FAU has seen its defense take a hit courtesy of the football transfer portal.
Last week, Hosea Barnwell posted a cryptic tweet that read “Can’t get feelings involved with business. It’s all about the money!” A week later, it has been confirmed that the linebacker has taken the first step in leaving the FAU football team by entering the NCAA transfer database. It’s unclear if the tweet and the move to the portal are related.
Barnwell would be leaving the Owls as a graduate transfer. The 2020 campaign will be his final year of eligibility.
Now, for what’s seemingly becoming a daily disclaimer when it comes to transfers.
As we’ve stated myriad times in the past, a player can remove his name from the portal and remain at the same school. At this point, though, other programs are permitted to contact a player without receiving permission from his current football program.
NCAA bylaws also permit schools to pull a portal entrant’s scholarship at the end of the semester in which he entered it.
Barnwell joined the FAU football team as a walk-on in 2017. During his time with the Owls, Barnwell played in 34 games. This past season, his 57 tackles were fourth on the team. Because of departure ahead of him, Barnwell would’ve been the team’s leading returning tackler.
FAU is coming off a 2019 football campaign in which the Owls tied a school record with 11 wins. Included in that was a first-ever win in the Conference USA championship game. And the program’s fourth straight win in a bowl game, a streak that stretches back to 2007.
Almost immediately after the win in the Boca Raton Bowl, Lane Kiffin left to take over as the head coach at Ole Miss. Kiffin was replaced shortly thereafter by former Florida State and Oregon head coach Willie Taggart.