ADVERTISEMENT

the rise of the transfer portal

IUNY

Freshman
Sep 8, 2013
456
429
63
I think the transfer portals are a result of the pay-the-players push. I see the portals as the free agency of college football. Players look at all the money the schools make from the conference TV networks, and the least they can get out of the deal is some mobility.

While everyone is saying IU is being hurt by transfers, has anyone put together a list of the average number of players entering the portals at each Power-5 school?

If anything, I would bet that the national powers, the ones loaded with 5-stars and 4-stars, are more at risk of losing players to the portal.

Peyton Ramsey figured he earned his stripes as a starter and wanted to go someplace where he would be the guaranteed starter. And with only a year of eligibility left, why not?

Sampson James probably figured he is good enough to be a featured back, so why stay if he's not going to start?

As for our strength coaches leaving, could the program be paid a higher compliment than the fact that they are going to the University of Alabama?
 
I think the transfer portals are a result of the pay-the-players push. I see the portals as the free agency of college football. Players look at all the money the schools make from the conference TV networks, and the least they can get out of the deal is some mobility.

While everyone is saying IU is being hurt by transfers, has anyone put together a list of the average number of players entering the portals at each Power-5 school?

If anything, I would bet that the national powers, the ones loaded with 5-stars and 4-stars, are more at risk of losing players to the portal.

Peyton Ramsey figured he earned his stripes as a starter and wanted to go someplace where he would be the guaranteed starter. And with only a year of eligibility left, why not?

Sampson James probably figured he is good enough to be a featured back, so why stay if he's not going to start?

As for our strength coaches leaving, could the program be paid a higher compliment than the fact that they are going to the University of Alabama?


In reality it may prove to be quite the opposite. The transfer portal enables programs to do what used to be an absolute kiss of death, and that was run off players who were recruiting mistakes. Now, all they have to do is recruit over a particular player or position and players no longer have a stigma attached to leaving so they join the roughly 2,000 who entered the portal in its first year and go elsewhere. It will take a few years to gather data, but the thing to look for will be the percentage of transfers who never play for another school and never graduate from another school. What some thing will be a benefit to players may very well turn out to be just the opposite for the majority who end up in the portal.
 
The transfer portal is similar to today's attitudes toward marriage. You encounter some turbulence, a rough patch and boom, bail out in a second.

The transfer portal has the potential to destroy depth charts, particularly at middle of the road places. Building programs out of one year rentals looks unstable to me.
 
The transfer portal is similar to today's attitudes toward marriage. You encounter some turbulence, a rough patch and boom, bail out in a second.

The transfer portal has the potential to destroy depth charts, particularly at middle of the road places. Building programs out of one year rentals looks unstable to me.
I agree,they have made it way to easy to leave without any consequences.
Like you said,it’s a sign of the times.Loyalty and working hard are rare qualities these days,it’s not helping college football and they need to put some restrictions in place.
 
If and when this effects Alabama Ohio State etc you will see changes if doesn’t effect them negatively better learn to live with it.This only helps them if it didn’t it wouldn’t be in place.Let the kids go pro right out high school why act like they want a education XFL or NFL go be used for money for yourself.Why allow NCAA and Universities Coaches make millions acting like they give a crap about these kids please spare me!
 
I think the transfer portals are a result of the pay-the-players push. I see the portals as the free agency of college football. Players look at all the money the schools make from the conference TV networks, and the least they can get out of the deal is some mobility.

While everyone is saying IU is being hurt by transfers, has anyone put together a list of the average number of players entering the portals at each Power-5 school?

If anything, I would bet that the national powers, the ones loaded with 5-stars and 4-stars, are more at risk of losing players to the portal.

Peyton Ramsey figured he earned his stripes as a starter and wanted to go someplace where he would be the guaranteed starter. And with only a year of eligibility left, why not?

Sampson James probably figured he is good enough to be a featured back, so why stay if he's not going to start?

As for our strength coaches leaving, could the program be paid a higher compliment than the fact that they are going to the University of Alabama?

I know Stanford has 16 players in the transfer portal. 14 of which did not return to Stanford. It should be notes that most of these were graduate transfers.

