Ohio State football saw more than 30 players transfer out during the offseason, and one former five-star Buckeyes wide receiver is already dealing with adversity at his new home. 

Quincy Porter, who transferred to Notre Dame after just one season in Columbus, underwent a minor procedure that will keep him sidelined for at least a couple more weeks as the Fighting Irish prepare for the 2026 season. Notre Dame head coach addressed the news on Friday with an interesting comment. 

Porter was one of two former Brian Hartline recruits who landed at Notre Dame this offseason, joining fellow wide receiver Mylan Graham. While Graham is expected to be one of the Fighting Irish’s top pass catchers this season, Porter’s start will look much different.

Marcus Freeman provides update on Porter’s status

“He’s still a couple of weeks out,” Freeman said, via Blue and Gold. “He’s getting better. We had a minor procedure today to get him a little bit quicker, to hopefully being able to help us. He’s still got a little bit of time to be in a position where we feel like he can help this team.

“But it will happen. It’s going to happen here soon. I just don’t know when it’s going to be.”

Based on Freeman’s comments, Porter could potentially miss the first game or two for Notre Dame, and the inability to go through a normal training camp only compounds the setback. For a player who transferred in hopes of finding a clearer path to playing time, missing multiple weeks only broadens the chance of him falling further down the depth chart.

Quincy Porter’s departure from Ohio State was a bit surprising

Porter was a former five-star recruit for the Buckeyes. He played in five games as a freshman last season, catching four passes for 59 receiving yards. His decision to transfer out of Columbus after just one year came as a bit of a surprise because he would have had a bigger role with Ohio State this season, even if a starting spot wasn’t guaranteed.

The Buckeyes were aggressive in the transfer portal this offseason after losing north of 30 players, mostly from the back end of the roster and depth spots. Ohio State brought in a larger-than-usual group of portal additions to fill those gaps.

Porter originally transferred away from the program in hopes of finding a situation where steady playing time was more attainable. Notre Dame has the potential to offer him that clearer path, but the procedure and missed time during camp have complicated things early.

The big receiver now just has to get healthy and produce when given chances once he’s back on the field. There’s still an entire season for Porter to carve out a role with the Fighting Irish, and Freeman’s tone suggested confidence that the former Buckeye will contribute at some point this season.

Still, it’s a tough start to his time at a new program. Time will tell how quickly Porter can ramp up once cleared and whether he can make the impact Notre Dame was counting on when they brought him in.