In transfer portal, Colorado’s Mark Perry likes what he’s seeing in TCU football
TCU football is going to be active in utilizing the NCAA transfer portal to bolster its roster under Sonny Dykes. The Horned Frogs have already landed a few transfers and are targeting several others.
Among the latter group includes Colorado safety Mark Perry, who visited the Fort Worth campus this week and was impressed with what he saw from the program. Plus, he likes the idea of joining a team where can compete for significant playing time immediately.
The Horned Frogs are losing two starting safeties from last season in T.J. Carter and La’Kendrick Van Zandt.
“TCU stands out due to obviously losing two safeties that played a lot of ball, so the secondary has some spots open,” Perry said. “With my experience of coaching changes, I feel I’d be able to come here and adjust pretty well and learn a new defense because I’ve had to deal with change a couple of times before.
“I love it up here. Really chill place with alums all over to really connect with and the coaching staff is really cool,” he added.
Perry has a history with a couple of coaches on staff, too. Defensive line coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe and safeties coach Paul Gonzales both recruited Perry when he was coming out of Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) High School as a four-star prospect in 2019.
But TCU has competition to land Perry. He’s also considering UCLA, Mississippi State, Baylor and Cal. Perry hopes to make his decision this weekend.
“At the next program, I’m looking for a great opportunity to come in and be a factor right away,” Perry said. “I want to play for a coach who has a vision for me and maximizes my potential while also keeping it real with me and being a true mentor.”
Perry entered the portal after starting 12 games at free safety for the Buffaloes last season, finishing with 72 tackles and three interceptions.
Perry’s best asset may be his speed. He was a sprinter on Colorado’s track and field team last spring, running the 100 meters and the 4x100-meter relay. His best 100-meter time last spring was 10.65 seconds.
Perry believes his speed gives him versatility to play any position in the secondary. He played both safety positions and cornerback during his time at Colorado.
TCU views Perry as a safety for now. And, hey, maybe TCU track coach Darryl Anderson is interested in him as a sprinter. Perry likes the idea of remaining a two-sport athlete at his next school.
As he said, “I really want to do both to help showcase what I can do.”
TCU returns to classes on Monday with the final day to enroll for the spring semester next Friday, Jan. 14. That’s when transfers would have to enroll by in order to be eligible to participate in spring football.
Blue-Eli, Ali commit
TCU landed a couple of commitments Friday from JUCO defensive tackle Doug Blue-Eli and former SMU offensive lineman Alan Ali.
Blue-Eli announced his commitment on social media, saying he’s “100%” committed to the Frogs. Ali, a local product who played at Timber Creek, followed shortly after saying he’d be finishing his college career out at TCU.
Blue-Eli, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, played last season at Monroe College in New Rochelle, N.Y. He finished the season with 25 tackles, including five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Blue-Eli brings immediate depth to TCU’s defensive tackle group that saw multiple players depart this offseason.
Ali, meanwhile, was a second-team player in the American Athletic Conference this season. He’s started 39 games and played every offensive line position in his career at SMU.
This story was originally published January 7, 2022 at 10:15 AM.
