Today, Husky Stadium is like an airport, with big jets thundering down the runway or landing non-stop.
Six months into Kalen DeBoer’s tenure as a coach at the University of Washington, he would do well to hire some ticket sellers and baggage handlers.
People are constantly on the move looking for positional improvements and a change of scenery. Coming or fleeing from the rain.
In assembling their first Husky football team, DeBoer and his staff set non-negotiable expectations of everyone involved, and to some were likely hard-headed about their chances of playing or starting.
Take cornerback Jacobe Covington, for example. During spring football, he told reporters how he got up at a positions meeting that day and told his Husky teammates he needed to be more of a leader.
Twelve days later, Covington was on the transfer portal thanking Jimmy Lakes’ former UW employees, but not DeBoers, for his stay in Seattle. Best bet is that the former 4-star recruit was informed he was well behind Jordan Perryman, the UC Davis transfer and no-star prospect who dropped out of high school, and Mishael Powell, the former Walker On, who was No. 1 in the corners, lay .
Players don’t like to hear stuff like that. Covington is now at USC.
With that in mind, here is the latest tally of the Husky transfer portal’s movements in both directions
ARRIVAL (9)
Kris Moll, LB, UAB, Sr. – 2019 and 2020 All-Conference USA first-team draft, 21-game starter, 51 games played, 234 tackles. Role: potential starter.
Wayne Taulapapa, RB, Virginia, Sr. — Team captain, 26-game starter, 39 games played, 1,192 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns. Role: potential starter.
Cam Bright, LB, Pittsburgh, Sr. -Team captain, 20-game starter, 52 games played, 182 tackles, 26-yard TD fumble return at Peach Bowl. Role: potential starter.
Aaron Dumas, RB, New Mexico, Sun. — Leading rusher with 658 yards, 143 yards vs. Fresno State and DeBoer, 5-game starter, 11 games played, Role: potential starter.
Michael Penix Jr. played portions of four seasons for Indiana.
Marc Lebryk/USA TODAY Sports
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Indiana, Jr. – 2019 All-Big Ten second-team pick, 17-game starter, 20 games played, 4,147 yards passing, 29 TD passes. Role: potential starterright
Jordan Perryman, CB, UC Davis, Sr. – 2020 and 2021 All-Big Sky first-team picks, 34-game starter, 42 games played, 141 tackles, 4 interceptions, 4.43 40 speed. Role: potential starter.
Kevin Ryan, P, State of Idaho, Sr. — 2021 All-Big Sky Honorable Mention, four-year starting punter, two-year starting seed kicker, averaging 45.6 per punt in 2021, 20-for-28 on career field goals, Role: potential starter.
Lonyatta Alexander Jr., WR, Arizona State, R-Fr. — played in two games, no catches. Role: reserve player.
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Will Nixon, WR/RB, Nebraska, R-Fri. — played in three games, 1 reception. Role: reserve player.
DEPARTURES (11)
Jacobe Covington, CB, USC, Sun. — played in 12 UW games, 5 tackles. USC Role: Reserves.
Noa Ngalu, DL, TBD, So. — played in 5 UW games, no tackles. Role: reserve player.
Caleb Berry, RB, TBD, R-Fr. — did not appear in the UW game. Role: reserve player.
Sawyer Racanelli, WR, Montana, Sun. — played in 13 games, no catches, 5 tackles in special teams. Role: out, knee surgery.
Cooper McDonald, 41, and Jackson Sirmon, 43, who signaled safety, were relocated.
Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports
Jackson Sirmon, LB, California, Jr. – 2021 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention Pick, 16-game starter, played in 33 games, 147 tackles, no sacks. Cal role: potential starter.
Triston Brown, P, TBD, So. — did not appear in the UW game. Role: reserve player.
Terrell Bynum, WR, USC, Sr. – 2021 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention pick, 19-game starter, played in 35 games, 65 receptions. USC role: potential starter.
Taki Taimani is shown after playing his final game for UW in the Apple Cup.
Dan Raley
Taki Taimani, DT, Oregon, Jr. — 14-game starter, played in 29 games, 71 tackles, no sacks. Oregon role: potential starter.
Mark Redman, TE, State of San Diego, Sun. — 1-game starter, played in 16 games, 1 reception. SDS role: potential starter.
Cooper McDonald, LB, State of San Diego, Sun. — 10-game starter, played in 16 games, 28 tackles, 1 sack. SDS role: potential starter.
Mason West, TE, TBD, R-Fr. — did not appear in the UW game. Role: reserve player.
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