UM’s Citizen the latest to enter the transfer portal. Where Canes stand at running back

TreVonte’ Citizen arrived at UM seemingly destined to join the distinguished list of impressive Hurricanes running backs with the power to run over you and the speed to dart past you.

But a serious knee injury robbed Citizen of his first two college seasons, and left him still trying to regain all the skills that had the nation’s top college programs competing ferociously to snag Rivals’ No. 4 overall running back in the 2022 class.

On Tuesday, Citizen exited UM quietly when he entered the transfer portal.

His decision to pick UM over his home-state LSU (as well as Auburn, UF and others) vaulted Cristobal’s first recruiting class into the top 15 nationally in December 2021.

But Citizen sustained a serious knee injury, including a torn ACL, during an August 2022 practice, before his freshman season, and wasn’t cleared by UM to play in a game until last December’s Pinstripe Bowl, when he didn’t have a carry.

After a March 28 practice last month, Cristobal said Citizen had turned something of a corner.

“Something clicked today,” Cristobal said that day. “We’ve been seeing a guy who has been a little bit tentative, and then today this was legitimate a guy running behind his pads, running at 230 pounds, accelerating, running through contact, catching the ball really well.”

But Citizen had only a few carries in the spring game, playing behind Chris Johnson and freshman tight end/H-back/running back Elija Lofton.

Citizen’s departure leaves five running backs on scholarship: Mark Fletcher Jr. and Ajay Allen (who both missed spring practice with injuries), Johnson and freshmen Chis Wheatley-Humphrey (who enrolled in January) and Jordan Lyle (who will enroll in the weeks ahead).

Don Chaney Jr. (Louisville), Henry Parrish Jr. and Citizen have now departed since the end of last season. Parrish formally entered the portal on Tuesday.

UM is expected to add at least one running back in the portal, with Oregon State’s Damian Martinez among the targets.

Citizen joins quarterback Jacurri Brown and offensive lineman Logan Sagapolu as Canes players entering the portal, with more expected.

NOTABLE

According to Canesport, UM has contacted Pittsburgh graduate senior defensive end Dayon Hayes, who had four tackles, four pass breaks and 45 tackles, including 10.5 for loss last season.