaging just 151 yards of total offense per game is a big-time drop from the 308.0 he averaged last season for a 3-9 Nebraska team. The passing attack is the main culprit: Martinez is averaging an unfathomable 4.6 yards per attempt for the Wildcats.

UCLA’s Murphy twins

Transfer from: North Texas
Season stats: 17 combined tackles, 3 tackles for loss (with 2 sacks)
The buzz: Gabriel and Grayson Murphy combined for 90 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks last season after combining for 9.5 tackles for loss in eight games as true freshmen in 2020. Their numbers as Bruins have come against an easy early-season schedule: Bowling Green, Alabama State and South Alabama. Maybe the start of the conference schedule will change things.

South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler

Transfer from: Oklahoma
Season stats: 721 passing yards, 2 TDs, 5 INTs
The buzz: Everyone focused on Spencer Rattler’s arm talent and mobility when discussing what he could do at South Carolina this season. Hey, he was the On3 Consensus No. 1 quarterback recruit in the 2019 class for a reason. Perhaps there should have been more talk about how Rattler struggled in Lincoln Riley’s extremely quarterback-friendly offense, with his decision-making and accuracy costing him his starting job. Rattler has struggled mightily with the Gamecocks. It doesn’t help that his offensive line is mediocre, but high-level quarterbacks still find ways to make off-schedule plays. The next two games are against Charlotte and South Carolina State, defenses he should be able to light up. Maybe those games will get him going.