The list of departures only continues to grow for Utah State

Utah State head coach Blake Anderson has been upfront about the NCAA transfer portal and name, image and likeness (NIL), and the effect they are having on the Aggie program.

In simplest terms, they have taken a toll. One that grows steeper and steeper by the day.

“This is the new world of college football This is what legislatures have created,” Anderson said. “It is going to happen all across (the country) and it is. This is not a Logan problem. This is a NCAA football problem. It is not going to go back.”

While it might not be just a Utah State problem, defections have grown problematic for the Aggies specifically.

Since the end of spring camp on April 22, Utah State — which had lost more than 30 players to the transfer portal already this offseason — has seen even more defections.

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The most recent ones — cornerbacks Ronald Fuselier, Jett Solomon and Malone Mataele and defensive tackle Falepouono Mosley — leave Utah State even more shallow on the defense, the side hardest hit by defections this past winter and during the spring.

Per Brian Phillips, operator of Big Blue USU Aggie News, departures have left Utah State with 11 open scholarship spots on the roster, at least as of April 27.

Mosley is the most recent departure.

He announced his entry into the transfer portal on Monday, writing on social media, “I just want to thank Utah State University for giving me the opportunity to play. I will now be entering the transfer portal with 3 years of eligibility left.”

Mosley, Fuselier and Mataele are unique in that all were brought aboard as part of the recently finalized 2023 class, Mosley and Fuselier from the junior college ranks, Mataele from Utah. And now, just three months later, all are leaving Utah State.

It hasn’t been all bad news, though.

The Aggies did pick up a commitment from junior college running back Rahsul Faison on April 28.

Something of a standout at Snow College last season, the rising junior from Salisbury, Connecticut, appeared in nine games and rushed for 355 yards and six touchdowns for the Badgers, averaging four yards per carry.

Faison signed with Marshall out of high school in 2019 as a two star prospect, choosing the Thundering Herd over Connecticut and Stony Brook.

Then on Monday night, the Aggies reeled in another commitment, this one from junior college (Independence Community College) defensive back Isaiah Hackett.

A Warren, Ohio, native, Hackett — a two-star prospect, per Rivals — chose the Aggies over Mountain West rival UNLV.

Hackett is a much needed addition for Utah State after numerous defections from the Aggies’ secondary in recent weeks.

In other positive news, the transfer portal window is now closed — April 15 was the final day of spring period in which undergraduates could enter the portal freely — which means the list of new departures from Utah State should grow smaller and smaller by the day.

The Aggies can add any player currently in the portal at any time. There is no window or time limitation on adding players from the portal, only entry.

After so many losses this offseason, it is clear that Utah State won’t look much like the team it was in 2022. Whether or not that will end up being a good thing remains to be seen.