A few big names left the University of Northern Colorado Bears football program after last season, and the UNC coaching staff added 10 guys from the transfer portal earlier this month.
The second semester began Jan. 12, and the Bears returned from winter break to start on winter workouts.
UNC continues to assemble its team for 2026, and those transfers are the latest group to join the Bears. In December, UNC added nine players during the early-signing period for high school players. Another signing period looms for scholastic athletes Feb. 4, which is the hugely popular National Signing Day.
The Bears’ first game is Saturday, Aug. 29, which is 215 days away as of Sunday. UNC hosts Big Sky Conference opponent Weber State at Nottingham Field. Game times have not been set for this year’s schedule.
UNC football’s 2026 schedule is home heavy early in the season
"I'm really pleased with the guys we have," Lamb said Friday of the transfers. "They end up being the fits for us, the ones that actually want to be here."
The NCAA transfer portal has been a component of college sports since 2018. The portal allows players to change schools without penalty during a specified time. Last year, the NCAA eliminated the spring transfer portal window for Division I football and moved the winter window to January from December. This year, the portal was open Jan. 2-16.
Who’s coming and going in 2026 UNC Bears football transfer portal
UNC’s new transfer players fill needs on the roster, and they’ll be expected to contribute right away, Lamb said.
Nine of those players are on campus for the spring semester. Lamb said defensive back Ayden Moreno is expected to arrive this summer. UNC Bears football offensive lineman Lincoln Fa'apouli, left, works out with teammates Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 at UNC's Empower Center in Greeley. (Brice Tucker/Staff Photographer)
Spring practice will start in April.
The Bears helped themselves by getting two quarterbacks from the portal: Keegan Patterson, originally from Longmont and Longmont High School, and Brayten Silbor.
The quarterback position became a need for the Bears last month after the NCAA denied Eric Gibson Jr.’s appeal for another season at the Division I level.
Gibson Jr. came to UNC last year through the transfer portal and was a big part of the Bears’ improved offense in 2025. With Gibson’s departure, all four UNC quarterbacks who took snaps the last two seasons will not be with the team this year.
UNC signed ThunderRidge High School quarterback Caeden Reeder in December.
UNC is recruiting all-state class of 2026 quarterback Zeke Andrews from Ralston Valley High School in Arvada, according to Lamb. Andrews said on social media earlier this month he’s committed to the Bears. He previously announced a visit to Greely.
UNC football adds ThunderRidge High School quarterback in early-signing period
Lamb and the program can’t comment until committed players officially sign.
Andrews is listed as 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds. He's a two-time Denver Post All-Colorado and first-team all-state selection. He originally committed to Colorado State last fall, and he's a 3-star recruit according to 247Sports.
There are three defensive backs among the transfers, including Moreno. The other two are James Coddington and Cadence Turner, both junior college players. UNC lost two key defensive backs to the portal in Cam Chapa (Arizona) and Darrell Bryant Jr. (Central Michigan).
Wide receivers Carver Cheeks (UTEP) and Brayden Munroe (Kennesaw State) left through the portal. The Bears added two receivers to help replace them: Marcus Mozer, all-state player at Fossil Ridge in Fort Collins, who spent a year at San Diego State; and Luke Womack from South Dakota State.
Kicker-punter Landon Richardson comes in from American River College, a junior college in Sacramento, California. He’ll likely be the primary punter, replacing Leo Blumentritt. Blumentritt used his college eligibility in one season at UNC last fall.
Benson Ashley will likely be the primary placekicker. He’s from Rogers, Arkansas and will be a sophomore in the fall.
UNC Bears football cornerback Darrell Ishman bench presses while being spotted by cornerback Marquis Jamison during a team workout Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 at UNC's Empower Center in Greeley. (Brice Tucker/Staff Photographer)Lamb said he expects about a dozen players on National Signing Day next month, with maybe another seven or eight coming on delayed enrollments. With delayed enrollment, the players will officially join the program in January 2027 when their NCAA eligibility clock starts to tick.
The NCAA allows athletes five years to complete four years of athletic eligibility.
Until the delayed-enrollment athletes join the team, they have options to be part-time students and can use the time to prepare their bodies physically for college. Windsor High School’s Landon Sefcovic signed with the Bears in February 2025 and delayed full-time enrollment until this semester.
Windsor High School’s Landon Sefcovic signs with Northern Colorado football
Since UNC won its final game of the 2025 season two months ago, there has been a change in the coaching staff at Colorado State. Jim Mora arrived in early December, and the coach brought with him a commitment to recruit Colorado players.
This has been a theme of Lamb’s since he was hired to coach the Bears in December 2022.
Lamb said Mora’s aspiration to recruit in Colorado won’t impact UNC or hurt its recruiting because the schools will go after different players.
UNC Bears football quarterback Gavin Lockett lifts weights during a team workout Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 at UNC's Empower Center in Greeley. (Brice Tucker/Staff Photographer)Lamb said CSU will pursue athletes who are rated by recruiting services, 5-star, 4-star and 3 stars and who are the targets of larger Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs nationwide.
