The window for the NCAA transfer portal that opened Dec. 5 came to a close Wednesday.
Thank goodness. Folks were getting dizzy.
Tennessee added seven new football players during this 45-day stretch, with the Volunteers bidding farewell to 12.
Can't remember all the comings and goings? Here are the additions:
CHARLES CAMPBELL — The 5-foot-9, 175-pound graduate transfer kicker from Indiana went 39-of-51 in career field-goal attempts for the Hoosiers, including five makes from 50 yards or longer. He is from Jackson, Tennessee, and was a Mr. Football finalist in 2017. Campbell is the favorite to replace Chase McGrath on field goals and extra points.
JOHN CAMPBELL JR. — The 6-5, 320-pound offensive tackle from Orlando, Florida, made 11 starts on the left side this past season for the Miami Hurricanes. He started twice at right tackle in 2019 and four times at left tackle in 2020 before missing the 2021 season due to injury. Campbell has one year of eligibility at Tennessee and will be a starting candidate at either tackle position.
McCALLAN CASTLES — The 6-5, 233-pound tight end is a graduate of UC Davis, where he was an All-Big Sky second-team pick this past season after amassing 30 receptions for 347 yards and two touchdowns. With Princeton Fant out of eligibility, the Vols are expected to have sixth-year senior Jacob Warren, Castles and touted freshman Ethan Davis in their tight end mix.
ANDREJ KARIC — The 6-6, 308-pound offensive tackle appeared in 26 games the past three years at Texas, making five starts. He played in all 12 contests this past season and made three starts, including Big 12 matchups against Oklahoma State and TCU. With right tackle Darnell Wright moving on to the NFL, there should be stout competition at both tackle spots.
OMARR NORMAN-LOTT — The 6-3, 290-pounder from North Highlands, California, was a four-star signee in 2020 and tallied 44 tackles and seven tackles for loss the past two seasons at Arizona State. As a redshirt freshman in 2021, he was the Pac-12 Conference's fifth highest-graded pass rusher from the defensive interior, and defensive line coach Rodney Garner will be counting on his Power Five experience.
KEENAN PILI — The 6-3, 235-pound linebacker was a team captain at Brigham Young the past two years, tying for second in tackles this past season with 62 and collecting five tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. With Jeremy Banks and Juwan Mitchell no longer in the program, Pili could be Tennessee's most important portal addition of this window.
DONT'E THORNTON —The 6-5, 199-pound receiver from Baltimore was the nation's No. 57 prospect in the 2021 signing cycle, and he amassed 17 catches for 366 yards and a touchdown this past season at Oregon, averaging a robust 21.5 yards per reception. Thornton is expected to form a quality foursome in the months ahead with Ramel Keyton, Bru McCoy and Squirrel White.
Thornton, Norman-Lott and Campbell Jr. joined the program after the other four were announced in December's early signing period.
247Sports.com photo / John Campbell Jr., a starting tackle for the Miami Hurricanes for parts of three seasons, will vie to start for Tennessee in his final year of eligibility.Now, the subtractions.
Of the 12 players who left Tennessee's program, eight have landed at new homes: quarterback Tayven Jackson (Indiana), running back Justin Williams-Thomas (California), receivers Jimmy Calloway (Louisville), Jimmy Holiday (Western Kentucky) and Walker Merrill (Wake Forest), tight end Miles Campbell (North Carolina Central), offensive tackle RJ Perry (South Florida) and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (Maryland).
The four former Vols who have yet to find or announce a new locale are Mitchell, running back Len'Neth Whitehead, and offensive linemen Savion Herring and William Parker. Herring was dismissed from the program in September following an arrest for domestic assault.
The spring window for the NCAA transfer portal transpires May 1-15.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.