The transfer portal remains open, but few from Air Force football have entered.

Nearing the halfway point of the two-week window, it has been a best-case scenario for the Falcons as quarterback Liam Szarka and all other underclassmen who saw playing time last year have not opted for college football’s version of free agency.

Players have from Jan. 2 through 16 to enter the portal, which beginning this year is open only for this period. To transfer outside of this window a player must receive an NCAA waiver or sit out for a season.

Service academy players become locked into their military commitment at the beginning of their junior year. It is the freshmen and sophomores who have the flexibility to explore their options and at times have done so to the detriment of Air Force programs that don’t have the option to reload with transfers. There were plenty of options for that to happen this offseason, as 11 sophomores and three freshmen started at least one game on offense or defense in 2025.

As of Wednesday, The Gazette was aware of only three freshmen –- quarterback Samuel Shaughnessy, running back Cameron Keller and long snapper Dominic Diaz –- who had entered the portal. None appeared on the roster in 2025.

Senior tight end Bruin Fleischmann entered the portal to explore options as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining, but he would not have been able to return to the academy as he is on track to graduate in May. Other seniors are likely to enter as well, and grad transfers are not limited to this specific portal window.

Air Force football was hit by the portal last year, when then-sophomores David Santiago and Lincoln Tuioti-Mariner departed after emerging as key members of the defense. Santiago went to Michigan State in 2025 and this week transferred to Kansas. Tuioti-Mariner is now at Southern Utah.

Szarka has long been the big question mark, not because of any indication that he was considering leaving but because of his immense value to the program. The sophomore quarterback from Aurora led the team in rushing (922 yards) and passing (1,294) despite not starting until the fourth game and missing the final 2½ games with an arm injury.