Former South Carolina and Utah defender Jake Bentley found another new home after entering the transfer portal a second time. Bentley announced Wednesday night that he will complete his university career in southern Alabama.
Bentley, while in Utah during the truncated 2020 season, threw 882 yards and six touchdowns against six interceptions while completing 62.1 percent of his passes in his first season with the Utes. The former four-star player came to Utah during this off-season, after three years as a full-time defender from South Carolina.
Cameron Rising started the Utah season under the center, but suffered an injury early in the Utes’ debut with the USC. Bentley took command under the center the rest of the way, taking Utah to a 3-2 record.
Since the 2020 season ended, Utah has added a pair of transfer defenders to Baylor’s Charlie Brewer and Texas’ Ja’Quinden Jackson.
Bentley will be a transfer graduate at his next stop in southern Alabama. He has the potential to be a rare sixth-year starter in college football, thanks to the NCAA pause in eligibility clocks during the 2020 season. He joined a program that is undergoing a leadership transition, as the program hired Indiana defensive coordinator Kane Wommack as head coach in December after splitting with Steve Campbell. The Jaguars were 4-7 during the 2020 season.
O The Opelika (Alabama) High School product spent the first four years of his career in South Carolina, where he pitched for 7,527 yards and 55 touchdowns in four seasons. Bentley started the 2018 campaign as an unquestionable Gamecocks holder, but suffered an injury at the end of the season in Week 1 against North Carolina. True freshman Ryan Hilinski he started the rest of the way to South Carolina and Bentley chose to move after the season.
Bentley ranked as No. 263 overall player and No. 12 professional-style quarterback in the 2016 class, according to 247Sports Composite.
The NCAA launched the transfer portal on October 15, 2018, offering athletes a way to explore their options. Players do not need to ask the technical staff for permission to make the transfer. They just need to ask compliance to enter their name. It usually takes 24 to 48 hours for a player to appear after their request. Schools are free to contact a player without restriction, as their name appears on the portal.
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The portal’s first cycle saw 1,942 FBS players enter the initial calendar year of its existence, by a source.