While athletes can enter the transfer portal for a variety of reasons, sometimes players receive some unwarranted criticism even if their decision passes the eye test.
That can sometimes force players to respond or turn a blind eye as they embark on their next chapter of collegiate sports.
One player who elected to respond to the public criticism was West Virginia wide receiver transfer Hudson Clement, who announced his appreciation for his time in Morgantown and sent a shot at those who disapproved of his actions on social media.
“Folks want me to do what makes them happy, not what’s best for me,” Clement wrote on X. “Y’all don’t know me and don’t know what I have been through. Never chased a bag always chased better opportunities. Appreciate the ones who helped me get here, but I don’t owe anyone anything.”
The update followed his positive message to West Virginia fans, in which he thanked his coaching staff, teammates, and his family, followed by an official announcement of what his future holds.
“I just want to take a second to thank WVU for allowing me to showcase what I’m capable of and helping me grow as a football player and as a man,” Clement said. “Huge thanks to Coach Lal, Coach Brown, Coach Scott, and Coach Mike Joe. These guys made me the player I am today. Would like to thank the support staff also for helping me so much.”
“Big shoutout to all my teammates I played with at WVU, y’all my brothers for life,” Clement continued. “Even though I’ll be continuing my career elsewhere, I will always have a special place in my heart for WVU. With that being said, I hope everyone can respect my decision. This was best for my family and me, and I will continue my career at Illinois. Thank you, West Virginia University.”
Clement ended the 2024 season as the Mountaineers’ leading receiver in catches (51), yards (741), and touchdowns (5) and will finish out his WVU career with 73 receptions for 1,221 yards and nine touchdowns.
The transfer portal officially opened on Monday, December 9, 2024, and will remain open until Saturday, December 28, with an exception for players on teams who play bowl games after the window closes. According to NCAA data, 2,273 FBS football players entered the transfer portal in 2023-24 school year, with 1,558 (68.5%) undergraduates and 715 (31.5%) graduate transfers. Of the entrants, 57% reported that they enrolled in another school, 8% withdrew their names from the portal, and 35% are still active, transferred to a non-NCAA school, or left their sport.
The Heartland College Sports Twitter account is an excellent resource for keeping up with the latest Big 12 news and announcements. Make sure you check out our HCS member forum to connect with other Big 12 sports fans.
