Though it took until the spring portal period, it was perhaps folly to expect Weber State football to be immune to transfers after losing nine-year head coach Jay Hill.

Junior running back Dontae McMillan announced Tuesday he is entering his name in the transfer portal after four seasons at Weber State.

McMillan, a native of Seattle, led WSU in rushing yards each of the last two seasons (801 yards and six touchdowns in 2022, 475 yards in 2021).

Softening the blow are explosive junior Damon Bankston (709 yards, eight touchdowns last season) and a healthy senior Kris Jackson (796 career yards, 21 touchdowns). Adrian Cormier, Steven Shoats-Thomas and incoming freshman Major Givens are among others vying for playing time.

McMillan is one of four starters to leave the program since the end of the 2022 season. Senior cornerback Kam Garrett is another significant loss; he announced he’d be transferring last week. Garrett became a starter as a freshman in 2019 and has totaled 75 tackles and 14 pass breakups in 37 career games.

All-American cornerback Eddie Heckard was the first to leave several months ago. Still returning as multi-year cornerback starters are Maxwell Anderson and Marque Collins. Jalon Rock and Abraham Williams appear to be next in line to bolster the unit with Heckard and Garrett now gone, along with Toddrick Dixon and Montae Pate.

Heckard and rotational DE starter Nuu Sellesin each transferred to BYU before spring ball. Offensive lineman Jake Eichorn, who became a starter in the last half of the 2022 season, entered the transfer portal at the end of spring camp and has since committed to BYU.

Less-frequent contributors in linebacker Kyden Bailey and offensive lineman Chinonso Opara have also announced they will leave the program.

Trying to help the transfer portal giveth as it taketh away, three FBS transfers have reported on social media that they’ve received offers from head coach Mickey Mental and his staff during the spring period.

Liberty defensive end Rashad Whitehead is one; Whitehead appeared in four games over two seasons at Liberty and should have three seasons left to play. Troy redshirt freshman offensive lineman Matthew Johnson and Utah redshirt freshman OL transfer Tyler Knaak also reported WSU offers.

Newsletter