Welcome back to the Transfer Portal Team of the Week! A wild weekend of blowouts, photo finishes, and the first firing of the year! You know the drill by now, we have another amazing lineup, built from
the top performing transfers of Week 8! We’ll also highlight the best transfer performance from each aspect of the game, complete with their journey to this point. Congrats to the honorees, and let us know what transfer you think has helped your favorite team the most this season!
Note: For the spotlight players, we’re doing our absolute best to avoid repeat selections. The main point of that section is to showcase the incredible, sometimes arduous journeys that these transfers took to reach the Mountain West. Therefore, picking players more than one time would defeat the purpose of the spotlights. If there’s a standout performance going forward that doesn’t receive top billing, that’s most likely why!
Offense Spotlight: Anthony Garcia
A son of a former AFL quarterback, Anthony Garcia always figured he would follow in his father’s footsteps. After being tabbed as a three star quarterback out of Sacramento, he had his choice of the service academies, San Jose State, and several FCS programs. Ultimately, he committed to Brent Brennan and the Spartans, joining them for the 2023 season.
Garcia redshirted his first year at the collegiate level, learning from Mountain West veteran gunslinger Chevan Cordeiro and (this will be important later) former QB recruit turned star wide receiver Nick Nash. He wouldn’t see any on-field action, but there was still plenty of adjustments to be made. With Coach Brennan taking the head coaching job at Arizona, several standout players from San Jose State’s roster entered the transfer portal to follow him to Tuscon. Among them was Garcia, who couldn’t pass up the chance to get a shot at the Power 4.
Despite the loyalty he showed by leaving the only non-academy FBS program to offer him to follow Brennan, Garcia would be buried on the depth chart. He sat behind All-Big 12 selection Noah Fifita and multiple underclassmen, with his only action coming against Arizona State. Garcia recorded a one yard rush, which was the only statistic he took with him as he entered the portal once again. Looking for a place where he would be able to grow as a player, Utah State and Bronco Mendenhall were able to convince him that Logan was the right spot for him. He took them up on their offer, and rejoined the Mountain West by way of the Aggies.
Throughout the offseason, depth chart projections told a familiar tale for Garcia. He was listed as the 3rd string quarterback behind Bryson Barnes and Jacob Conover, with other names battling him for the lead clipboard holding role. However, Coach Mendenhall had a different idea to get the 6’2”, 195 pound sophomore on the field. Taking over a Utah State squad that lost 100% of their wideout production from the year prior (I wish that was hyperbole), he asked Garcia to move from behind center to the outside receiver position. Always a team player, he obliged, and instantly became a starter for the first time in his college career.
Garcia started off hot, catching three passes for 51 yards in the Aggies season opening win against UTEP, and followed it up with a three yard touchdown pass at Texas A&M. Just to prove there’s nothing he can’t do on the football field, Garcia would take a handoff 17 yards to the house in Utah State’s next contest against Air Force. His production slowed down a bit over the next few games, though he did throw his longest career completion with a 30 yard touchdown pass to Javen Jacobs
Honorable Mention: SO WR Jackson Harris, Stanford to Hawaii — 5 catches, 109 REC yards (3rd straight game w/ 100+ yards), 2 TDs (T-career high)
Defense Spotlight: Jaxton Eck
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Honorable Mention: JR CB Jaden Mickey, Notre Dame to Boise State — 7 tackles (T-career high), 2 TFLs (career high), sack, PBU, PFF grade of 54.4
