Transfer Portal

[bigticket1]

Really good get. Was a team captain for Tulsa and had offers from UNLV, Texas State, North Texas, Jax State, and Memphis. Should be an immediate starter with the losses we have on defense. Says a lot about our program that he chose SDSU over some very good G5 teams.

Wonder if we’ll hit the portal harder this year?

They lose a lot, but Baloun and Clayborne are back as starters and Bryce Hawthorne is gonna be a stud. Green, Wolfcale-Holsten, Ripperda and Kirschenman all saw a lot of action, and they are high on Lecuona. With the rotation they have established, lots of people get in the game. They have been pretty selective with the portal in the past, most of the players they have brought in have made an impact.

[JacksFan80]

They lose a lot, but Baloun and Clayborne are back as starters and Bryce Hawthorne is gonna be a stud. Green, Wolfcale-Holsten, Ripperda and Kirschenman all saw a lot of action, and they are high on Lecuona. With the rotation they have established, lots of people get in the game. They have been pretty selective with the portal in the past, most of the players they have brought in have made an impact.

Didn’t realize Baloun had another year. DL definitely looks better than I thought. Ostroski should have a good shot at starting regardless, can’t imagine he’d choose SDSU over those others just to ride the bench. But he’ll have to earn it.

The coaches strategy with the portal has worked well so far. Seems like each guy we’ve gotten has had a positive impact and at least been role players. The OL will be interesting, having been back-logged due to the COVID year.

[Jackrabbit2012]

They lose a lot, but Baloun and Clayborne are back as starters and Bryce Hawthorne is gonna be a stud. Green, Wolfcale-Holsten, Ripperda and Kirschenman all saw a lot of action, and they are high on Lecuona. With the rotation they have established, lots of people get in the game. They have been pretty selective with the portal in the past, most of the players they have brought in have made an impact.

I had high hope for Jace Sifore. Is he hurt or just not going to be part of the plans? We also offered Kobe Clayborne's former teammate Langden Kitchen. I wonder if this commitment takes us out of the running for him.

[RahRahRabbits]

Really good get. Was a team captain for Tulsa and had offers from UNLV, Texas State, North Texas, Jax State, and Memphis. Should be an immediate starter with the losses we have on defense. Says a lot about our program that he chose SDSU over some very good G5 teams.

Wonder if we’ll hit the portal harder this year?

Ostroski visited Brookings during the Montana game. Not a bad time for a visit! I'd say I'm pretty darn excited for him in a Jackrabbit uniform!! Looks to be a great addition to the defensive line.

Per his 247 sports profile - out of high school, originally had offers from Army, New Mexico, Richmond, Princeton, Dartmouth, Lehigh, Central Arkansas, and Abilene Christian. His Twitter profile adds Navy and Hawaii from that period too - there could be more as well, I haven't looked too terribly hard.

Here's a video from Tulsa athletics prior to this season. Talks about how his dad wore #55 at Tulsa, and had his number retired. Owen started there wearing #48, but dad told him he had earned the right to wear #55 this past season, and they had to go through the process with the hall of fame committee to unretire the number for him. Pretty neat. Also spoke about some injury challenges, had some troubles in 2023, having 2-3 surgeries on his hands at end of season/after season. Happy to play inside or outside defensive line, likes moving around seeing different spots.

A couple more videos - a quick post-game interview from their win at Louisiana Tech this season. He very nearly returned a fumble on the 2nd play in overtime 70 yards for a walk-off touchdown, but was somehow ruled down just short (you be the judge here - 3:55 mark). And one more 19-minute interview that appears to cover a wide variety of topics (haven't watched all of this one yet). Tulsa also played Oklahoma State week 3 (before they fell apart), and lost 10-45.

His family certainly has football in their roots ---
His dad, Jerry Ostroski, played for Tulsa from 1988-1991, and was a first-team All-American in 1991. He was drafted in the 10th round of the 1992 NFL draft, spent a couple seasons on practice squads, then played 8 seasons in with the Bills, playing in 106 games --- a whopping 102 of which he started - all on offensive line. Retired due to knee injury complications it appears. Jerry is in the University of Tulsa Athletics Hall of Fame.

His brother Jackson played tight end for Drake from 2018-2019 before hanging up his cleats due to injury. He was an offensive assistant/tight ends/assistant offensive line coach in 2022-2023. 2024 Eastern Illinois roster has him listed as a graduate assistant on the offense.

[WestSideRabbit]

DE needed some help and Ostroski provides it. Injuries seem to pile up on the defensive line so having 5-6 ends that you trust is key to success in the MVFC.

• Graduate: Blake Peterson, Zach Wilson, Randy Keumogne and Levi VandenBos is choosing to forgo his final season to go back to the farm.
• Injured: Nick Wells was coming on but was lost due to knee injury and probably won't be ready until mid-season next year.
• Returning: Ripperda, Clayborne (can flex inside), and Kirschenman all have plenty of experience.
• Freshmen: Lecuona, Watts, and Schaefer. They are very high on Lecuona.

On the interior they should be okay!

• Graduate: DePriest
• Returning: Baloun, Hawthorne, Green, Wolfcale-Holsten and again, Clayborne can kick inside. I don't know if it's ever going to click for Sifore. Seems like all the physical talent is there but something isn't connecting.
• Freshmen: Mac Muller and Max Chapman have bright futures as walk-ons. They really like the incoming FR too.

[jbjack]

Tak Tateoka, UST QB, commits.

[AZjack]

DE needed some help and Ostroski provides it. Injuries seem to pile up on the defensive line so having 5-6 ends that you trust is key to success in the MVFC.

• Graduate: Blake Peterson, Zach Wilson, Randy Keumogne and Levi VandenBos is choosing to forgo his final season to go back to the farm.
• Injured: Nick Wells was coming on but was lost due to knee injury and probably won't be ready until mid-season next year.
• Returning: Ripperda, Clayborne (can flex inside), and Kirschenman all have plenty of experience.
• Freshmen: Lecuona, Watts, and Schaefer. They are very high on Lecuona.

On the interior they should be okay!

• Graduate: DePriest
• Returning: Baloun, Hawthorne, Green, Wolfcale-Holsten and again, Clayborne can kick inside. I don't know if it's ever going to click for Sifore. Seems like all the physical talent is there but something isn't connecting.
• Freshmen: Mac Muller and Max Chapman have bright futures as walk-ons. They really like the incoming FR too.

Zimmer said Baloun is gone, I was really hoping he would come back.

[jakejc795]

Zimmer said Baloun is gone, I was really hoping he would come back.

Did Vanden Bos decide to return after all, or was Zim's most recent article mistaken re. his status?

[jakejc795]

Zim just confirmed via email that he wasn't aware of Vanden Bos' "non-returning" status, so it sounds like we didn't luck out in that regard

[bigticket1]

Zimmer said Baloun is gone, I was really hoping he would come back.

I think Zimmer got the two mixed up. I mentioned in a Twitter comment on the article that Vanden Bos was done and Baloun is coming back and Zimmer liked it.

[goon]

I thought Levi was going back to work on the farm. Wasn't that on the coaches radio show a few weeks back?

[jakejc795]

I thought Levi was going back to work on the farm. Wasn't that on the coaches radio show a few weeks back?

Yes, that was mentioned, which was why I asked Zim.