Redshirt Sophomore LB Josh Calvert Enters Transfer Portal
Five days after redshirt sophomore linebacker Josh Calvert was removed from the official UW football roster he has entered the transfer portal.
Calvert, a four-star recruit in the 2019 class out of Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, California, did not appear in a single game over his two seasons at Washington.
In his first fall camp Calvert tore his ACL and miss his entire freshman season in 2019. Last season, he entered spring and fall 100 percent healthy but due to the limited schedule he did not appear in any of the Huskies’ four games.
This spring Calvert ran primarily with the second-team defense at inside linebacker. During a couple of practices, he worked at outside linebacker after junior edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui went down with an Achilles injury.
“Husky nation, thank you for allowing me to represent the Huskies on and off the field for the past couple of years. I want to thank coach Pete (Chris Petersen), (head) coach (Jimmy) Lake, and coach (Bob) Gregory for giving me the opportunity to play football here and make memories that will last forever. Thank you to the trainers for helping me as well during my time here. And thank you to all my brothers who I have made those memories and relationships with over the past couple of years. With that being said after a lot of thought and consideration it is best for me to enter the transfer portal and continue my journey elsewhere,” Calvert wrote on Twitter after his transfer became official.
UW signed one linebacker in the 2021 recruiting class, Will Latu, who is ranked by Rivals as a four-star defensive back. The Huskies now have six scholarship inside linebackers on the roster after the departure of Calvert.
Earlier this spring Calvert delivered the hit of camp on redshirt freshman running back Jay’Veon Sunday. However, being against a second or third-team offense, it may have been an early sign that his chances of getting increased playing time this fall weren’t going to be what he wanted.
With junior duo Edefuan Ulofoshio and Jackson Sirmon returning in 2021, and three other sophomores likely to vault up once both are onto their next step in the National Football League, Calvert was slated at most to get snaps on special teams this fall.
Daniel Heimuli and Miki Ah You, who signed in the same recruiting class with Calvert, each saw increased reps this spring.
Fellow sophomore Alphonzo Tuputala suffered an injury this spring and is expected to be in the mix with his classmates once he is back healthy.
Calvert has an older brother at UCLA, Bo Calvert, and a younger brother, Ethan Calvert, at Utah.
None of the previous UW transfers have chosen a Pac-12 school as their destination, and with the one-time transfer rule set to take effect prior to this fall, it could open the door for him to stay in the Conference of Champions.
The Pac-12 Conference rule states that any undergraduate player who wants to transfer within the conference must establish one-year in residence before being eligible. The SEC has a similar policy.
Both are the only remaining Power Five leagues to have a barrier on immediate eligibility with respect to intra-conference transfers. Once the NCAA policy takes effect before the start of the 2021 season the Pac-12 and SEC won’t have a chance to contest intra-conference transfers.