FIU football has lost a great in the transfer portal. Tyrese Chambers entered the portal with his remaining year of eligibility. Other notable losses are linebacker Gaethan Bernadel and tight end Rivaldo Fairweather. The team hadn’t been able to win a game against an FBS opponent since defeating the University of Miami in 2018 but this season it went 4-8. They had a great rebuilding season (if there ever can be a “great rebuilding season.”) It is a definite fact that schools will lose players to the transfer portal but FIU didn’t need to lose these. Head Coach Mike MacIntyre and Athletic Director Scott Carr will have to soldier on without them but let’s look at the players.
FIU football can look to Chambers as a “model athlete”
Tyrese Chambers spent his entire career at FIU. He has the single-season receiving record that was formerly held by T.Y. Hilton. Chambers is the poster child for the transfer portal. An athlete who has enjoyed his amateur career at one school and wishes to transfer to another school and possibly go to a bowl game, improve his NFL prospects, etc. Chambers graduated from FIU on December 13 and per his twitter page, is the first one in his family to graduate. I’m not saying that he should have his jersey retired, but he certainly should be “the example” that the coaches point to when new recruits come to the campus. They should tell them, “This is who you want to be.”
Bernadel would’ve been a building block for FIU football
Gaethan Bernadel, a sophomore from Hallandale high school entered the transfer portal on December 5. He was a two year starter and was second in Conference USA with 103 total tackles. The obvious take on his story? He would become a four year starter at FIU, finish as the all-time tackles leader and be a “Ray Lewis-esque leader” for the team. Not finished! Then he would be a poster boy for other local recruits to stay home and join the program. But, this was not the case. FIU has depth at linebacker with Donovan Manuel finishing fifth in tackles in Conference USA. According to Underdogdynasty.com’s Eric Henry, Bernadel is on his list of 12 Group of Five players to watch on the transfer portal. Specifically because of his versatility in playing in the 4-3 and 3-4 defensive schemes. Read the article here.
Fairweather could’ve made FIU football into “Tight End U”
After his fantastic final game against Middle Tennessee, Rivaldo Fairweather has also entered the transfer portal. According to an article on the 247sports.com website, Fairweather is the #13 ranked player in the portal with a transfer rating of 92. On his twitter feed, you can see that schools like FSU, Cinncinatti, Maryland and Rutgers have come to visit him. He hasn’t selected a school yet and is discussing it with family. Fairweather finished the season second to Tyrese Chambers in receptions with 28 and 426 yards receiving and the best three total touchdowns that any player could ever have. Fairweather could tell stories about his three touchdown game for years and no one could take away that performance.
Other players declaring for the transfer portal
The other players FIU loses in depth together with Bernadel and Fairweather are local products Andrew Volmar from Lauderhill, FL and Savion Collins from Miami Palmetto High School. Freshman Henry Gray from Miami Central High also declared for the transfer portal. Also, two young men from Central Florida, Tampa’s native son, Shamar Hobdy-Lee and Julius Pierce from Sanford, FL. The Panther football program though, appears to be on the right track heading into next season. I write more on the future of the program in their End of Season review here.
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