Wesley Kirchharr
Sports Editor
Troy All-American Marcus Jones has placed his name into the NCAA’s transfer portal for the 2019 season, as first reported by AL.com and confirmed by the Southeast Sun late Tuesday evening.
Through the NCAA transfer portal, the upcoming junior is exploring his transfer options through open communication with coaches across the country. ESPN.com describes the portal as a database in which players can be contacted freely from coaches without being blocked by the current institution’s coaches and administrators.
The move does not necessarily mean a player is set to transfer, as many players have entered the portal just to remain with the original program. If Jones were to transfer, however, the Enterprise native might face a year of ineligibility, as most undergraduate transfers do unless waived by the NCAA.
Jones had cemented himself as a crucial piece of Troy’s special teams, receiving numerous honors after his freshman campaign. The 2017 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year set many Troy school records, including two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a single game against Coastal Carolina. Jones, fresh off two seasons of Sun Belt honors, stood with a kickoff return average of 30.1 yards following his freshman year, second in Troy history.
Jones also served as an all-purpose player, posting Troy’s longest interception return, a 100-yard return against Arkansas State.
Neither Marcus Jones or Troy Athletics has commented on Jones’ status as of Tuesday’s confirmation.
