Advertisement
football Edit

Transfer Tracker: 13 Notre Dame Players Have Entered Portal Since January

Thirteen Notre Dame players have put their names in the transfer portal since the 2020 season ended, though safety Houston Griffith’s return to the program means only 12 will leave the team.

With the exception of senior cornerback Isaiah Rutherford, sophomore wide receiver Jordan Johnson and junior receiver/running back Kendall Abdur-Rahman and freshman linebacker Devin Aupiu, every departing player is on track to leave with his degree and will be a graduate transfer. The most recent player to exit is Aupiu, who announced his move on June 29.

Here’s a look at each of the 13 and their new destinations, if they have chosen them. This will be updated throughout the offseason.

DE Devin Aupiu (June 29, 2021)

Advertisement
Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football linebacker Devin Aupiu
Aupiu enrolled at Notre Dame in January 2021. (Jace Kessler/MaxPreps)

Aupiu, an early enrollee from Oxnard (Calif.) Pacifica who made the transition from defensive end to linebacker for the Irish during the spring, entered the portal after one semester at Notre Dame. He's the first departure from the Irish's 2021 recruiting class.

A three-star recruit, Aupiu was a late flip from UCLA and committed to Notre Dame in December 2020 without having stepped on campus. He did not see Notre Dame in person until enrolling in January.

The 6-5, 225-pound Aupiu requested not to be contacted by other schools when he entered the portal.

Transfer destination: UCLA

WR Jay Brunelle (June 9, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football wide receiver Jay Brunelle
Brunelle entered the transfer portal after three semesters at Notre Dame. (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Brunelle spent three semesters at Notre Dame battling injuries. The January 2020 enrollee was set to miss spring practice due to shoulder surgery before COVID-19 sent everyone home. He did not play in a game as a freshman in 2020 and has four years of eligibility left.

The 6-1, 199-pound Brunelle practiced this spring and participated in the spring game. He originally committed to Notre Dame in June 2019 over Michigan and UCLA. He was a three-star recruit out of Paxton (Mass.) St. John’s High School and ranked as the No. 8 player in Massachusetts in 2020.

Transfer destination: Yale (FCS)

OL Dillan Gibbons (May 6, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football offensive lineman Dillan Gibbons
Gibbons was competing to start on the offensive line this year. (Blue & Gold)

Gibbons played in 28 games for Notre Dame from 2017-20. He appeared in 10 games last year, including a start at left guard against Syracuse Dec. 5. He also played a few series at left guard earlier in the year against Florida State. In each of the last two years, he was a fixture on punt teams and the field goal unit.

This spring, Gibbons worked mainly as the No. 2 center behind Zeke Correll. He opened the spring taking first-team reps at left guard, but did not appear there in the subsequent practice videos Notre Dame provided or in the May 1 spring game.

The 6-4, 309-pound Gibbons was Notre Dame’s first commitment of the 2017 class. A three-star recruit out of Clearwater (Fla.) Central Catholic, Gibbons committed to the Irish on April 4, 2015. Then-offensive line coach Harry Hiestand had offered him just three days prior.

Gibbons, a fifth-year senior, will be a graduate transfer and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Transfer destination: Florida State

WR Jordan Johnson (May 3, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football wide receiver Jordan Johnson
Johnson, a former five-star recruit, played just 26 snaps as a freshman in 2020. (Notre Dame Athletics)

The highest-ranked player in Notre Dame's 2020 class was much-discussed but rarely used in his one season. He played in two games, totaling 26 snaps, and didn't record a catch.

Johnson worked mostly with the second-team offense in spring practice. In the spring game, he was a starter for the Blue team and was targeted once, with no catches. Whenever head coach Brian Kelly discussed the receiver room, he brought up the senior class as the keys to its 2021 success. That was a signal a Johnson breakout or ascent into the starting lineup may not be in store for 2021.

Two days after the spring game, Johnson announced he would seek a transfer.

Transfer destination: UCF

WR/RB Kendall Abdur-Rahman (April 2, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football wide receiver/running back Kendall Abdur-Rahman
Abdur-Rahman played in one game in his two seasons at Notre Dame. (Twittter@kendall4heisman)

The 6-0, 190-pound Abdur-Rahman played in one game over his two seasons at Notre Dame, a 52-0 win over South Florida in 2020 when he appeared in mop-up duty and did not record any stats. He took a redshirt in 2019 and moved to running back from receiver in 2020 fall camp, but his game snaps came at receiver. He was listed as a receiver on the 2021 spring roster.

Abdur-Rahman came to Notre Dame as a three-star recruit in the 2019 class. A high school dual-threat quarterback and two-time All-State selection, Abdur-Rahman ran for 1,135 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior at Edwardsville (Ill.) High in 2018.

Transfer destination: Western Kentucky

WR Micah Jones (Feb. 8, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football wide receiver Micah Jones
Jones did not catch a pass in three years at Notre Dame. (Angela Driskell)

The 6-4, 219-pound Jones did not catch a pass in three seasons with the Irish. He appeared in the Dec. 5, 2020 Senior Day win over Syracuse and saw action in four games in 2019. He redshirted the 2018 season as a freshman.