CSU will join a rebuilt Pac-12 Conference in July.
“We’re looking for development potential,” Lamb said. “We’re not afraid that they’re going to step on our recruiting plan. I don’t think it's realistic for them to sign unrated players.”
UNC's transfer players
Keegan Patterson - quarterback - 1 year eligibility - Indiana State (FCS - Missouri Vally Football Conference)
The 6-foot, 195-pound QB returns to Colorado, where he played high school football. Patterson was a top player statewide while at Longmont High School. An All-Northern Colorado and first-team all-state selection, Patterson as a senior threw for a state-best 3,609 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while also running for 846 yards with 20 touchdowns. He opted to go to the University of Southern California (USC) out of high school in 2022, but did not play for the Trojans.
Patterson went to Northwest Mississippi Community College in 2023 and then to Indiana State. In 10 games with the Sycamores, he threw for 1,558 yards completing 57% of passes with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
Luke Womack - wide receiver - 4 years eligibility - South Dakota State (FCS - Missouri Valley Football Conference)
The 6-4, 210-pound receiver from Happy Valley, Oregon officially joined the Bears on Jan. 13, giving UNC another option as a potential replacement for Carver Cheeks and Brayden Munroe, who both left via the transfer portal. Womack did not have any stats with South Dakota State as a freshman in 2025. He comes to the Bears with four years of eligibility remaining. Womack had 73 catches for 913 yards and seven yards in his senior year of high school in 2023.
Marcus Mozer - wide receiver - 4 years eligibility - San Diego State (FBS - Mountain West Conference)
From Fossil Ridge High and Fort Collins, UNC announced Mozer's signing Jan. 8. Listed at 6-3 and 205 pounds, Mozer was a freshman with the Aztecs in 2025. He did not record any stats. Mozer was an all-state selection at Fossil Ridge, and he was a member of The Denver Post's All-Colorado team in 2024.
According to Mozer's bio from SDSU, he was graded as a 3-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN and On3. He was ranked as the No. 2 wide receiver prospect in Colorado and fourth overall prospect in the state. He chose San Diego State over Air Force, Army, Navy, New Mexico, North Dakota State and Washington State.
Banipal Yaro - offensive line - College of San Mateo (Juco - San Mateo, California)
Listed at 6-4, 305 pounds, Yaro played three games in 2025 for the College of San Mateo. The Bulldogs won their second straight California community college title in early December. Yaro is also listed as a tight end on the CSM roster and he played high school football at Leland High School in San Jose, California.
Ayden Moreno - defensive back - Bakersfield College (Juco - Bakersfield College)
The 6'3 and 195-pound safety played in 10 games for junior college Bakersfield College in 2025. Moreno recorded 35 total tackles with 21 solo tackles for an average of 3.5 tackles per game. He also had an interception.
Brayten Silbor - quarterback - Southwestern Community College (Chula Vista, California)
In nine games at Southwestern, Silbor threw for 1,615 yards and 16 touchdowns (five interceptions) while completing 59.7% of his passes (117 of 196).
Silbor played at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona where he led the state in passing in two straight years, was an all-state selection, won a state title and left holding nearly every passing record, according to his bio from Lehigh. Silbor went to Lehigh of the Patriot League out of high school in 2022 and played in 13 games over two seasons.
He started the Mountain Hawk's first 10 games as a sophomore in 2023, averaging 169.7 yards per game. He threw for 1,697 yards completing about 50% of his passes (49.9%) with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also ran for 61 yards and four touchdowns.
Tyler Woods - linebacker - Moorpark College (Moorpark, California, near Los Angeles)
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Woods played in 11 games at Moorpark last fall. He had 52 total tackles with 28 solo tackles and an average of 4.7 tackles per game. He also had a sack and interception. Woods is at least the second UNC player to come from Moorpark College. Wide receiver River Stout, who's from Thornton, joined the Bears from Moorpark in 2024.
James Coddington - defensive back - Palomar College (San Marcos, California)
Coddington, listed at 6-1 and 186 pounds, appeared in 10 games in his freshman season at Palomar. He had 35 solo tackles with a 3.9 tackles per game in conference play. He's from Murrieta, California and went to Vista Murrieta High School.
Landon Richardson - kicker/punter - American River College (Juco - Sacramento, California)
Richardson also committed Dec. 24 according to a social media post. Listed at 6-3 and 190 pounds, he played the last two seasons at American River College.
Richardson was 12 of 15 on field goals with one blocked and 30 of 30 on extra points. Richardson punted 43 times in 11 games for an average of 36.6 yards per punt with 13 inside the 20-yard-line. He is from Antelope, California.
Cadence Turner - defensive back - El Camino College (Juco - Los Angeles area)
A junior college transfer from El Camino College, Turner played 11 games in one season for the Warriors. He announced his commitment Dec. 24.
He recorded 46 total tackles (33 solo, led team) with three interceptions and eight pass break ups. He was a first-team all-league selection on defense. The Warriors (8-3) play in the National Southern League of the Southern California Football Association. Listed at 6-feet and 185 on a social media page, Turner is from Redondo Beach, California.
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