UMass Running Back CJ Hester Enters Transfer Portal

After a career year, UMass' running back will hit the portal

Nov 2, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Massachusetts Minutemen running back CJ Hester (33) runs the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the fourth quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Running back CJ Hester will the transfer portal, per 247Sports' Matt Zenitz. He's coming off a career year, running for 529 yards and four touchdowns. Hester, a former three-star prospect per 247Sports, received seven offers coming out of Cincinnati's Wyoming High School in 2023.

UMass running back CJ Hester plans to enter the transfer portal, his agent @ZCardenez tells @CBSSports/@247Sports.

Ran for 455 yards and three touchdowns the final eight games of last season, including 74 yards and a TD vs. Georgia.https://t.co/10Sz3YwNKg pic.twitter.com/5z0S7am4ll

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) March 6, 2025

Prior to his time at UMass, Hester spent one season at Western Michigan where he ran for 132 and two touchdowns on 28 carries.

Hester finished second amongst the team in 2024 with 529 rushing yards and four touchdowns, behind Jalen John who transferred out to Costal Carolina. John ran for 583 yards and five touchdowns this past season.

UMass is coming off a disappointing 2-10 season which resulted in the midseason firing of Don Brown. In result, the Minutemen have had 13 outgoing transfers and have brought in 28 newcomers under new head coach Joe Harasymiak.

Amongst the 28 transfers that UMass has brought in, only one of them has been a running back: UTSA transfer Rocko Griffin, who played in four games this past season for the Roadrunners.

The Minutemen will open the season at home against Temple on August 30. This will be their first season back in the Mid-American Conference.

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