Houston Cougars Lose Another Player to the Transfer Portal
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The Houston Cougars didn't have the season they wanted, falling in the Sweet 16 in an awful showing against Illinois, and failing to reach the lofty expectations set for themselves after falling in last year's National Championship.
With head coach Kelvin Sampson seemingly reenergized to continue coaching, he is looking to put together a roster that can bring the school its first title, but they will have to do so without highly touted center Jacob McFarland, who intends to enter the transfer portal, according to On3's Joe Tipton.
McFarland isn't the first player to announce his future plans, but his stature and abilities could leave the Cougars wishing they could retain him.
Unfortunate Departure
The Cougars were one of the better teams in the country this season, using their usual size and physical defense to put opponents in uncomfortable situations. Commanding the defensive side of the court and forcing teams to play outside the paint are among their favorite defensive styles under Sampson. While they were effective, they could have been even more dangerous if McFarland had been available.
Unfortunately for him and the Cougars, he suffered a broken leg during practice near the end of October, sidelining him for the entire regular season. His only appearance of the year came during a charity exhibition win against the Texas A&M Aggies, where he recorded one rebound and a steal, despite looking to make an impact after growing to 7-feet tall.
NEW: Houston center Jacob McFarland plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, @JoeTipton reports.
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) April 6, 2026
Represented by WME.https://t.co/Im777miSMM pic.twitter.com/zzdslTGaCw
Over the course of his two seasons on campus, that was the only time he saw the court during any preseason or regular season game action for the Cougars. During the 2023-2024 season, when he stepped on campus as a freshman, he redshirted and did not see any action with the Cougars.
The expectations were still sky-high for the Moreno Valley, California native, as he was the 93rd-ranked prospect in the class according to the ESPN100. He was ranked highly by 247Sports as well, who had him listed as a four-star recruit and one of the most sought-after centers around the country.
McFarland is the second player to enter the portal for the Cougars, joining highly touted freshman Isiah Harwell, a five-star recruit out of high school. Now with two younger guys gone, and needing to replace production from the rotation this season, Sampson could turn to the transfer portal himself, where he has shown he can find success during his tenure.
