Veterans leaving programs midseason with the intent to enter the transfer portal has become a trend in college football.
Why?
Players who are seeing action in games, generally as reserves or on special teams, decide to preserve a season of eligibility by taking a redshirt season.
As a reminder, the college football rules changed a few years ago, allowing players to take a redshirt season if they played in four games or less. For players who still have their redshirt available, a midseason trip to the portal provides the opportunity to salvage a season and seek a larger role elsewhere.
That appears to be why linebacker Nahji Logan, safety Tyrik McDaniel and linebacker Joshua Rudolph all no longer appear on the Indiana’s official roster at iuhoosiers.com. Logan and McDaniel played in four games this season. Rudolph did not see any action.
A source confirms all three are no longer with the program.
On3’s Pete Nakos reported Tuesday McDaniel and Logan will enter the transfer portal. Presumably, Rudolph will do the same.
With the departures of Logan and Rudolph, Indiana’s depth at middle linebacker took a hit. To this point, starters Aiden Fisher and Jailin Walker have seen the majority of the snaps. Isaiah Jones and freshman Rolijah Hardy appear to be the twos on the depth chart.
Logan transferred in from UMass in May. He appeared to have a good chance to factor into the rotation. He was named to the College Football Network All-Independent Defense Team (Second Team – LB) in 2023. Logan competed in all 12 games for the Minutemen in 2023, totaling a team-leading 60 tackles (30 solo, 30 assisted), four tackles for loss for 11 yards, 0.5 sack, one QB hurry and a pass breakup.
McDaniel transferred to IU from junior college prior to the 2023 season. In a reserve and special teams role, appeared in all 12 games a year ago, and four this year.
Rudolph transferred to IU from Austin Peay prior to the 2023 season. He appeared in all 12 games last season and registered 18 tackles.
Beyond Fisher, Walker, Jones and Hardy, IU has Kaiden Turner and Quentin Clark as scholarship middle linebackers. Walk-on Jeff Utzinger has made a strong impression on the staff as well.
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