Official 2026 Roster Movement Thread - Who's In and Who's Out?

[DarrenTheGreek]

No Spring portal though, so they can't transfer, they'd just be done.

Correct.

 

[Scottsdale Gopher]

Kaba would put us at 50 new players next year.

If the Gophers continue to take large HS classes, it seems likely this amount of turnover will be relatively common. I'm not saying that's the wrong way to run the program, but I would think it is difficult to maintain the culture PJ wants if half the roster turns over every season. Presumably that's why the portal focus has been on multi-year players.

I don't suppose anyone has kept track of annual roster churn since PJ started?

 

[60's Guy]

If the Gophers continue to take large HS classes, it seems likely this amount of turnover will be relatively common. I'm not saying that's the wrong way to run the program, but I would think it is difficult to maintain the culture PJ wants if half the roster turns over every season. Presumably that's why the portal focus has been on multi-year players.

I don't suppose anyone has kept track of annual roster churn since PJ started?

Off the top guess...this year is the most churn (50 new guys? neighborhood) but the past two years would have been in the neighborhood of 40 plus different guys.
The rules keep changing.

 

[MNVCGUY]

If the Gophers continue to take large HS classes, it seems likely this amount of turnover will be relatively common. I'm not saying that's the wrong way to run the program, but I would think it is difficult to maintain the culture PJ wants if half the roster turns over every season. Presumably that's why the portal focus has been on multi-year players.

I don't suppose anyone has kept track of annual roster churn since PJ started?

Did a quick look at the current number of new faces Big Ten teams have coming in right now.....when the portal window closes, if I am motivated enough, I will look at number of recruits, number of portal additions, and number of portal departures but not really worth doing that until the dust settles because these numbers will keep changing over the next 10 days or so. But as of right now (1/12 9:00 am)

Combined number of incoming recruits and portal additions:
Nebraska - 23
Oregon - 23
Maryland - 24
Iowa - 29
Michigan - 31
Northwestern - 32
Rutgers - 32
Washington - 32
Ohio State - 34
Indiana - 35
Wisconsin - 39
Michigan State - 41
USC - 41
Purdue - 42
Illinois - 43
Penn State - 45
Minnesota - 50
UCLA - 52

So as it stands today we are on the higher end in terms of the number of new faces for 2026. Not sure what if anything can really be drawn from that. Will be interesting to see what the final numbers look like because good chance they will change a lot as players continue to find new homes.