A number of potential high-profile performers have changed schools in the past year or so. With preseason practice under way, let's take a look at where things stand with 20 transfers. In some cases, transfers fly under the radar, and then in September or October they basically come out of nowhere and either burst on the national scene or re-establish themselves as quality starters and top-echelon performers. A number of the following players could do just that (transfers listed alphabetically by position).

QUARTERBACKs
Jon Beutjer, QB, Illinois -- The former Iowa Hawkeye (he sat out last season after the transfer) is currently locked in a battle with fellow junior Dustin Ward to see who ends up filling the void at QB due to the graduation loss of Kurt Kittner.

Brandon Hance, QB, USC -- Last season, as the heir apparent to Drew Brees at Purdue, Hance completed 52.7 percent of his aerials before giving way later in the campaign to fellow freshman Kyle Orton. Since Orton had seized control of Joe Tiller's offense in West Lafayette, Hance opted to transfer to USC. With Carson Palmer's college career with the Trojans coming to an end after this season, Hance will have an opportunity to contend for the starting job in 2003. Hance made his mark at the prep level in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Jeff Krohn, QB, Massachusetts -- After starting nine games last season at Arizona State, where he completed 54 percent of his passes and threw 19 TDs (plus seven interceptions), Krohn has moved on to Massachusetts where he'll be working against Division I-AA competition in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Now a fourth-year junior, Krohn has won the starting QB job for a UMass squad picked to finish third in the preseason Atlantic 10 poll (behind William & Mary and Maine). Remember, by moving down in competition, he doesn't have to sit out the year.

Casey Printers, QB, Florida A&M -- After three years as the starting signal caller at TCU, Printers decided to transfer to Florida A&M for his final college season. With the Rattlers, he'll be provided more of an opportunity to showcase his skills as a drop-back passer. His primary target will be 6-3, 195-pound senior wideout Marco Junious.

A.J. Suggs, QB, Georgia Tech -- After transferring from Tennessee to Georgia Tech in 2001 (he sat out that season), Suggs enters fall practice with a slight edge over talented redshirt freshman Damarius Bilbo for the starting job. Suggs, now a junior in terms of eligibility, is a straight drop-back passer, while Bilbo combines impressive athletic ability with an above average arm. New Rambling Wreck head coach Chan Gailey has indicated that a two-QB system isn't out of the question.

WIDE RECEIVERs
D.J. Hackett, WR, Colorado -- With Daniel Graham moving on to the NFL, the Buffaloes are looking for a prime-time target to emerge. Instead of TE, it could come at WR with the anticipated emergence of a talented performer like Hackett, who comes to Boulder from Cal-Northridge after they dropped the football program following the 2001 campaign. A fourth-year junior this season, the athletically gifted 6-3, 195-pounder caught a TD pass in every game last season at Cal-Northridge, finishing with 53 catches for nearly a 15-yard average and 10 TDs.

Shaud Williams, RB/WR, Alabama -- After making his mark early on at Texas Tech, Williams is resurfacing this season as a junior in the SEC with the Crimson Tide. To take advantage of his catch/run skills, the cat-quick 5-8, 189-pound Williams will split time with sophomore Ray Hudson at the "A" back spot (basically a wing-back or slot position).

RUNNING BACKs
Keith Burnell, RB, Delaware -- The versatile 5-11, 205-pound senior transferred from Virginia Tech to the Division I-AA Delaware Blue Hens, where he will not only be eligible to play right away this year but also can remain at RB. With the Hokies, due to the crowded situation in the backfield (including Lee Suggs and Kevin Jones), he was being utilized at WR.

Delaware, though, under the direction of new head coach K.C. Keeler -- previously the very successful head coach Division III power Rowan -- is shifting from the Delaware Wing-T of legendary coach Tubby Raymond to a spread offense that will feature Burnell in primarily a one-back set. Raymond retired after 48 years at Delaware, 12 as an assistant and 36 as head coach. His final record as head coach was 300-119-3. Raymond became just the ninth college football coach to reach the 300-win plateau.

Burnell is blessed with sub-4.30 speed and should run wild against Division I-AA competition. He could solidify an early round grade in the April 2003 NFL draft.

Deon Burnett, RB, UNLV -- After being Washington State's second-leading rusher in 2000, Burnett opted to transfer to UNLV, where he sat out the 2001 campaign. This season, as a junior in the Mountain West Conference, he's part of a deep backfield that includes senior Joe Haro, the first returning 1,000-yard rusher for the Rebels since 1985.

