Penn State Football: What’s next for Ricky Slade following transfer?

Penn State football running back Ricky Slade threw his name into the transfer portal. What could be next for the former five star prospect?

Ricky Slade, the five-foot-nine rising junior running back from Penn State, has submitted his name into the NCAA transfer portal. The Athletic’s Audrey Snyder confirmed the news Wednesday afternoon.

In an interview with Snyder before the Nittany Lions bowl game versus Memphis, Slade had no intention of leaving Penn State. Now things have obviously changed after the season. James Franklin and the coaching staff meet with all the players at the conclusion of every season to talk about their goals and future outlooks.

Entering his name in the transfer portal should not be too surprising for Lion fans. After the early departure of Miles Sanders to the NFL, Slade was the assumed starter entering the 2019 season. He lost his starting status early in the season after fumbles in the first couple games. He would go on to finish the season sixth in carries on the team, even behind backup quarterback Will Levis. Slade rushed for only 214 yards, two scores and averaged 4.6 yards per carry.

With the emergence of Journey Brown as the lead back, freshmen Noah Cain and Devyn Ford seeing quality time in the backfield, Slade was the odd man out. The backfield is about to get even more crowded as four star recruits Caziah Holmes and Keyvone Lee join the fold.

So what is next for Slade? Obviously just because a player’s name is in the transfer portal does not guarantee they will leave. But for the reasons mentioned, it would make sense for Slade to go and find more playing time elsewhere. He has tremendous talent and a fresh start elsewhere could be just what he needs.

The former five-star recruit and top all purpose back in the 2018 class should have options. Several top schools had interest in Slade during his recruitment including Clemson, Florida, and Ohio State to name a few. Where ever Slade may end up, Nittany Nation wishes him the best of luck in his journey.