×
×
homepage logo
SUBSCRIBE

BYU 1-on-1: A few days of transfer portal drama ends well for Cougars

By Darnell Dickson and Jared Lloyd - | May 4, 2023

Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

BYU wide receiver Kody Epps catches a touchdown pass during the 41-20 Cougar loss to Oregon at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022.

Daily Herald sports experts Darnell Dickson and Jared Lloyd address five of the big questions facing Cougar athletics this week:

1. Sophomore wide receiver Kody Epps surprised his teammates and coaches by jumping into the transfer portal at the 11th hour, then broke the news on Wednesday he was coming back. What did we learn here?

LLOYD: Have you ever been to an ice cream shop and decide sample some of the flavors, even if you are pretty sure what you are going to get? That seems to be the reality of what we are seeing with a lot of athletes and the transfer portal — and I guess I can’t blame them.

How hard is it to not at least see what it out there? Maybe there are big bucks, although it seems like it would be really hard to trust anyone. Maybe there is interest from a team closer to home or one that has more prestige.

But the reality is there is always going to be a cost involved. If you transfer, you start over in building trust with your peers (as well as with the scheme, classes and the the social environment).

Is it worth it? It was to some former Cougars and wasn’t for Epps. The bottom line is each individual has to decide whether they think the benefits or either decision outweigh the costs and then deal with the consequences.

DICKSON: I almost hesitate to write about this because things may change any minute. I have concerns about the transfer portal and NIL, because both are out of hand and need some oversight. But one thing is for certain: If the NCAA was looking for a way to keep college sports fans engaged in the off-season, they’ve found it.

The latest saga for BYU and Epps just proves that nothing is ever for certain and situations change frequently.

Without all the facts, the Epps situation didn’t add up. He seemed to have really embraced the culture at BYU and was committed to the program. Some of the numbers I was hearing about what he was being offered by other programs didn’t make sense.

Epps is a good receiver but he has already taken an injury redshirt year (2021) and played in eight games last season before going down with another injury. All of those things made me think he should come back. Meanwhile, BYU is still active in the portal looking for more wide receivers (and hopefully a few cornerbacks).

2. What do you think of the still evolving BYU men’s basketball roster?

DICKSON: One of the big problems for BYU last season was turnovers, especially early. With big man Aly Khalifa, shooting guard Dawson Baker and point guard Ques Glover, the Cougars have brought in some pretty strong ball handlers. That will help.

I think BYU is pretty guard heavy right now, which means there will likely be an odd-man-out situation coming up shortly for somebody on the roster.

I do like the uniqueness of Khalifa and Glover. Those are the kinds of players the Cougars need to continue to pull in to compete in the Big 12. Baker is a great addition because he has proven he can get his own shot and BYU needs some more scoring.

LLOYD: I think there are more unknowns bringing in transfer players then many realize.

How will they fit in the BYU offensive and defensive schemes? How long will it take for them to mesh with the other Cougars at an elite level (something that really hasn’t happened consistently for BYU in the last two years)? Will they be up for the challenges of the upcoming Big 12 schedule?

The reality is that no matter how good either the returning Cougars or the new guys are, we won’t be able to answer these questions definitively until the season nearing its conclusion. I’ve realized that for both athletes and teams, the present is much more important than the past.

Do I think Aly Khalifa, Dawson Bater and Ques Glover could have big roles in helping BYU be successful? Certainly — but there are no guarantees. I want to see them in action as a team to start drawing conclusions.

3. The New York Jets signed All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers last week. Is this good or bad for former Cougar Zach Wilson?

LLOYD: I see the “experts” and a lot of Jets fans already writing Wilson off as a monumental NFL bust, even though he’s played limited time in two seasons behind a frequently decimated offensive line. But the ex-BYU star has made plenty of his own mistakes along the way as well.

I think there is a lot of in-game things Wilson needs to improve on, but I think his youth and inexperience has been even more apparent off the field. Rodgers will be able to show him better ways to handle things, if Wilson can be humble enough to learn.

In the long run, I think being around Rodgers on a daily basis will benefit Wilson. Will it be enough for him to eventually have a career like a No. 2 draft pick is expected to have? That’s going to be tougher but is still very possible.

DICKSON: It’s always good for a young quarterback to learn from a veteran, especially an all-timer like Rogers. Some of it depends on how much Rogers is willing to share his knowledge and then how much Wilson is willing to learn from him.

I have a pretty strong feeling that Wilson will have to eventually move on to another franchise to get his second chance, which is fine. It’s just too bad that Wilson didn’t get a chance to play behind a strong veteran earlier in his career, because that would have been a huge benefit.

4. Which of BYU’s unsigned free agents have the best chance of making an NFL roster?

DICKSON: The guy I like is Harris LaChance. He’s going to join Blake Freeland in Indianapolis for his shot in the NFL.

LaChance is a very underrated, versatile offensive lineman who can play. I like his ability to impress the Colts coaches and find a spot on that roster.

It’s such an exciting time of life for these guys. Getting a chance at the NFL is such an amazing accomplishment. BYU has a great track record with offensive linemen recently and that is something the coaches can hang their hat on, right?

LLOYD: I actually think all four ex-Cougar free agents bring some good things to the table and have a shot at the next level, although I think it will be hardest for D’Angelo Mandell. I don’t know if I saw enough from him at BYU for me to think he is ready for the NFL but he could also be the next Michael Davis.

Since Darnell pointed out the benefits for LaChance, I’m going to focus on the other two. Cornerback Kaleb Hayes and running back Chris Brooks were both transfers from Pac-12 teams who showed they have good ability to play their respective positions at a high level.

I’m going to lean toward Hayes because Brooks has had to deal with some injuries, but I wouldn’t be surprised if both of them end up making the cut or at least get on a practice squad somewhere.

5. Lauren Gustin spent very little time in the transfer portal before deciding to return for her final year of eligibility with BYU women’s basketball. Why do you think she made this decision?

LLOYD: There are a lot of similarities between Gustin and Epps, even though they play in different sports. Both took the step of entering the portal, then both stepped back out of it again.

I’m not really surprised that there were teams who were interested in Gustin, since although she is undersized for her position she is unquestionably one of the most relentless players in college basketball.

But knowing what a competitor she is, I’m not at all surprised that the lure of taking on Big 12 competition with a BYU squad that has some intriguing pieces coming in would bring her back to Provo.

I think she’s hungry for that stage and knows that head coach Amber Whiting already knows what she is capable of. There is clearly trust on Gustin’s part that this is going to give her the best chance to shine.

DICKSON: Gustin didn’t spend much time in the portal. I felt like there was a lot for her at BYU for her final year in college basketball. She’s already the program’s season leader for rebounds and has a great shot at becoming the all-time career leader.

Amber Whiting has upgraded the talent level significantly with a great recruiting class, so Gustin likely won’t have to play 40 minutes a game again. She certainly took a look at how well things turned out for former Cougar Shaylee Gonzales, who thrived at Texas last season.

In the end, she took a look and decided to return to Provo. BYU is lucky to have her and I think she’ll have a great senior season.

Newsletter

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)