Transfer Portal.

[Dane96]

See new post for why Click is losing it.  😂 

[jimbo]

According to Twitter, Jeff Undercuffler has visited and received an offer....which he is still evaluating. The offer is from Eastern Illinois. 1-10 last year in the Ohio Valley Conference. 1-5 last spring. 

[Danes77]

Strange since that is  where Coach Davis went as their new Off Coordinator.    He made a big mistake not sticking around for spring with Ambrose as the new coordinator.  

[jimbo]

On 5/2/2022 at 1:23 PM, Danes77 said:

Strange since that is  where Coach Davis went as their new Off Coordinator.    He made a big mistake not sticking around for spring with Ambrose as the new coordinator.  

I forgot about that. Wonder what his thought process was to enter the portal in the first place. There must have been some friction or hard feelings with the coaching staff. Going to a Midwest program, well away from his home, especially one that has not excelled recently, seems like a lateral or downward move to me. Maybe he bought his freshman hype and thought he could ride it to the big time. Once they landed the kid from BC, I think that door back closed hard. All speculation. 

Edited May 3, 2022 by jimbo

[Danes77]

Jeff Undercuffler has signed with Akron from the MAC conference.  Good move for him.  Will really have a quality coach in Joe Moorhead, former off coord at Oregon and Penn State.  He also was head coach at Miss St.  If Cuff ends up starting it will be interesting to see how much quality coaching is a difference maker.   Rooting for him to do well at FBS level.  Also WR Gray was offered by Eastern Illinois.  Former coach Joe Davis still trying to lure Ualbany guys after striking out trying to get Cuff.  

[Dane96]

Jeff Undercuffler with an embarrassing moment that has become national-- he was thrown out of the game for 1-7 Akron after he not once but twice cursed out the referee from the sideline.  

All over the internet.  

Akron is putrid...and he has barely played at all. 

These are the cautionary tales of transferring.  

Edited October 30, 2022 by Dane96

[Dane96]

Meanwhile, Braedon Zenolvic having a great year for Utica...happy for the kid.  He was D1 material before his injury in HS and has taken advantage of his opportunity.  Was involved in a controversial ending yesterday against Morrisville...but nothing he did wrong-- the refs just got it wrong.

He was a well-liked, hardworking kid.  Good for him getting the chance to excel and enjoy success in his final year of college.  

[UAalum72]

TU reporting QBs Carino (2 years left) and Szalkowski (3) have entered the transfer portal.

Four left on the roster: Poffenbarger, graduate student Matt Valecce, freshman Joe Tortello of Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons and freshman Aedan McDermott.

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

3 hours ago, UAalum72 said:

TU reporting QBs Carino (2 years left) and Szalkowski (3) have entered the transfer portal.

Four left on the roster: Poffenbarger, graduate student Matt Valecce, freshman Joe Tortello of Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons and freshman Aedan McDermott.

Makes sense.  We got 3 more years of Poffy and I kinda always hated the Carino wildcat...and kinda hate the wildcat in general.

[cwdickens]

From today's Times - Union:

UALBANY FOOTBALL

 

Two QBs enter transfer portal

Carino, Szalkowski were backups to CAA Offensive Rookie of Year Poffenbarger

 

By Mark Singelais

CARINO

SZALKOWSKI

Rather than sit behind redshirt freshman Reese Poffenbarger for the foreseeable future, two University at Albany backup quarterbacks announced Monday they’re entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Sophomore Joey Carino has two years of eligibility left and freshman Tyler Szalkowski has three years remaining.

There seems to be scant prospect of playing time for either player after Poffenbarger transferred in from Old Dominion and won Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Rookie of the Year.

“I want to thank my teammates, friends and coaches at the University at Albany for the past three years,” Carino, from Somers, tweeted. “I have learned so much as a player and person and have developed relationships that will last a lifetime.”

At one time, Carino looked like he might be UAlbany’s QB of the future. Carino, who initially committed to Syracuse to play lacrosse, came off the bench in a football loss at Syracuse in 2021 and threw for one TD and ran for another. He made his only start in a and threw for 244 yards and two TDs.

After starting quarterback Jeff Undercuffler transferred, Carino competed for the starting job last spring, but then UAlbany coach Greg Gattuso and new offensive coordinator Jared Ambrose brought in Poffenbarger, who won the position.

This season, Carino ran 13 times for 36 yards and two TDs and was 0-for-2 passing.

Szalkowski, from Rochester, was 2-for-4 passing for 28 yards and a TD. In his tweet, he thanked the coaching and training staff.

QBs Matt Valecce, Joe Tortello and Aedan McDermott were also on the roster.

[UAlbany09]

I’m surprised Poffenbarger is not entering the portal 

[dslyank]

10 hours ago, UAlbany09 said:

I’m surprised Poffenbarger is not entering the portal 

He is a flat out star with ALL [-Greaney] his receiving core coming back. He has no competition for his position. With a little help/improvement from the defense, UA in spite of Gattuso could be a force to reckoned with in a weakening caa for the next three years. And if Gattuso somehow manages to screw this up {and this is entirely possible/predictable} Poff really has little to lose by coming back. As good as Poff is, he really is too small for a pro career. Might as well be a "star" fish in a small pond {even if the pond is muddied by poor maintenance by the pond's caretakers.}

[MRuler 79]

9 hours ago, UAlbany09 said:

I’m surprised Poffenbarger is not entering the portal 

Be glad he is not in the portal. Why would he? He was Rookie of the Year and is the guaranteed starter for the next 3 years. If we can manage to put a defense together and replace Sibley at RB we "should" have a winning product. Also the CAA is not what it once was and we may have a a legit shot to be very good over the next three seasons

[Dane96]

9 hours ago, UAlbany09 said:

I’m surprised Poffenbarger is not entering the portal 

And happy. 

By my count we have:

Carino- QB

Szalwoski- QB

Rob Jackson- DL

Brandan Jiminez- WR

Jack Barnum- K

Jacob Hargreaves- DB

Devante Ford- DB

Andy Ambroise- DB

Brendan Durken- LS

To me Hargreaves and Ford are interesting.  They received significant playing time but our pass defense was poor...so not sure what to make of those two. 

Jack Barnum is a surprise- highly touted kicker and only a freshman. 

Jiminez wasn't going to break into the WR core, IMHO, for significant minutes.

While Poff is amazing, we need a really capable backup...so, we are going to have swing big.  

[Dane96]

25 minutes ago, dslyank said:

He is a flat out star with ALL [-Greaney] his receiving core coming back. He has no competition for his position. With a little help/improvement from the defense, UA in spite of Gattuso could be a force to reckoned with in a weakening caa for the next three years. And if Gattuso somehow manages to screw this up {and this is entirely possible/predictable} Poff really has little to lose by coming back. As good as Poff is, he really is too small for a pro career. Might as well be a "star" fish in a small pond {even if the pond is muddied by poor maintenance by the pond's caretakers.}

Renninger not coming back, he graduates as well.  I think Brockman can be solid...but we need another TE to step up with the type of offense we run.