After a National Championship run, promising freshman running back Girard Pringle Jr. seeks new opportunities, entering the transfer portal amidst the Miami Hurricanes' deep backfield.
Even after a National Championship run, the Miami Hurricanes continue to battle with the business side of college football. Players from the roster, also on the Indiana Hoosiers side, earned an extended open window to enter the transfer portal.
It was reported on Wednesday that freshman running back Girard Pringle Jr. is planning to enter after limited action throughout the season. He rushed 62 times for 375 yards, six yards per carry, and scored five total touchdowns in nine games.
The 19-year-old was behind a couple of running back veterans in Mark Fletcher Jr. and CharMar Brown. Although he delivered strongly for the Hurricanes in the final four games of the regular season, rushing 48 times for 302 yards, 6.3 yards per carry, and scoring two total touchdowns. In that span, Fletcher Jr. missed a couple of games, which left an opportunity for Pringle Jr. to step up on the field, which was successful.
The Hurricanes went on a dominant four-game winning streak to close the regular season, which was enough to make a push at acquiring the final "at-large" bid to crack the College Football Playoff 12-team bracket.
The Seffner, Florida, native was a four-star recruit coming out of Armwood High School, rushing 107 times for 622 yards, 5.8 yards per carry, scoring seven total touchdowns in eight games.
Pringle Jr. received offers and interest from a few powerhouse programs, including the Florida Gators and Alabama Crimson Tide, before committing to the Hurricanes on March 23rd, 2024. He was part of the same recruiting class as wide receiver Malachi Toney, safety Bryce Fitzgerald, and wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw.
Fletcher Jr. announced his decision to return to the Hurricanes for a senior year, and Brown is very likely to return as well, which means Pringle Jr. would very likely be a third-stringer again. He's proven to be a high-quality rotation player, which can be found with another team, with the right fit.
Pringle Jr. recorded nine total snaps in the College Football Playoffs, rushing four times for 13 yards. Given the experience of Fletcher Jr. and Brown, the former four-star recruit would continue having a difficult path in carving out a consistent role.
The Hurricanes signed one running back as part of the upcoming freshman class: four-star Javian Mallory from West Boca Raton High School. He rushed 524 times for 4,479 yards, 8.5 yards per carry, scoring 70 total touchdowns in 48 games.
The program has established a new standard after reaching the National Championship.
The Hurricanes can attempt to retain Pringle Jr., but that will be a difficult task in this transfer portal era.
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