BOZEMAN — Since its introduction four years ago, the NCAA Transfer Portal has forever changed the scope of how college football teams not only build their rosters but more importantly, it’s given players the chance to manage their own careers.
Sometimes that can come at considerable risk, but for others, it can present a second chance.
For instance, there has been a growing trend in college football with players transferring from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). According to HERO Sports, more than 500 players made the jump this offseason.
Montana State welcomed five of those transfers this fall, one of them being San Diego State graduate transfer Kaegun Williams.
“I just wanted one more chance because I felt like at San Diego State I didn’t really have a chance to show my true potential, so I think that I’ll be able to do that here," the running back explained.
Williams spent four seasons at San Diego State primarily serving in a backup role rushing for 268 yards and two touchdowns in 2021.
While the Aztecs did graduate their top back in Greg Bell, after an official visit this spring, Williams couldn’t help but be drawn to Bobcat Football.
“Seeing the success that they had last year in the season I kind of knew that was what I wanted to go for when I was looking for a team and just the core base that they have laid for the foundation is something that we kind of had at San Diego State," Williams said.
With All-American Isaiah Ifanse still month-to-month in his recovery, it’s presented an opportunity for Williams to make an early impact – one already filled with high expectations.
“We wouldn’t have brought him in here if we didn’t think he could make his mark," Bobcats head football coach Brent Vigen stated. "How that’s going to look volume I can’t say right now, but I think to this point going back to the spring of what we hoped we would be able to get in Kaegun, I think we feel really good that that’s on track.”
However, there are still other backs to consider like Elijah Elliot who held a significant workload last fall, as well as incoming freshman Jared White.
“We have a lot of competition right now between the five guys that are out there and we have 'X' number of carries to be doled out come September third," Vigen explained. "It still remains seen of how that’s going to work.”
