Villanova is losing key starters from its FCS semifinal team. Could the transfer portal be an option to retool?

After a deep semifinal run in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, Villanova football will have to retool its roster for an upcoming inaugural season in the Patriot League.

Villanova lost a large portion of its starters to the transfer portal or graduation. With Power Four programs being able to spend more money on players, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Villanova to retain its players.

The program will be losing at least 15 players who no longer have collegiate eligibility. Notably, that includes quarterback Pat McQuaide, wide receivers Luke Colella and Lucas Kopecky, most of the offensive line, and linebackers Shane Hartzell and Richie Kimmel.

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Nine players have officially entered the transfer portal, with three of them already committing to new schools.

Villanova historically is a program built on culture and growth. The program has retained key assets each offseason over the last six years. Current Buffalo Bills defensive back Christian Benford spent four years with the Wildcats and was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Benford recently signed a $76 million contract with the Bills last March.

Last year, Villanova convinced David Avit to return to the program after he entered his name in the transfer portal and visited multiple Football Bowl Subdivision programs.

Villanova has to fill some key position openings for the 2026 season.

Here is where Villanova stands one week into the transfer portal window, which closes next Friday.

Villanova is bringing back Ja’briel Mace, who had a breakout season at running back and as a kick returner.

Mace withdrew his name from the transfer portal and announced he was returning to Villanova for the 2026 season on social media. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound running back rushed for a career-high 946 yards and 11 touchdowns on 128 carries..

Avit entered the transfer portal and quickly toured Arizona State before committing officially the following day on Jan. 4. The former Coastal Athletic Association offensive rookie of the year, Avit was Villanova’s main running back this past season. He rushed for 687 and eight touchdowns on 125 attempts until he suffered a knee injury against Towson on Nov. 8. It forced him to miss five consecutive games.

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Defensive back duo redshirt sophomore Zahmir Dawud and redshirt freshman Anthony Hawkins also departed from Villanova via the transfer portal. Dawud, who only allowed one touchdown in coverage last season, committed to Rutgers in his hometown state of New Jersey.

Hawkins, a FCS Freshman All-America honoree, committed to Iowa.

Tight end Antonio Johnson, defensive back Nino Betances, offensive lineman Capri Martin, defensive back Damill Bostic Jr., and punter Daniel Mueller remain in the transfer portal.

As of Thursday, Villanova has not signed anyone from the transfer portal.

Villanova signed 13 high school recruits on National Signing Day on Dec. 3. Five recruits signed to join Villanova’s offense, and eight signed to its defense.

McQuaide has exhausted his eligibility. He became Villanova’s starter after a quarterback battle with junior Tanner Maddocks the entire summer camp. Maddocks ended up being Villanova’s backup quarterback and saw playing time late in games.

While Maddocks still had two years of eligibility remaining, he announced on LinkedIn that he had “wrapped up (his) time” with Villanova football. He instead is going forward full-time with his faith-branded energy drink brand, Agape Energy.

That means Villanova’s next starting quarterback is unknown. Villanova had seven quarterbacks on its roster last season. It could be a position that Villanova could pursue in the transfer portal after McQuaide’s success.

No current rostered quarterbacks have played any snaps under center for Villanova.

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After getting Kopecky, a former Villanova lacrosse player, an extra year of football eligibility and adding Colella out of the transfer portal last year, the Wildcats had legitimate receiving weapons.

Villanova will now need to replenish its wideouts along with having a new quarterback under center. Colella caught a team-high 77 receptions, totaling 1,071 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

There will be needs at various positions on Villanova’s defense, including at linebacker and in the secondary.

In addition to Dawud and Hawkins’ departures to the portal, Villanova also lost safety Christian Sapp, who is out of eligibility. Villanova had depth on its defense in 2025, but it will need to refill its depth chart even if the current rostered players step into starting positions.

At linebacker, Hartzell and Kimmel are large holes that will need to be filled after five years.

With the depth at linebacker, Villanova still has redshirt freshman Omari Bursey and juniors JR Strauss and Turner Inge, who will step into the starting roles as long as they remain on the Main Line.