2025 Transfer Portal Thread

So what’s the word today on our targets? When does the portal close and can they only sign during the portal window? Or is that just for visits? Thanks in advance and keep it coming. Ready to see us lock down some serious starters if we have to overpay like we been planning.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

We should be able to win at least three of our OOC games. We should treat Arizona State like it's the Super Bowl. I think we would have beaten them in Starkville last year. I think USM will be a lot better and they'll be fired up with the game in Hattiesburg. We need to come out strong so we don't get into trouble there. Northern Illinois obviously beat Notre Dame. If we win our four OOC games then all we have to do is find two SEC wins. With the talent we have added I think we're going to start to trend up for the first time since 2022 and I think at least two of the SEC teams on our schedule will trend down just playing the odds in my head.

Without question we have more talent on defense. Actually I have more questions now about the offense than defense but not going to panic about it until at least the middle of January. If things go the way that is expected based on the experts my biggest concerns are becoming slot WR and OL.

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It seems possible to get 6.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

We should be able to win at least three of our OOC games. We should treat Arizona State like it's the Super Bowl. I think we would have beaten them in Starkville last year. I think USM will be a lot better and they'll be fired up with the game in Hattiesburg. We need to come out strong so we don't get into trouble there. Northern Illinois obviously beat Notre Dame. If we win our four OOC games then all we have to do is find two SEC wins. With the talent we have added I think we're going to start to trend up for the first time since 2022 and I think at least two of the SEC teams on our schedule will trend down just playing the odds in my head.

Without question we have more talent on defense. Actually I have more questions now about the offense than defense but not going to panic about it until at least the middle of January. If things go the way that is expected based on the experts my biggest concerns are becoming slot WR and OL.

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Look closely at our DL on hand. Unless our holdovers get well and these new guys make big leaps, we are still in trouble.

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Originally Posted by SPMT

Yeah, I?d be happy with 4 wins next year.

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We should never be happy with 4 wins with any staff!

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Originally Posted by Cooterpoot

USM is still a train wreck with leftovers from Marshall, NIU loses just about everybody, Alcorn LOL, ASU will lose a lot and being in the playoffs slows their portal roll a bit. Then you're basically looking at AR, MO, & OM as opportunities.
Get the right players and winning 4-6 is possible. Still a ways to go though, and assuming Hutz isn't the idiot he appeared to be

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This. We should always win out in OOC and pick off at least 2 of 8 in the SEC at a minimum or we are a failure on staff hiring, evaluation/recruiting of players, scheme/in game coaching...

I don't get the low expectations. If we are going to spend 12-13 million, bowling is a minimum. If 6 wins is the ceiling, we might as well not spend anything and just put that money to another sport.

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Originally Posted by Cowbell

I don't get the low expectations. If we are going to spend 12-13 million, bowling is a minimum. If 6 wins is the ceiling, we might as well not spend anything and just put that money to another sport.

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Can’t do that. This sport keeps the lights on. The only other sport that matters is MBK and they appear to be set.

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Originally Posted by Brobi-wan

Can?t do that. This sport keeps the lights on. The only other sport that matters is MBK and they appear to be set.

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The lights are kept on by tv money from that sport rather than by wins or ticket sales so NIL money spent on it is irrelevant.

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Originally Posted by Mjoelner34

The lights are kept on by tv money from that sport rather than by wins or ticket sales so NIL money spent on it is irrelevant.

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Exactly. If it was based off wins, we would have been broke after the last two years

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Originally Posted by Goldendawg

Look closely at our DL on hand. Unless our holdovers get well and these new guys make big leaps, we are still in trouble.

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I mean at least we are picking off a few guys that come from big schools and were hopefully stuck behind good players. Even though some of these guys didn’t play, surely they are upgrades over what we had last year. If not, our staff sucks. I didn’t think we were going out there and bringing in a bunch of heavy hitters just because have money now. We just had a 2-10 season and Iust about everyone has more money than us anyway. We just need to improve the roster and our record next year to show recruits we are going in the right direction. Hutzler has to show some coaching ability and Lebby better show some more “showtime”!! Then, hopefully in ‘26 we can really attract some players and put a stout roster together. 2025, to me, is about showing some pretty good improvement to make us as attractive as possible heading into ‘26. But also to your point, I do hope our future additions to this years portal class can better than what we have now.

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Originally Posted by Mjoelner34

The lights are kept on by tv money from that sport rather than by wins or ticket sales so NIL money spent on it is irrelevant.

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Why would you not try to maximize your ROI on something that actually ya know, returns on the investment. If you can’t, then fine. If we have to accept we just can’t compete then we will. A lot of people already are. But if OM can compete so can we. The difference is wanting to.

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Originally Posted by Brobi-wan

Why would you not try to maximize your ROI on something that actually ya know, returns on the investment. If you can’t, then fine. If we have to accept we just can’t compete then we will. A lot of people already are. But if OM can compete so can we. The difference is wanting to.

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They have also shown the are willing to pay big money for a sitting head coach who had stints at Tennessee, USC and the NFL before taking the directional Florida school to new heights. And they are able to sign higher rated players while being in a small State with 3 D1 schools. Ho is it they can get those and State cannot? There is an answer. You know it. Most on here know it. Who is going to say the truth out loud!

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Originally Posted by Brobi-wan

Why would you not try to maximize your ROI on something that actually ya know, returns on the investment. If you can?t, then fine. If we have to accept we just can?t compete then we will. A lot of people already are. But if OM can compete so can we. The difference is wanting to.

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If you want to talk ROI, 12 million for 6 wins total ain't much of an ROI.... would be a better use of funds to be used in baseball/basketball

I'm old enough to remember when $200K to Pastor Newton would have bought us a national championship***

Coastal Carolina DL down to us and Cincinnati. Monster DL from FCS just entered portal. One of the directional dekotas.

Fluff in the boat.

Hard to not be pleased with the effort of the staff so far.

I know we aren't done, but it's clear that we have had a plan for how to attack the portal and get some capable starting pieces and some depth at certain positions.

Lebby has really done well this portal cycle.

Are we on KC Concepcion? Maybe Hibbler cans get in his teammates ear for us

If we could get a few more of these DL, my outlook on Lebby changes a little bit. I still think some of the defensive staff need to be replaced though

If the QB play can be SEC caliber we're going bowling. We now have an SEC team and talent. Keep them coming Lebby, great job! If one of these safties are ball hawks it's game over!

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Originally Posted by bulldawg28

If the QB play can be SEC caliber we're going bowling. We now have an SEC team and talent. Keep them coming Lebby, great job!

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Yeah, I'm feeling a whole lot better about next season.