UConn Football losing multiple key players to transfer

UConn football’s roster will need some extra work, as starters Aaron Turner and Keelan Marion entered the transfer portal. Joining them will be defensive back Myles Bell and backup wide receiver Nigel Fitzgerald.

Turner was the Huskies’ leading receiver in 2023, operating mostly out of the slot, catching bubble screens and short passes. A converted running back, Turner had 583 yards from scrimmage, averaging 8.3 yards per touch, and caught three touchdowns for the Huskies last year. He recently announced he’s heading to Cincinnati to play in the Big 12, following in the footsteps of running back Nate Carter, who’s transferred to Michigan State.

Marion was UConn’s leading pass-catcher during the 2021 season, with 28 catches for 474 yards and five touchdown catches. Marion figured to have a big impact on the Huskies’ offense in 2022 but was injured during the first game of the season against Utah State. He has already been offered by East Carolina, Western Kentucky, UAB, and Liberty, according to his Twitter account.

Bell was a four-year senior, originally recruited by Randy Edsall, and started for much of his freshman year under the former UConn head coach. But after the Huskies took a year off in 2020, Bell struggled to stay healthy in 2021 and 2022, playing in just eight total games during that two-year span.

Fitzgerald transferred into the program after spending three years at Old Dominion. He saw three games of action in a UConn uniform, catching two passes for 12 yards. Another WR transfer from last year, Ethon Williams, is also leaving UConn.

Quarterback Tyler Phommachanh also announced his intention to transfer this month. UConn will look to reload via the transfer portal, with offers out to several transfer portal entrants already and some commitments coming in. The spring transfer portal window ends on April 30.