McKnight, Taylor Enter Transfer Portal

[Total Red]

mmmmm transfers to a school tat is about the same as ISU

Glad to hear you say that and I agree with you. Illinois State football is on par with many FBS schools. The real difference here is that UNCC has games scheduled this fall. Players want to play.

 

[fourthandshort]

Crazzy ... I think you are completely missing the context of situation.

He wants to play this fall to help his chances in NFL draft next year .. not to mention, be able to prepare for combines, pro days, etc next spring. And with Pac 12, Big 10, and others including half of the FCS conference, canceling fall football, the list of FBS and FCS transfers is growing. This makes the list of FBS teams able to accept transfers THIS fall is very limited. Keep in mind, their roster depth charts and schollies are mostly filled already -- their fall season is here. So this transfer has very little to do with where UNC-Charlotte falls in FBS spectrum nor his ability to play FBS.

Congrats to Romeo McKnight .... best wishes and stay safe !!! You represented ISU very well on and off the field.

He was the guy opposing teams scouted and game planned the most on our defense. The players around Romeo benefitted from this .. though Romeo also benefitted from them as well ... just a great defense last year and would have been even better this year.

 

[JHBird]

So with Romeo gone who will lead us in sacks next year or season (whatever comes first). That Simon guy looked decent. I was hoping Fehrmann would've stood out more last year.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

Best of luck to Romeo! As much as I hate to see him leave, I fully understand why. I sincerely hope it all works out for him. If one of their games in on the tube (very likely since there are so few games) I will certainly tune in just to watch him play.
I am not a fan of Virginia Tech at all (Hokies? Really? That is the best you could do? A frigging TURKEY for a mascot?) But I will tune them in to catch Taylor when they are on. I am surrounded by Tech fans here in SE Virginia. They get all upset when I call their mascot a TURKEY. They try to correct me that it is a Hokie Bird and not a Turkey. My response is always the same, "Hokie Bird...and that is better?" I love to tweek their beaks!

 

[cpacmel]

 

[Total Red]

So LB'er Vandenburgh moving on to explore other possibilities. One thing has become very clear. If we have a football team for winter/spring 2021 it won't look like the team we would have had fall of 2020.

Can anyone name 5 Redbird FB players that have entered the transfer portal since the end of last season? Answer provided tonight unless someone posts it sooner.

 

[TIMMY]

Vandenburgh, McKnight, Taylor, Hirsch,

Webb?

 

[Bender]

Vandenburgh, McKnight, Taylor, Hirsch,

Webb?

WR - Cole Blackman to William & Mary

 

[Total Red]

Vandenburgh, McKnight, Taylor, Hirsch,

Webb?

Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding Ding. Timmy is 1st with five. Brannon Webb is in the transfer portal. Kudos to Bender for remembering another - Cole Blackman -so it's at least 6.
In addition Drew Himmelman is a ? for a spring season. He may choose to prepare for the NFL Draft instead. Like I said, when we finally get around to playing football again it will be a very different team.

 

[MadBird]

Like I said, when we finally get around to playing football again it will be a very different team.

Disappointingly so, I'm afraid. I'd like to take comfort in the fact that our opponents are being similarly sacked by the transfer portal (Trey Lance from NDSU, for example - should he decide to go). But I can't find a good place to pull that info together - anyone know where?

 

[Virginia Redbird]

Disappointingly so, I'm afraid. I'd like to take comfort in the fact that our opponents are being similarly sacked by the transfer portal (Trey Lance from NDSU, for example - should he decide to go). But I can't find a good place to pull that info together - anyone know where?

This link may be bit dated but so far NDSU has only lost one player to the portal and that was early before COVID was a factor. A few other Valley teams lost a player or two but ISU with three looks like the biggest loser. Probably says quite a bit about the talent level this 2020 team would have had.