Larry Croom, RB, UNLV -- After two years as a contributor in the Arizona Wildcats' backfield (257 rushing yards, eight receptions as a sophomore), Croom moved on to UNLV in 2001. Now he's back on the football field for this season. Croom will be competing for playing time with productive senior Joe Haro, Washington State transfer Deon Burnett and electrifying 5-6, 165-pound sophomore Dominique Dorsey. Besides seeing playing time in the backfield, Croom will also be utilized as a kickoff returner.

Justin Fargas, RB, USC -- After sitting out last season following his transfer from Michigan, Fargas heads into preseason practice as the Trojans' starting RB, although you can expect to see a great deal of fellow seniors Sultan McCullough and Malaefou McKenzie. Fargas, who impressed on the scout team for the Trojans last year, enjoyed some success at Michigan, although a broken right leg late in his freshman season forced him to sit out the '99 campaign as a redshirt. He rushed for nearly 300 yards as a freshman while leading the Wolverines in kickoff return yardage. When he returned from the injury in 2000, Fargas worked as a backup RB and also saw action in the defensive secondary.

Kenny Hayter, RB, TCU -- He moved from Texas to TCU and sat out the 2001 campaign. This season with the Horned Frogs, Hayter will be in the mix for playing time with Corey Connally and Ricky Madison. All three are juniors.

Jeremi Johnson, FB -- The bruising 5-11, 270-pound senior received his official release from Indiana on Friday, but there has been no final determination as to where he'll end up. To be eligible to play this season, Johnson would have to move down in competition, leading to the speculation that he'll land at a Division I-AA program. By the way, Indiana opens with William & Mary on Aug. 31, the Hoosiers' first game under new head coach Gerry DiNardo.

Julius Jones, RB -- Jones' status at Notre Dame had been up in the air for several months. And the word Friday from South Bend was that, due to academic difficulties, he will not be a student at Notre Dame this year. Jones could reapply for the 2003-04 school year, and I'm told that coach Tyrone Willingham would welcome him back. Jones has one year of eligibility remaining -- whether at Notre Dame or elsewhere. As preseason practice begins for the Irish, sophomore Ryan Grant will work with the first team at running back.

Brandon Miree, RB, Pittsburgh -- The talented big back (6-1, 233), a transfer from Alabama, is coming off an excellent spring at Pittsburgh, when he earned the Panthers' Most Improved Player award. This season, as a junior in the Big East, Miree figures to share the spotlight with sophomore Raymond Kirkley.

Eric Shelton, RB, Louisville -- While there may not be a superstar in Florida State's backfield, there is strength in numbers with senior Nick Maddox, junior Greg Jones, redshirt freshman Willie Reid and incoming freshmen Lorenzo Booker and Thomas Clayton. Shelton, who carried the ball just 29 times for 130 yards as a freshman with the Seminoles last season, opted to transfer to Louisville, where he must sit out the 2002 campaign. But he can practice with the scout team and retains three full years of eligibility. When Shelton returns to game action in 2003, he'll be competing for playing time with T.J. Patterson and Lionel Gates.

Derek Watson, RB, South Carolina State -- A talented all-purpose back in the SEC for Lou Holtz and the Gamecocks of South Carolina, Watson is now moving on to the MEAC, where he figures to put on quite a show against Division I-AA competition. In his final season of collegiate eligibility, the athletically gifted 6-0½, 210-pounder will be operating in a spread offense featuring Watson heavily as a pass-receiving option out of the backfield.

The Bulldogs, who closed out the 2001 season with five straight victories to finish 6-5, return nine starters on defense and also benefit from five other transfers from the South Carolina program. Keep in mind, new Bulldog head coach Buddy Pough was Watson's RB coach under Holtz at South Carolina and recruited Watson to Columbia prior to Holtz's arrival. The Bulldogs open the 2002 season Aug. 31 by hosting Tennessee State.

DEFENSE
Lynn McGruder, DT, Oklahoma -- After playing in 10 games and recording six tackles as a freshman at Tennessee in 2000, McGruder sat out the 2001 campaign after transferring to Oklahoma. Entering fall practice, he's battling highly regarded sophomore Dusty Dvoracek for the backup DT spot behind starters Tommie Harris and Kory Klein.

Melvin Simmons, LB, USC -- He stayed in the Pac-10, transferring in 2001 (he sat out that year) from Washington State to USC, where he is entering his junior year with the Trojans as a starter at OLB.

Madieu Williams, DB, Maryland -- The transfer from Towson University (Sean Landeta and Dave Meggett's old school) could easily follow in the footsteps of another Towson product, Chad Scott, who came to the Terps later in his college career and became a first-round draft choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Williams (6-1, 195) has the athleticism and speed to perform at a high level at either free safety or CB. A junior, he could end up being one of the top defensive newcomers in the ACC this season.