Special Teams Spotlight: Malik Sherrod
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Honorable Mention: SR K Joe McFadden, UConn to Nevada — 3/3 on FGs (33, 36, 41), 1/1 on XPs
Team of the Week
Offense
Quarterback
Anthony Colandrea, Virginia to UNLV, Junior || L, 56-31 @ Boise State || 18/30, 215 pass yards, 2 TDs, INT; 87 rush yards, TD
Running Back (2)
Jaylon Glover, Utah to UNLV, Junior|| L, 56-31 @ Boise State || 6 carries, 112 rush yards (career high); 2 catches, 10 REC yards; 19 yard kick return
Terron Kellmann, Charlotte to Wyoming, Junior || L, 24-21 @ Air Force || 9 carries, 83 rush yards, 2 TDs (career high); 7 yard catch
Wide Receiver (3)
Jackson Harris, Stanford to Hawaii, Sophomore || W, 31-19 @ Colorado State || 5 catches, 109 REC yards (3rd straight game w/ 100+ REC yards), 2 TDs (T-career high)
Anthony Garcia, Arizona to Utah State, Sophomore || W, 30-25 vs San Jose State || 3 catches (T-career high), 121 REC yards (career high), TD (1st TD catch of career); 10 yard run; 5 yard pass
Leland Smith, Purdue to San Jose State, Junior || L, 30-25 @ Utah State || 4 catches, 116 REC yards (career high), TD
Tight End
Dorian Thomas, Arizona to New Mexico, Sophomore || W, 24-22 vs Nevada || 5 catches, 56 REC yards
Offensive Tackle (2)
Nevell Brown, Alabama A&M (FCS) to New Mexico, Graduate || W, 24-22 vs Nevada || PFF grade of 63.6
Jack Foster, Idaho (FCS) to Nevada, Junior || L, 24-22 @ New Mexico || PFF grade of 62.7
Offensive Guard (2)
Liam Wortmann, Central Missouri (D2) to Colorado State, Graduate || L, 31-19 vs Hawaii || PFF grade of 66.6
Malik McGowan, North Carolina to UNLV, Senior || L, 56-31 @ Boise State || PFF grade of 63.2
Center
Reid Williams, Chattanooga (FCS) to UNLV, Graduate || L, 56-31 @ Boise State || PFF grade of 68.9
Defense
Defensive End (2)
Vili Taufatofua, Utah to San Jose State, Junior || L, 30-25 @ Utah State || 7 tackles (career high), 0.5 TFL, PFF grade of 66.8
Brett Karhu, Memphis to New Mexico, Senior || W, 24-22 vs Nevada || 2 tackles, 2 TFLs (D1 high), sack, PFF grade of 68.2
Defensive Tackle (2)
Carson Tujague, BYU to Utah State, Freshman || W, 30-25 vs San Jose State || 6 tackles, PFF grade of 76.1
Luther McCoy, Minnesota to Hawaii, Graduate || W, 31-19 @ Colorado State || 2 tackles, 1.5 sacks (career high), PFF grade of 92.1
Linebacker (3)
Jaxton Eck, Idaho (FCS) to New Mexico, Junior || W, 24-22 vs Nevada || 11 tackles, 0.5 TFL, PBU, PFF grade of 76.9
EJ Smith, Cerritos College (JUCO) to Nevada, Junior || L, 24-22 @ New Mexico || 6 tackles, TFL, PFF grade of 83.8
Mercury Swaim, St. Francis (PA) (FCS) to New Mexico, Junior || W, 24-22 vs Nevada || 4 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, PFF grade of 82.4
Cornerback (2)
Jaden Mickey, Notre Dame to Boise State, Junior || W, 56-31 vs UNLV || 7 tackles (T-career high), 2 TFLs (career high), sack, PBU, PFF grade of 54.4
Bryson Taylor, New Mexico to Utah State, Senior || W, 30-25 vs San Jose State || 5 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 3 PBUs (T-career high), PFF grade of 66.9
Safety (2)
Brevin Hamblin, Utah Tech (FCS) to Utah State, Junior || W, 30-25 vs San Jose State || 9 tackles, PBU, PFF grade of 64
Murvin Kenion III, Sacramento State (FCS) to Nevada, Graduate || L, 24-22 @ New Mexico || 9 tackles, 0.5 sack, PBU, PFF grade of 53.2
Special Teams
Kicker
Joe McFadden, UConn to Nevada, Senior || L, 24-22 @ New Mexico || 3/3 on FGs (33, 36, 41), 1/1 on XPs
Punter
Oscar Doyle, Weber State (FCS) to Boise State, Junior || W, 56-31 vs UNLV || 3 punts for 136 yards (average of 45.3), 1 downed inside 20 yard line; 11 yard pass (he did it again!)
Returner
Malik Sherrod, RB, Fresno State to Boise State, Graduate || W, 56-31 vs UNLV || 3 carries, 3 rush yards, fumble; 2 catches, 21 REC yards, TD; 2 KRs for 61 yards (long of 40), 2 PRs for 2 yards
