The transfer portal in college athletics it has allowed players to change their circumstances without having to sit down a year, choosing to play for a program that best suits their needs.
While it has allowed teams to rebuild and reload quickly, there is another side to every story.
Houston Cougars running back Alton McCaskill, #22, catches a touchdown pass during the Ticket Smarter Birmingham Bowl between the Auburn Tigers and the Houston Cougars on December 28, 2021, at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. (Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
On Monday, houston cougars running back Alton McCaskill IV informed head coach Dana Holgorsen that he intends to enter the transfer portal.
COLORADO WIDE RECEIVER ENTERS TRANSFER PORTAL AFTER BIG SPRING GAME
The move came as a shock to Holgorson, who expressed sadness at his departure.
«I appreciate his love for Houston and the University of Houston and I wish him the best of luck in the future. I wish him the best,» Holgorson told Fox 26 Sports in Houston.
Houston Cougars head coach Dana Holgorsen at TDECU Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Houston. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)
«It’s a sad day,» Holgorson continued. «I was a little surprised because the kid had a good spring and then all of a sudden, boom, it’s over.»
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McCaskill was a star freshman in 2021, rushing for 961 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns as the Cougars finished 12-2.
His 16 rushing touchdowns were the most by any freshman in the nation.
Houston Cougars running back Alton McCaskill, #22, carries the ball during the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl between the Houston Cougars and the Auburn Tigers on December 28, 2021 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. (Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
He missed the entire 2022 season recovering from an injured knee, but was expected to be a standout running in 2023 as the Cougars enter their first season as a member of the Big 12 Conference.
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«We’re going to be fine,» Holgorson said. «We have a lot to offer. We have a lot of good things happening in the houston university and we’ll be fine.»
Houston will begin its first year in the Big 12 for the 2023-24 academic year along with BYU, Cincinnati, and Central Florida.