Nine Arizona football players enter transfer portal in 30 minutes

Nine Arizona football players entered the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday, On3’s Pete Nakos reports.

The portal entries come in the wake of former head coach Jedd Fisch leaving the program to become Washington‘s head coach. Arizona hired Brent Brennan as its new headman on Tuesday.

Those names that entered the portal include:

CB Jordan Shaw
WR Audric Harris
IOL Raymond Pulido
TE Keyan Burnett
CB Ephesians Prysock
RB Adam Mohammed
QB Demond Williams Jr.
TE Dorian Thomas
RB Jonah Coleman

Coleman and Prysock, two former four-star recruits, had previously announced their transfer portal intentions but had not made it official until Wednesday afternoon. Coleman totaled 1,154 yards and six touchdowns for the Wildcats this season.

Williams Jr. and Burnett also planned to enter the portal, but made it official alongside their teammates. In total, three freshmen, three sophomores and three juniors will leave the program in favor of the transfer portal.

Williams was the No. 16 quarterback prospect in the 2024 cycle, while Burnett spent two seasons with the Wildcats with three starts under his belt. In 2023, the former top 250 recruit tallied three receptions for 34 yards.

This exodus into the portal leaves new head coach Brennan to replace and rebuild Wildcats roster. After Fisch led Arizona to a 10-win season in 2023, including a 7-2 record in conference play concluding with a 38-24 win over Oklahoma in the Valera Alamo Bowl. Arizona finished No. 11 in the final College Football Playoff ranking and third in the Pac-12 behind No. 2 Washington — Fisch’s new school — and the No. 6 Oregon Ducks.

Brennan, a former graduate assistant at Arizona in 2000, revealed his excitement to get his hands on the program ahead of the 2024 season.

“I am so blessed and excited to come back to the University of Arizona,” Brennan said, via a statement from Arizona Athletics. “This incredible university is special to my family and I as it’s where I started as a coach as part Coach Tomey’s legacy. I can’t wait to meet the players, families, fans, alumni and supporters and build on the success the players and staff have started. Bear Down and Go Cats!” 

With those nine names now in the portal, 19 total Arizona football players have entered the NCAA transfer portal since the end of the regular season. Four more players had transferred into the program before Fisch’s departure as well.