After helping James Madison University reach the College Football Playoff, tight end Lacota Dippre is entering the transfer portal after one season with the Dukes.
In his sophomore season, the 6-foot-4, 253-pound Dippre had 17 receptions for 192 yards and three touchdowns for the Sun Belt champions. He scored the final touchdown for the Dukes on a run in a 51-34 loss to Oregon in the CFP first round last Saturday night.
He was an honorable mention Sun Belt Conference all-star.
The former Lakeland High School tight end initially committed to The College of the Holy Cross, coached then by Bob Chesney, before attending and playing defensive end at Charlotte. He transferred and reunited with Chesney at James Madison.
Chesney then left JMU and is the new head coach at UCLA.
“I had a feeling that I was going to enter when Chesney left,” Dippre, 21, said. “I feel like I am going to have opportunities, and I feel it is a good time to hit it. My agent and others feel that if you have a good year in the G5 (Group of Five), you try to get to the next level of competition at G4 (SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12).”
On Wednesday, Dippre posted his intentions to his social media account @DippreLacota on X. He thanked “JMU Nation” and “the coaching staff for giving me a chance and ultimately helping with my development as a player, as well as the academic and strength staff.”
After an outstanding all-state career at Lakeland, Dippre played defensive end at Charlotte in 2023. He played one game as a true freshman and 12 games in 2024. He had 25 tackles with 15 solo, three tackles for loss, a sack, and one pass breakup.
Charlotte had a coaching change, and Dippre entered the transfer portal. He chose James Madison because of his previous relationship with Chesney. He transitioned back to tight end and had an impact for the Dukes as a run blocker and pass catcher.
Dippre had a season-high three catches in a win over Georgia Southern and a season-high 43 yards receiving against Liberty. He scored touchdowns against Louisville, Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, and Oregon.
In the playoff loss to Oregon, Dippre had two receptions for 5 yards, with his second picking up a first down. He also had two carries for 18 yards, with his best being a 16-yard gain on a fake punt that picked up a first down.
“That was something special,” Dippre said of the Oregon game and joining his brother, CJ, an Alabama graduate, as a CFP player. “From my brother texting me that not too many get to play in the CFP, let alone from the same household, to getting to text him that not too many score touchdowns, it was an awesome experience.
“You go all the way across the country to play, and growing up, Oregon was always one of those teams with the cool uniforms that people followed. I got a chance to play at a high level and see where I fit in. It was really loud in the stadium, and I couldn’t hear the quarterback. It is something that I will remember for the rest of my life.”