Jones was a four-star recruit and the No. 192 overall player in the 2018 class out of Gurnee (Ill.) Warren Township. Rivals ranked him as the No. 2 player in Illinois in his class. He will be a graduate transfer with three years of eligibility left.

Transfer destination: Illinois State

DE Ovie Oghoufo (Jan. 5, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football defensive end Ovie Oghoufo
Oghoufo played 149 snaps over 11 games as a junior with the Fighting Irish in 2020. (Mike Miller)

The junior from Farmington Hills, Mich. played in 11 games in 2020 as the third vyper defensive end. In 149 snaps, he had 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two passes broken up. Sophomore Isaiah Foskey had leaped him in the snap hierarchy at vyper, but a path to backup duties existed for him in 2021.

Oghoufo was a three-star recruit in the 2018 class and ranked as the nation’s No. 40 outside linebacker. He moved to defensive end after arriving at Notre Dame.

Transfer destination: Texas

LB Jack Lamb (Jan. 5, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football linebacker Jack Lamb
Lamb, a former top-100 recruit, played 214 special teams snaps for the Fighting Irish in 2020. (Blue & Gold Illustrated)

A former top-100 recruit, Lamb played 214 special-teams snaps in 2020, the most of any Notre Dame player. He saw action on kick returns, kick coverage, punt returns and punt coverage, making seven special-teams tackles. In 2019, he was the primary linebacker in the dime package, but suffered a season-ending hip injury that November.

Lamb spent 2020 operating fourth on the buck linebacker depth chart. The Temecula, Calif., native was the nation’s No. 77 recruit in the 2018 class.

Transfer destination: Colorado

S Houston Griffith (Jan. 4, 2021)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish football junior defensive back Houston Griffith
Griffith entered his name into the transfer portal Jan. 4, but opted to return to Notre Dame nearly three weeks later. (BGI)

Griffith made 14 tackles in 12 games this season as a backup to Shaun Crawford and a sub-package player. Notre Dame defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman, though, recruited Griffith to stay upon his Jan. 8 hiring. He succeeded when Griffith withdrew his name from the portal two weeks later.

The No. 43 overall recruit in 2018, Griffith is expected to compete for the starting safety spot Crawford's departure opened.

Transfer destination: Returned to Notre Dame

CB Isaiah Rutherford (Jan. 3, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football cornerback Isiah Rutherford
Rutherford played in only three games over two years with the Fighting Irish. (Rivals.com)

Rutherford departs Notre Dame after playing in three games over two years. All three appearances were on special teams or in mop-up duty in 2020. Rutherford was behind 2019 classmate Cam Hart and freshman Clarence Lewis on the 2020 cornerback depth chart. He was the nation’s No. 110 recruit in 2019 and is from Sacramento, Calif.

Transfer destination: Arizona

RB/WR Jafar Armstrong (Jan. 2, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football running back/wide receiver Jafar Armstrong
Armstrong, who played running back and wide receiver for the Irish from 2018-20, is headed to Illinois. (Andris Visockis)

Armstrong had 807 scrimmage yards from 2018-20 as a running back and receiver for Notre Dame. He signed as a receiver, but moved to running back before the 2018 season. When healthy in 2018, he was a solid complementary option, with 383 rushing yards, seven touchdowns and 14 catches.

Injuries derailed Armstrong’s chance at lead back duties in 2019 and he was not a factor in the 2020 backfield rotation after the first two games. He moved back to receiver midseason.

Armstrong, a Lee’s Summit, Mo., native, was a three-star recruit in the 2017 class and a one-time Missouri commitment.

Transfer destination: Illinois

C Colin Grunhard (Jan. 2, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football offensive lineman Colin Grunhard
Grunhard, who began his Notre Dame career as a walk-on, is transferring to Kansas.

The son of former Notre Dame lineman Tim Grunhard began his career as a walk-on, earned a scholarship and worked his way up to No. 3 on the center depth chart. He played 12 snaps on offense in 2020. Originally from Mission, Kan., Grunhard will finish his career closer to home.

Transfer destination: Kansas

RB Jahmir Smith (Jan. 2, 2021)

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football running back Jahmir Smith
Smith had five carries for 15 yards in Notre Dame’s season-opening win over Duke, but did not appear in a game after that. (AP Photo/Tony Tribble)

Smith announced in October he was stepping away from the football program to focus on his mental health, but would remain in classes and stay to graduate. He entered his name into the transfer portal the day after Notre Dame’s season ended.

The junior from Sanford, N.C., had five carries for 15 yards in Notre Dame’s season-opening win over Duke, but did not appear in a game after that. He rushed 42 times for 180 yards in 2019 and scored the team’s first touchdown of the season in an opening-night win over Louisville. Smith was a three-star recruit in the 2018 class and an early enrollee.

Transfer destination: Appalachian State

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION IN ROCKNE’S ROUNDTABLE!

----

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.

• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

• Sign up for Blue & Gold's news alerts and daily newsletter.

Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts.

• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @BGI_LouSomogyi, @Rivals_Singer, @PatrickEngel_, @MasonPlummer_ and @AndrewMentock.

• Like us on Facebook.

Advertisement