Here is a link to compare school by school. and player by player.
https://247sports.com/Season/2020-Football/TransferPortal/
 
Last edited:
If and when this effects Alabama Ohio State etc you will see changes if doesn’t effect them negatively better learn to live with it.This only helps them if it didn’t it wouldn’t be in place.Let the kids go pro right out high school why act like they want a education XFL or NFL go be used for money for yourself.Why allow NCAA and Universities Coaches make millions acting like they give a crap about these kids please spare me!
I’m pretty sure I’m recalling correctly that it was Michigan’s AD who introduced that proposal, because he felt it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Which goes to show what a stand up sort of guy he is. Not only is this happening in the best interests of the scholar-athletes in college football, but it’s also in accord with the moral law.

What, me worry? We’re in good hands here.
 
I’m pretty sure I’m recalling correctly that it was Michigan’s AD who introduced that proposal, because he felt it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Which goes to show what a stand up sort of guy he is. Not only is this happening in the best interests of the scholar-athletes in college football, but it’s also in accord with the moral law.

What, me worry? We’re in good hands here.
Folks, there might be some sarcasm in this! LOL
 
The transfer portal is similar to today's attitudes toward marriage. You encounter some turbulence, a rough patch and boom, bail out in a second.

The transfer portal has the potential to destroy depth charts, particularly at middle of the road places. Building programs out of one year rentals looks unstable to me.
Well, certainly there are those that are looking for a better situation but there are many, many more that are staying loyal, so I wouldn’t characterize it as “today’s attitude”. Let’s give some love to all those that are staying the course.
 
If and when this effects Alabama Ohio State etc you will see changes if doesn’t effect them negatively better learn to live with it.This only helps them if it didn’t it wouldn’t be in place.Let the kids go pro right out high school why act like they want a education XFL or NFL go be used for money for yourself.Why allow NCAA and Universities Coaches make millions acting like they give a crap about these kids please spare me!
I think something that gets overlooked in all the transfer controversy is the culpability of the schools themselves for creating a climate that fosters a lack of loyalty to the universities on the part of student-athletes.

By removing student athletes in the major sports from having regular interaction with non-athletes the schools have effectively segregated athletes from their fellow students. They don't share the experiences that create the love of the university at large common in other students. They live in isolated dorms, eat in athletes-only dining halls, and often take classes on-line or in labs and classrooms in athletic facilities - not to mention the inordinate amount of time they spend away from campus itself. Hell, I'm sure a lot of these kids spend 3 or 4 years enrolled at places without ever stepping through the door of a majority of buildings on campus. The simple truth is that today's college athlete majors in his/her sport and not much more. They don't have an affinity or an appreciation for the place they should be calling home.

When I was at IU in the late '70's and early '80's I personally knew several football and basketball players. They sat in the classroom with me daily. Football players were gone on Friday of away-game weeks, otherwise they were there. Basketball players played conference games on Thursday night and Saturday, alternating weeks away and at home. So except for every other Thursday and Friday, they were in class (and believe me, under RMK they were ALWAYS in class). Athletes lived in Briscoe, Foster, McNutt, or fraternities where they were surrounded with "regular" students. Two of my best friends lived across the hall in Briscoe from Al Darring, Lonnie Johnson and Mark Ramsey. They regularly hung out together watching tv or playing cards. In the offseason, players were simply regular students. In the summer, they went home like the rest of us and looked forward to getting back to school and friends in the fall. Today, there is no such thing as an offseason or a summer break.

My point (sorry for the roundabout narrative) is that athletes developed ties to the school beyond their teammates, coaches, and the athletic complexes. They were actually STUDENT-athletes who had a bond with the university community. Today, an athlete at a D-1 school has to work pretty hard to have a life beyond their sport and that's a shame. I can understand how these kids can get the idea that they are a disposable instrument of the athletic department and that if their only connection to the university is to be an athlete. When that's the case, the only reason to stay is if they are happy with their playing situation.
 
If coaches can leave whenever they want, so should the players. Not too difficult to understand but still sucks when it happens to your team.
 
I agree,they have made it way to easy to leave without any consequences.
Like you said,it’s a sign of the times.Loyalty and working hard are rare qualities these days,it’s not helping college football and they need to put some restrictions in place.
They should make them pay back the parts of the scholarship they've used.

You know, kind of how real life works when you sign a contract.

They make coaches buy out contracts - let schools do the same with players and that will cut down on the transfers pretty quickly.

Sure, the top schools will do it, but I bet they'd make darn sure the player they were getting would be worth it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lillyr66
They should make them pay back the parts of the scholarship they've used.

You know, kind of how real life works when you sign a contract.

They make coaches buy out contracts - let schools do the same with players and that will cut down on the transfers pretty quickly.

Sure, the top schools will do it, but I bet they'd make darn sure the player they were getting would be worth it.

