Transfer out: How the 35 players that have left Notre Dame have performed this season
Five Notre Dame football players have taken their talents into the transfer portal to Southern California to suit up for the UCLA Bruins, leading the charge for the 35 former Fighting Irishmen on college football rosters this season.
Others have teamed up at California, Massachusetts, Syracuse, TCU and Vanderbilt. Two others have kept their college careers alive at the FCS level. And another is playing in Division II.
That’s where we begin Tuesday’s story, breaking down how each former Notre Dame football player has fared this season. Players are listed in alphabetical order.
WR Kendall Abdur-Rahman, McKendree (ND, 2019-20)
After he spent the previous two years at Western Kentucky, Abdur-Rahman settled in at Division II McKendree in Lebanon, Ill., in 2023. In seven games for the Bearcats (4-4) this season, he has 27 catches for 386 yards and 2 touchdowns. Abdur-Rahman has also contributed as a kick returner, taking 10 attempts 241 yards.
DL Devin Aupiu, UCLA (Notre Dame, spring 2021)
Oxnard (Calif.) Pacifica’s Aupiu only lasted a spring semester in South Bend before transferring to UCLA, where he was initially verbally committed before flipping to the Irish. In Year 4 with the Bruins (2-5), he has a career-high 10 tackles (6 solo), 1.5 for loss, and 0.5 sack in seven games, all of which he has started.
CB Ryan Barnes, Massachusetts (ND, 2021-23)
Barnes has officially charted 7 tackles (4 solo) and an interception in seven games for the Minutemen (2-6). Pro Football Focus has him allowing a 5-yard catch one of the two times he was targeted.
WR Micah Bell, Vanderbilt (CB at Notre Dame in 2023)
Bell entered the transfer portal three days after he had 2 tackles and 2 pass breakups in the Blue-Gold game. The 5-foot-10, 177-pounder switched to wide receiver for the Commodores (5-3) but has not appeared in a game. Vanderbilt did not list him on its preseason depth chart.
DB Jayden Bellamy, Syracuse (ND, 2022)
Joining former Irish defensive back Clarence Lewis in the Orange (5-2) secondary, Bellamy has started four of the last seven games on the right side at cornerback. Bellamy has totaled 24 tackles (13 solo), 1 for loss, 3 pass breakups and an interception returned 33 yards for a touchdown. PFF has him down for conceding 18 catches for 215 yards and 1 touchdown on the 27 times quarterbacks have targeted him.
TE Cane Berrong, Coastal Carolina (ND, 2021-22)
After missing last season due to injury, Berrong has 6 catches for 68 yards and 1 touchdown in seven games for the Chanticleers (4-3).
WR Jay Brunelle, Boston College (ND, 2020)
The former Notre Dame and Yale product has only appeared in three games and logged 15 snaps for the Eagles (4-4). Seven of those snaps have come on the kick return unit. He has not recorded any statistics.
OL Michael Carmody, UCLA (ND, 2020-23)
Has not appeared in a game in his first season for the Bruins (2-5). UCLA did not list him in the preseason two-deep depth chart.
OT Quinn Carroll, Minnesota (ND, 2019-21)
In Year 3 with the Gophers (5-3), Carroll has started seven of eight games at right tackle (the other at right guard). He has surrendered 13 pressures (10 hurries, 1 hit and 2 sacks) per PFF.
S Antonio Carter II, Jacksonville State (ND, 2023)
The former Irish and Rhode Island defensive back has started all seven games at strong safety for the Gamecocks (4-3). In those outings, he has amassed 54 tackles (24 solo), including 2 for loss, 2 pass breakups, 1 interception and 1 quarterback hurry.
OL Zeke Correll, NC State (ND, 2019-23)
Correll was named a team captain in the preseason. Since then, he has started all eight games at center for the Wolfpack (4-4), only allowing 2 quarterback hurries in 307 pass-blocking snaps.
RB Logan Diggs, Ole Miss (ND, 2021-22)
Diggs, who had 119 carries for 653 yards and 7 touchdowns in 10 games last season for LSU, has not played in 2024 for the No. 19 Rebels (6-2). He missed spring practice after undergoing offseason knee surgery.
LB Ositadinma Ekwonu, Charlotte (ND, 2019-22)
Ekwonu has appeared in 8 games, engineering 11 tackles, 6 of which were solo for the 59ers (3-5). He started the first game of the season at outside linebacker.
WR Rico Flores Jr., UCLA (ND, 2023)
Flores has hauled in 12 passes for 187 yards and 1 touchdown in four starts for the Bruins (2-5). Flores has not played since Week 5 and has been recovering from a preseason injury he fought through at the beginning of the season.
DB Ramon Henderson, UCLA (ND, 2020-23)
Henderson has started all seven games at safety. He has notched 23 tackles (15 solo), including 1 for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception and 3 pass breakups in his first season with the Bruins (2-5).
WR Braylon James, TCU (ND, 2023)
Has appeared in five games and logged 12 offensive snaps for the Horned Frogs (5-3). He caught 2 passes for 6 yards on 3 targets in a 45-0 win over FCS school Long Island.
OL Caleb Johnson, SMU (ND, 2021-22)
Has appeared in four games in Year 2 with the No. 20 Mustangs (7-1), logging 24 snaps between right and left tackle. Twenty-one of those plays have come in the run game; he has not given up any pressures in his 3 pass-blocking snaps.
DB Jojo Johnson, Indiana (ND, 2021)
In Year 2 with the red-hot Hoosiers (8-0), ranked No. 13 in the nation, Johnson has only played in one game on defense and has not registered any official stats. He played the 2022 season at Iowa Western Community College.
