#college-football-transfer

#college-football-transfer

"Kids show up to school when they feel connected to adults, peers and are engaged in something meaningful," said Hedy Chang, chief executive of Attendance Works.

Indiana's magical run to a College Football Playoff championship was keyed by an exceptional season from transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Oregon Ducks, who the Hoosiers beat in the semifinals, had a transfer (Malik Benson) as their leading receiver while two freshmen running backs, Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr., were core cogs in the rushing attack.

Henderson arrives with elite production against top Texas competition and a feel for the game that can't be coached. With Conner Weigman returning, Henderson doesn't need to be "the guy" on Day 1, but he's too talented to keep off the field. Expect Henderson to be involved in situational packages, red zone wrinkles and some possible momentum-swing snaps.

Will Muschamp is back as defensive coordinator at Texas, where he accelerated his "Coach Boom" reputation and spent 2009 and 2010 as head coach-in-waiting behind Mack Brown. Gary Patterson has not worked at USC before, but his arrival as defensive coordinator -- a role he hasn't held since 2000 -- under a coach he knows well (Lincoln Riley) qualifies as one of the splashiest moves of the winter.

Increasingly, the nation's top recruits are also stepping onto campus as some of the highest-paid members of their respective rosters, some with six- and seven-figure financial deals before they've played a single college snap. Whether it's providing instant impact or showing early signals of future promise, the pressure is rising on college football's highest-rated (and best-compensated) freshmen to deliver immediate return on investment.