The pending transfer portal departures of Courtney Anderson and Harrison Carrington are the most significant moves in terms of shaping next year’s roster.

But those transfers aren’t the only changes on the way for the Colorado men’s basketball team.

This past week, walk-ons Greg Gerhardt, Nick Randall and Grady Whitt also entered the portal. Gerhardt starred at Monarch High School, and Randall was a standout at Fossil Ridge in Fort Collins.

CU head coach Tad Boyle said the situation regarding walk-ons is an “unintended consequence” of the pending expansion of rosters to 15 players. Teams will have two additional scholarships available but Boyle has said the Buffs plan to maintain 13 scholarship players, with two walk-ons.

Jack Pease is the only walk-on expected to join the Buffs in Las Vegas when they open the inaugural College Basketball Crown against Villanova on Tuesday (6:30 p.m. MT, FS1). Pease went through Senior Day ceremonies with the rest of the Buffs’ seniors on March 8 and told BuffZone he might use his final season of eligibility elsewhere.

“It’s a very difficult situation. That’s the unintended consequence of going to a limit of 15 for men’s basketball,” Boyle said. “Number one, they would like to play. But they all have the option to come back. Now, if they come back and we have our roster set at 15, then they just become managers rather than walk-ons. I’m hopeful they will loosen up the ability for managers to do a little bit more in practice than they’re currently able to. We’ll see if that happens or not.”

Boyle typically carries three or even four walk-ons, but those days will be past under the new roster format.

The four walk-ons are entering a college basketball portal world that will boast more scholarship opportunities. With two additional scholarship spots available among 364 Division I teams, there will be a potential of 728 additional Division I scholarships available in 2025-26. However, like CU, every team won’t necessarily carry 15 scholarship players.

All four walk-ons played during CU’s rout of Bellarmine in the nonconference finale on Dec. 21, with Randall producing the only field goal by a walk-on this season.

Pease made three other appearances and knocked down a free throw in the March 8 home finale in a win against TCU.

Pease and Gerhardt spent three seasons with the Buffs, while Whitt and Randall just finished their second seasons at CU.

“I know as a coach — and I’m not the only coach, I’ve talked to many other coaches — having the scout squad that helps run the other teams’ stuff, especially once you get into league play in January and February, is critical to our success. And it’s critical to us just like it’s critical to everybody else,” Boyle said. “Administrators I think understand that. The disappointing thing is the opportunity for these walk-ons when you look across the country. This year we had 17 (total). That means two of them are not going to have that opportunity. Last year we had 18. That means three aren’t going to have that opportunity. That’s sad to me. Number one, they’re important to our program. Number two, those kids have a great experience. You’re taking that experience away from them. I hate doing it. But I’m not in charge of the rules, either.”