Louisville running back Peny Boone plans to re-enter transfer portal

Louisville running back Peny Boone plans to re-enter the transfer portal, he tells On3.

The former Toledo running back entered the portal this past winter and transferred to the Cardinals. Roughly three months later, the 6-foot-1, 242-pound back is going back into college football’s free agency.

The 2023 MAC Offensive Player of the Year rushed for 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also tallying 219 yards receiving and a touchdown catch in 2023. Boone is a former Maryland transfer, though his college production really took off at Toledo.

He initially picked the Cardinals over Florida State and Kentucky. In four years in college, Boone has recorded 2,101 yards and 20 touchdowns rushing, as well as 326 yards and one touchdown receiving. Because of his productivity, Boone is likely to get several looks from more high-profile programs.

Kentucky has already taken one tailback in the portal cycle, adding Ohio State’s Chip Traynum. But with Ray Davis off to the NFL draft, Boone would be another solid pickup for the backfield.

Trey Benson opted out of the Orange Bowl, ending his Florida State career. Rodney Hill and CJ Campbell also moving on and redshirt junior Lawrance Toafili is undergoing surgery, nixing him from playing in the Orange Bowl. The Seminoles already added running backs Roydell Williams and Jaylin Lucas this offseason.

Before enrolling at Maryland, Boone was a four-star prospect and the No. 380 overall recruit in the 2020 class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He was also the No. 37 running back in his class and the No. 10 overall player in the state of Michigan, hailing from Detroit (MI) Martin Luther King.

What is the transfer portal?

The spring transfer portal window is just 15 days, a crammed period that could reshape the 2024 college football offseason. The portal tool was launched in 2018 to allow athletes to be more involved in the process of transferring. Athletes must notify institutions of their intent to transfer. Each school’s compliance team has 48 hours to put a name into the portal. 

A total of 538 FBS scholarship players put their names in the transfer portal on Day 1 of the winter window in December. That number is not expected to be as high, in part because plenty of high-profile programs are still going through spring practice. 

After an athlete is officially in the portal, there is no rush on making a decision as long as they are properly enrolled at a new institution in time for fall camp. Commitments do not have to be made during the 15-day window. Grad transfers are allowed to enter the portal at any time. 

Roster retention will be crucial for programs, with NIL playing a vital role in keeping rosters together in the new age of college football. Exactly 645 FBS players transferred in last year’s spring window.