Holden Staes had always been the type of player who embodied the grit and passion of Tennessee football. From the moment he set foot on campus, he had envisioned himself as a fixture in the Volunteers’ offense, a key player in a program that had long been searching for its next great tight end. But as the weeks and months passed, something shifted in Holden’s heart, a gnawing feeling that had quietly grown over time. And now, as the cold winds of December blew across the University of Tennessee’s practice fields, Holden knew it was time to make a change.
For the better part of two seasons, Staes had worked tirelessly in the shadows, learning the playbook, lifting weights, and improving his blocking technique. The promise was there. He had the size, standing at 6’5” and weighing in at 250 pounds, a perfect blend of strength and speed that could make him a nightmare for defenders. His hands were soft, and his route running smooth, but it never quite clicked for him in Knoxville. There were moments, brief glimpses of brilliance, but they were fleeting, overshadowed by the chaos that seemed to swirl around the program.
A coaching change had rattled the team, leaving Holden with more questions than answers. The offensive scheme had shifted, and while many of his teammates found ways to adapt, Holden often felt like he was running in place. His opportunities in the offense remained scarce, often relegated to a blocking role or a mere decoy to draw attention away from the receivers. And the frustrating part was that he knew he was capable of so much more.
Despite the internal struggles, Holden never lost his love for the game. It wasn’t the sport that was the issue; it was the system, the environment that didn’t seem to foster his growth. His family had always been his rock, but even they saw the toll it was taking on him. “Son, you can’t keep fighting a battle that’s not yours to win,” his father had said during a heart-to-heart conversation late one night. “You’ve got the talent. You need to find a place where they’ll use it.”
That’s when the thought first entered his mind. The transfer portal.
It wasn’t an easy decision. Leaving Tennessee felt like a betrayal. The school had been good to him, and the fanbase had embraced him from day one. But the reality was clear: Holden Staes needed to find a fresh start. He wasn’t just a piece of the puzzle anymore. He needed to be the puzzle. He needed a program that would put him in a position to shine, to show the world the player he knew he could be.
As Holden sat in his dorm room, his eyes fixed on the blank page of his laptop, the decision weighed heavily on him. The transfer portal was a path fraught with uncertainty, filled with unknowns. Would he find a new home? Would it be the right fit? The questions swirled around him like an endless storm, but the answer was there, clear as day.
He hit the button.
With that single click, Holden Staes officially entered the transfer portal. The floodgates opened, and a world of possibilities suddenly lay before him. There would be no shortage of suitors—his potential was undeniable. He had a chance to write his own future, to find a program that saw him not just as a cog in the machine but as the centerpiece of the offense.
As the transfer portal opened up before him, Holden Staes felt a renewed sense of excitement. This wasn’t the end; it was a new beginning. The next chapter of his football journey had just begun.