2020 FCS-To-FBS Transfer Portal Tracker

There are several FCS players who entered the transfer portal that found a new home in the FBS.

herosports.com

 

[MadBird]

This link may be bit dated but so far NDSU has only lost one player to the portal and that was early before COVID was a factor. A few other Valley teams lost a player or two but ISU with three looks like the biggest loser. Probably says quite a bit about the talent level this 2020 team would have had.

2020 FCS-To-FBS Transfer Portal Tracker

There are several FCS players who entered the transfer portal that found a new home in the FBS.

herosports.com

Thanks VA, I was afraid of that. Was hoping everyone would be facing the same obstacles. Maybe by spring it will be so.

 

[redbirdfan04]

Im watching the unc charolette game and it says Romeo is #11. I have not seen that number on the field. Any one else watch the game and know if he played? I sure would hope he would be starting or in the rotation.

 

[MadBird]

Im watching the unc charolette game and it says Romeo is #11. I have not seen that number on the field. Any one else watch the game and know if he played? I sure would hope he would be starting or in the rotation.

I didn't watch, but the box score shows him wearing #1 (altho the roster says #11) and shows him not starting but with one tackle. Also shows his tackle came in the first half, so at least he wasn't getting mop up time.

 

[Total Red]

I had the game on while I was doing other things today. Romeo did wear #11. He was rotated in on defense, usually on 3rd down passing situations. I know he made this move hoping to attract attention from the NFL but it may not work out for him. He's gone from being a 1st Team All-MVFC full-time DE to being a part-time member of a D-Line rotation.

 

[cubird]

So if u tranfer to a team that does not play a full season because of Pandemic...can u transfer back to ISU for spring fb

 

[Virginia Redbird]

I had the game on while I was doing other things today. Romeo did wear #11. He was rotated in on defense, usually on 3rd down passing situations. I know he made this move hoping to attract attention from the NFL but it may not work out for him. He's gone from being a 1st Team All-MVFC full-time DE to being a part-time member of a D-Line rotation.

To be fair he has only been with the team for a short time. They had players before he arrived and I don't think it was realistic to expect him to just jump right into the starting 11. Could be the coaching staff is bringing him along and getting him familiar with the defensive philosophy and his teammates. I did not watch the game but they will probably be on TV again. Not that many games this season. The answer to whether this was a good move for him or not I expect is still a few weeks away. If he is not playing more regularly and making an impact a few weeks from now then maybe it was not a good move. It also appears from the UNC Charlotte roster that one of their best players and team captains is one of the Defensive Ends, Tyriq Harris (see the link). It appears that all the other Defensive Ends are competing for the other spot as Harris is a lock for one DE position. I think Romeo will be okay. He will just need to work his way into the mix.

Tyriq Harris - Football - Charlotte Athletics

 

[Total Red]

To be fair he has only been with the team for a short time. I think Romeo will be okay. He will just need to work his way into the mix.

I agree it's early and he has time to change the situation. I'm just pointing out that it's not where it needs to be and it needs to change. Being a part-time player on a C-USA team isn't going to boost his NFL stock.

 

[MadBird]

Another one bites the dust:

Watch now: Linebacker Dylan Draka will not return to Illinois State football team

Dylan Draka

says it’s time to move on, which means the Illinois State football team will be moving on to a new starting inside linebacker.
Draka confirmed Tuesday he will graduate in December and does not plan to play for the Redbirds during a spring schedule that will start in February.
“It was a really tough decision,” Draka said. “It’s not how I wanted it to work out.”

Then, there's this bit of hope from the same article:

Linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh, who started eight games and recorded 51 tackles last season, has entered his name in the transfer portal, but is still working out at ISU while he decides on his next step, according to Spack.

“Just because you’re in the (transfer) pool, it doesn’t mean you can’t come back,” Spack said. “He wanted to see what would be available out there, if he had a Power Five (conference) option. He’s pretty picky.”

Spack said once a player enters the transfer portal, that scholarship does not have to be renewed. But Vandenburgh remains on scholarship.

Damn shame to lose this many guys, here's hoping Zeke decides to stay.

 

[JHBird]

I have my hopes up that Shannon Reid can be a special player for us.