I don't know the answer to this, but don't schools pay the buyout for the coach when they hire him from another school? Definitely could be wrong on that one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
I don't know the answer to this, but don't schools pay the buyout for the coach when they hire him from another school? Definitely could be wrong on that one.
The hiring school usually pays, yes.

That's what I'm saying should happen to players under this new transfer rule - they either pay back the scholarship money paid to them (or some other calculated amount) or have the school pay (the one theyre transferring to.

We kind of do that now with the other circumstance where players can't continue to play - we continue to pay their scholarship. We could do that if we want to 'cut' players, in this new scenario.

It will never happen - just saying if we want to make things 'fair', then make it fair to everyone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
If and when this effects Alabama Ohio State etc you will see changes if doesn’t effect them negatively better learn to live with it.This only helps them if it didn’t it wouldn’t be in place.Let the kids go pro right out high school why act like they want a education XFL or NFL go be used for money for yourself.Why allow NCAA and Universities Coaches make millions acting like they give a crap about these kids please spare me!

Alabama and Ohio State have been hit by the portal and it doesn't effect them. Why? Because they have talent coming out of their ears.

Again, I have realised that I'm in the minority here, but I don't see what the big deal with the portal is. We take the good with the bad. How many people were up in arms when we got Tuttle last year and saying it wasn't fair for Utah to lose him? Or how about Powell? What if we get Swann? But now that we've had a couple kids leave, people are all up in arms that the portal is a problem.

Can't have it both ways.
 
If and when this effects Alabama Ohio State etc you will see changes if doesn’t effect them negatively better learn to live with it.This only helps them if it didn’t it wouldn’t be in place.Let the kids go pro right out high school why act like they want a education XFL or NFL go be used for money for yourself.Why allow NCAA and Universities Coaches make millions acting like they give a crap about these kids please spare me!

I look through the portal each week and although I haven’t tracked anything with hard numbers, it certainly seems like vast majority of these guys are transferring to “lower” schools where they can get playing time. There are some lateral transfers but rarely does it look like these guys are trading up.
 
I think something that gets overlooked in all the transfer controversy is the culpability of the schools themselves for creating a climate that fosters a lack of loyalty to the universities on the part of student-athletes.

By removing student athletes in the major sports from having regular interaction with non-athletes the schools have effectively segregated athletes from their fellow students. They don't share the experiences that create the love of the university at large common in other students. They live in isolated dorms, eat in athletes-only dining halls, and often take classes on-line or in labs and classrooms in athletic facilities - not to mention the inordinate amount of time they spend away from campus itself. Hell, I'm sure a lot of these kids spend 3 or 4 years enrolled at places without ever stepping through the door of a majority of buildings on campus. The simple truth is that today's college athlete majors in his/her sport and not much more. They don't have an affinity or an appreciation for the place they should be calling home.

When I was at IU in the late '70's and early '80's I personally knew several football and basketball players. They sat in the classroom with me daily. Football players were gone on Friday of away-game weeks, otherwise they were there. Basketball players played conference games on Thursday night and Saturday, alternating weeks away and at home. So except for every other Thursday and Friday, they were in class (and believe me, under RMK they were ALWAYS in class). Athletes lived in Briscoe, Foster, McNutt, or fraternities where they were surrounded with "regular" students. Two of my best friends lived across the hall in Briscoe from Al Darring, Lonnie Johnson and Mark Ramsey. They regularly hung out together watching tv or playing cards. In the offseason, players were simply regular students. In the summer, they went home like the rest of us and looked forward to getting back to school and friends in the fall. Today, there is no such thing as an offseason or a summer break.

My point (sorry for the roundabout narrative) is that athletes developed ties to the school beyond their teammates, coaches, and the athletic complexes. They were actually STUDENT-athletes who had a bond with the university community. Today, an athlete at a D-1 school has to work pretty hard to have a life beyond their sport and that's a shame. I can understand how these kids can get the idea that they are a disposable instrument of the athletic department and that if their only connection to the university is to be an athlete. When that's the case, the only reason to stay is if they are happy with their playing situation.
Thank you for a very interesting post.

I don’t care if it makes me sound like a completely uninformed dope (maybe I ought to drop the “sound like”), but I’ll admit I didn’t realize that (student-)athletes’ situations at big time schools had reached the point you describe.

I find it all quite dismaying.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
I think something that gets overlooked in all the transfer controversy is the culpability of the schools themselves for creating a climate that fosters a lack of loyalty to the universities on the part of student-athletes.

