After a disappointing end to the 2025 season, the Ohio State football program went to work in the Transfer Portal. The Buckeyes had a slow start, but eventually landed several prospects who should help them in the 2026 season. Of course, there were a few that they wanted to land that they were not able to.
Defensive end Chaz Coleman was one of those players. Ohio State tried to get him out of high school, but they were beaten out by Penn State. Coleman decided to transfer after the Nittany Lions fired James Franklin and decided to hire Matt Campbell. He spurned Ohio State a second time in the portal.
The Ohio State Buckeyes were lucky that Coleman sought out a higher offer from the Vols. Instead of heading to Columbus, he followed Jim Knowles to Knoxville. That ended up being great, as he has become nothing but a distraction. Now, there is a rumor that the saga has taken another twist.
Former Ohio State transfer portal target Chaz Coleman is rumored to be dismissed from Tennessee
According to former Tennessee coach Doug Matthews, the Vols have dismissed Coleman from the program. He was talking on 104.5 The Zone's Big Orange Sunday when he claimed that Coleman had been dismissed.
“Chaz Coleman, a young man who came in out of the transfer portal from Penn State,” said Matthews. “A talented player, but young and inexperienced. But he really was being counted on probably to be a starter at EDGE rusher, I would think. [He’s] no longer with the program. I think it’s probably pretty mutual, but he was dismissed this past week after I think about as good an effort as Coach (Josh) Heupel and this staff could have [made] to keep him there. It didn’t work out. Those things happen.”
No one else has confirmed this report yet, so this is just an unconfirmed rumor at this point. Still, it's yet another story from the media that the Buckeyes are glad they don't have to deal with it. Had he been in Columbus, this would have been a bigger NIL disaster than Ethan Onianwa.
Ohio State football fans need to be more trusting of the coaching staff
One thing this Coleman situation underscores is Ryan Day and his staff's ability to properly identify talent in the portal. Usually, they make the right decisions when it comes to bringing guys into Columbus. Fans would have crucified Day had he brought in Coleman, and this happened.
The Buckeyes are happy with the players they added from the Transfer Portal on the defensive line. Those guys should all make an impact this season. Meanwhile, Coleman's time at the P4 level could be over if these rumors are true. Just to reiterate, nothing is confirmed at this time.
Ohio State is more focused on their recruiting efforts at the moment than on what is happening this weekend and over the next couple of months than on someone they didn't land. A major mistake was avoided by Day.
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