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On Feb. 6, OC senior Jalen Broussard announced on Twitter that he was entering the transfer portal.
Broussard, a wide receiver on the football team, led the Comets in receiving yards this season with 83.2 per game. Broussard also scored seven touchdowns this season and averaged 18.1 yards per reception.
“I came to the decision of grad transferring because I believe Olivet football has made me grow as a player and as an individual. Coach Moose and his staff have done a great job shaping me into the player I am and the individual I am off of the football field,” Broussard said.
According to ESPN, the transfer portal is “a database of every player who has interest in transferring from his or her current school”. The portal was launched in 2018 and has since become a major hub for collegiate athletes looking to switch schools.
The portal is not open to the public for viewing, but administrators and coaches at NCAA-sponsored schools have access to it. Once someone enters the portal, schools can view that player’s profile and reach out if they are interested.
Jalen Hurts, the current starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, used the portal while he was in college. Although that transfer involved two high-profile Division I football teams, athletes from smaller schools like OC can use the service as well.
Broussard said the process of entering the portal was not hard. Once he met with his coaches and decided to transfer, all that was left was for OC Athletic Director Haley Diringer to enter his name into the system.
“I have had multiple schools reach out so far. I have only been in the portal for a few days now, so I do not want to rush into anything,” Broussard said on Feb. 9.
Broussard’s plans are to go to a bigger school, keep playing football, and earn his MBA. He said that Olivet’s head football coach Dan Musielewicz and his staff have equipped him to take his football skills to another level.
While Broussard is moving on from Olivet College, he said that he appreciates the support that OC’s community has given him throughout his time on campus.
“My favorite part about playing for OC would have to be the community and staff members. They were always very supportive, no matter what, and I loved that about them. I am most proud of the individual I have become in my four years here.”
Coach Musielewicz said that this is not the first time an OC player has entered the transfer portal, but he doesn’t think it will become as prevalent in Division III as it has in higher levels of college football.
“The transfer portal is definitely something that we are navigating as it changes every year. As in anything else, there are positives and negatives. I do not think it will take shape in Division III as it has in Division I,” Musielewicz said.
Musielewicz said that Broussard worked extremely hard to develop his game after playing quarterback in high school and switching positions in college.
“Jalen made an impact right away as a receiver in our offense. He worked diligently to improve his game as a receiver. The fruits of that investment came to fruition this year on the field. At any point, the team and defenses knew that he was a big play waiting to happen.”
Photos from Abbey Peters, OC Athletics Website, and OC Football Twitter Page