Bulldogs’ Justin Rice, looking for place to play this fall, enters transfer portal

Fresno State linebacker Justin Rice, the preseason defensive player of the year in the Mountain West Conference, has entered the NCAA transfer portal with designs on playing a senior season of football this fall.

“Dear friends and family of Fresno State football. Being a Bulldog has been a tremendous honor and experience for me. I have gained invaluable life lessons both on the football field and in the classroom,” Rice posted on social media. “Unfortunately due to COVID-19, the college football landscape has been turned upside down. Because of this, and after many conversations with family and coaches, I have decided to forgo my senior season at Fresno State and enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer student.

“This is, and was, not an easy decision for me. First and foremost, I would like to thank Coach (Kalen) DeBoer and Coach (William) Inge for believing in me and helping my development as a person and a football player. Lastly, I would like to thank every other coach, teammate, and Fresno State fan and supporter who has been alongside me on my journey so far. I am so very grateful for the opportunity given to me to play football at Fresno State, but I am also grateful to be able to chase my dreams by having the opportunity to play football this fall.”

Rice, who also was selected to watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy, will be a significant loss for the Bulldogs when they do return to the football field.

Fresno State has yet to bring its student-athletes back to campus due to the coronavirus pandemic, and had its season put on hold when the Mountain West postponed all fall sports.

The conference is looking to play a spring season, as is the Big Ten Conference, the Pac-12 and Mid-American Conference.

Three Power Five conferences are pushing ahead with football in the fall despite the pandemic – the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference. There also are several Group of Five conference who have not given up on the prospect of playing football in the fall, most prominently the American Athletic Conference.