By removing student athletes in the major sports from having regular interaction with non-athletes the schools have effectively segregated athletes from their fellow students. They don't share the experiences that create the love of the university at large common in other students. They live in isolated dorms, eat in athletes-only dining halls, and often take classes on-line or in labs and classrooms in athletic facilities - not to mention the inordinate amount of time they spend away from campus itself. Hell, I'm sure a lot of these kids spend 3 or 4 years enrolled at places without ever stepping through the door of a majority of buildings on campus. The simple truth is that today's college athlete majors in his/her sport and not much more. They don't have an affinity or an appreciation for the place they should be calling home.

When I was at IU in the late '70's and early '80's I personally knew several football and basketball players. They sat in the classroom with me daily. Football players were gone on Friday of away-game weeks, otherwise they were there. Basketball players played conference games on Thursday night and Saturday, alternating weeks away and at home. So except for every other Thursday and Friday, they were in class (and believe me, under RMK they were ALWAYS in class). Athletes lived in Briscoe, Foster, McNutt, or fraternities where they were surrounded with "regular" students. Two of my best friends lived across the hall in Briscoe from Al Darring, Lonnie Johnson and Mark Ramsey. They regularly hung out together watching tv or playing cards. In the offseason, players were simply regular students. In the summer, they went home like the rest of us and looked forward to getting back to school and friends in the fall. Today, there is no such thing as an offseason or a summer break.

My point (sorry for the roundabout narrative) is that athletes developed ties to the school beyond their teammates, coaches, and the athletic complexes. They were actually STUDENT-athletes who had a bond with the university community. Today, an athlete at a D-1 school has to work pretty hard to have a life beyond their sport and that's a shame. I can understand how these kids can get the idea that they are a disposable instrument of the athletic department and that if their only connection to the university is to be an athlete. When that's the case, the only reason to stay is if they are happy with their playing situation.
Very good points. I started IU in the Fall of 1975, and yes, athletes seemed to be more part of the university community.

Lauren Buckner, Quinn's brother, used to live on our floor and we regularly saw Bobby Wilkerson there, along with some others.

But even then, athletes tended to hang with each other, room with each other, and still had their training table where they all ate together.

But you're right about athletes now spending 365X24 on training for their sport. It didn't always used to be that way.

I just think it's more a sign of the times. Everyone is out to get theirs. In our generation, we were always told money wasn't everything and, of course, peace and love, drugs, sex, and rock and roll...... it was a different time. Now the media is constantly showing wealth as the ultimate goal.

But you make a very good point about the university being in it for the money, too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
I love the transfer portal. Workers getting more rights is always a good thing. And kids getting to decide what is best for them isn't like bailing on a marriage (lol), and it certainly isn't selfish. Loyalty is for friends and family, not for faceless institutions, not for 2 random colors on a jersey - if you're going to sacrifice something of yourself you'd better ask: what for? Anyone who characterizes this as selfishness needs to take a look in the mirror. Putting your dumb sports team over the freedom of these kids makes you look like an asshole.

Also, there is absolutely nothing to support any generational arguments about the quality of "kids these days" or how hard they work...that's just whiny boomer nonsense.
 
I agree,they have made it way to easy to leave without any consequences.
Like you said,it’s a sign of the times.Loyalty and working hard are rare qualities these days,it’s not helping college football and they need to put some restrictions in place.

They are college students - not indentured servants. Hard work is a rare quality these days? If you want to help college football put a cap on coaches salaries. They’re the only ones making money and they have absolutely no loyalty for the most part.
 
The transfer portal is similar to today's attitudes toward marriage. You encounter some turbulence, a rough patch and boom, bail out in a second.

The transfer portal has the potential to destroy depth charts, particularly at middle of the road places. Building programs out of one year rentals looks unstable to me.

Maybe for our programs. Like Des said, at Alabama, If you don’t produce, your ass is getting moved into that portal. I don’t see this as a good thing for lower/mid-level programs or non studs at top programs
 
Maybe for our programs. Like Des said, at Alabama, If you don’t produce, your ass is getting moved into that portal. I don’t see this as a good thing for lower/mid-level programs or non studs at top programs

Indeed. It is easier to transfer abc play football than it is to transfer and earn a degree. Over a lifetime one is far more important than the other.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
Heard recently that with the massive number of kids in the portal, there were only about 30% of that number of open scholarships available. While that number may change, this shows some will go to a lower level, some will stay put and some may not play again, unless they walk-on.
 
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT