The Gophers added an experienced, productive player to their defense on Wednesday, Jan. 7, when former California defensive end TJ Bush Jr. signed with Minnesota out of the transfer portal.
Bush, 6-feet-3 and 265 pounds, led Cal with 5½ sacks and ranked second with 11½ tackles for loss while making 40 tackles in 13 starts for the Golden Bears.
The Woodbridge, Va., native played the previous two seasons for Liberty, earning Freshman All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America after amassing 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks and four pass breakups in 2023.
The next year, he had 58 tackles, 9½ tackles for loss, 5½ sacks and four pass breakups for the Flames.
A three-star recruit out of Woodbridge’s Freedom High School, Bush had offers from Boston College, Maryland and Vanderbilt.
The addition of Bush bolsters depth along the defensive line, particularly at end. Bush will complement top pass rusher Anthony Smith (12½ sacks, 17½ tackles for loss), along with Karter Menz (6½ sacks, nine TFLs) and Jaxon Howard (four sacks, 5½ TFLs).
Later on Jan. 7, the Gophers received a transfer commitment from former Oklahoma tight end Kaden Helms, who caught five passes for 35 yards and a touchdown in a reserve role with the Sooners in 2025.
Helms, 6-5 and 238 pounds, is a former four-star recruit from Bellevue, Neb., who started his Oklahoma career in 2022, missed a season because of injury and has eight catches for 58 yards in his career. He will have one year of eligibility with the Gophers