DL Aidan Keanaaina, California (ND, 2020-23)
Has started in all eight games at defensive tackle in his first season with the Golden Bears (4-4), posting 26 tackles (11 solo), 2.5 for loss, 1 sack and a pass breakup. PFF also credits him with 12 quarterback hurries. His PFF overall grade (78.0) ranks No. 37 among all Power Four defensive tackles, and his run defense grade (83.6) is No. 17.
LB Prince Kollie, Vanderbilt (ND, 2021-22)
After not appearing in any games in his first season with the Commodores in 2023, Kollie has played in all eight games and 80 defensive snaps this season. He has collected 12 tackles (5 solo), including 1 for loss and 1 sack.
CB Clarence Lewis, Syracuse (ND, 2020-23)
Lewis’ decision to transfer from Notre Dame in spring practice has paid off. He has made seven starts at cornerback on the left side in his first season with the Orange (5-2), adding 16 tackles (10 solo), 5 pass breakups and an interception. According to PFF, Lewis has allowed 19 catches for 237 yards and 3 touchdowns. Quarterbacks have targeted him 30 times.
FB Barret Liebentritt, Nebraska (PWO at Notre Dame, 2021-22)
The former Irish walk-on played in seven games this season before Nebraska (5-3) coach Matt Ruhle announced Monday that his fullback would be out for the remainder of the season. Liebentritt broke a bone in his back on a blocking play in practice. Before the injury, he played 28 offensive snaps. He was also a special teams contributor on kick return.
P Bryce McFerson, Maryland (ND, 2022-23)
In his first season with the Terps (4-4), McFerson has punted 64 times, pinning 16 of those boots inside the 20-yard line. His 46.8 yards per punt ranks third among all FBS punters.
WR Tobias Merriweather, California (ND, 2022-23)
Has not appeared in a game in his first game with the Golden Bears (4-4), as he works his way back from an unspecified injury.
OL Quinn Murphy, Western Michigan (PWO at Notre Dame, 2019-23)
After spending five years at Notre Dame as a walk-on, Murphy transferred to Western Michigan (5-3) for his final season. He has played in eight games, starting one at left guard, allowing 8 pressures (6 quarterback hurries, 1 quarterback hit, 1 sack) in 128 pass-blocking snaps.
OL John Olmstead, Maine (ND, 2019)
Five years removed from his one season at Notre Dame, Olmstead has started in all eight games at right tackle for the Black Bears (4-4), who play in the FCS. He has surrendered 16 pressures (11 hurries, 4 sacks and 1 hit) in 281 pass-blocking snaps. Olmstead played for another FCS school, Lafayette College, from 2021-23.
CB Caleb Offord, Alabama State (ND, 2020-21)
Following two years at Buffalo, Offord transferred to Alabama State (4-3) and has started in six of seven outings. He has posted 24 tackles (19 solo) and 3 pass breakups in his first season in the FCS. PFF credits him for allowing 17 catches for 195 yards and 1 touchdown on 25 targets.
DL Nana Osafo-Mensah, TCU (ND, 2019-23)
Has started in all eight games in his first season with the Horned Frogs (5-3), making 19 tackles (11 solo), 3 for loss, 1 sack, 5 quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. He had 4 quarterback hurries in Week 1 against Stanford.
QB Drew Pyne, Missouri (Played at ND, 2020-22)
Pyne has played in five games in relief for starter Brady Cook. The former Irish signal-caller has completed 35-55 passes for 248 yards and 3 interceptions. Pyne transferred to the No. 25 Tigers (6-2) after playing for Arizona State in 2023 and attending Notre Dame in the spring of 2024 to obtain his degree; he did not rejoin the Irish football program before moving to Missouri.
CB Isaiah Rutherford, Massachusetts (ND, 2019-20)
In the same Minuteman (2-6) secondary that features Barnes, Rutherford has started 6 games at cornerback. He has recorded 4 tackles (2 solo), 2 pass breakups, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble. PFF says he has given up 6 catches for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns on 11 targets. Rutherford played for Arizona from 2021-22.
TE Holden Staes, Tennessee (ND, 2022-23)
Has appeared in all seven games for the No. 7 Volunteers (6-1), catching all 9 targets for 65 yards and 1 touchdown.
CB Lorenzo Styles, Ohio State (WR at Notre Dame from 2021-22)
In his second season at cornerback, Styles has played 74 snaps across 7 games for No. 4 Ohio State (6-1). He has 8 tackles (6 solo) and 1 pass breakup. PFF credits him for allowing 5 receptions for 38 yards on 11 targets.
OL Joey Tanona, Purdue (Medically retired at Notre Dame shortly after enrollment in 2022 due to a head injury)
Has appeared in three games in his first season returning to football, playing 38 snaps. He has only allowed 1 quarterback hit in 23 pass-blocking snaps for the Boilermakers (1-6).
WR Chris Tyree, Virginia (RB at Notre Dame from 2020-22; WR in 2023)
In his first season for Virginia (4-4), Tyree has caught 18 passes for 82 yards in six games. He also has a pair of carries for 12 yards, 6 kick returns for 137 yards and 1 punt return for 11 yards.
DB KJ Wallace, UCLA (ND, 2019-21)
Has played in seven games, starting in five, primarily at slot cornerback in his first season with the Bruins (2-5). He has posted 29 tackles (23 solo), 4.5 for loss, 1 sack, 5 pass breakups and 1 quarterback hurry. PFF has Wallace down for allowing 33 catches for 293 yards and 1 touchdown on 42 targets.
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