Ready or not, free agency in college football is here. High profile players Shea Patterson and Justin Fields have transferred in the last two offseasons without any of the normal repercussions, like having to sit out a year. This is raising eyebrows in the college world. Players seem to love it, coaches seem to hate it, and the NCCA seems like they don't know what the fuck they're going to do.
First let's address the transfer portal. So hot right now. It used to be that if a player wanted to transfer they would have to ask their school for permission who could then fuck them and deny their request. With the new portal, players only need to notify their school of their decision to leave. They then go up into the transfer cloud to be downloaded on to potential suitors. If you're a grad student, not to worry you don't have to sit out a year. If you're an undergrad then you lose a season and watch your new team from the sidelines. Well thats whats supposed to happen anyway. The language of the rule of immediate eligibility states that if exigent circumstances arise that impact the "the health, safety, and well-being" of the player, than they are free to play wherever they choose the following year. Well that's a bit fuckin ambiguous, ain't it? Health and safety, sure I completely understand, but what the hell does well-being mean. If they have the chance to play elsewhere isn't that better for their well-being? If they're sad because they don't start is that negatively impacting their well-being? Who knows. But the result of this is that the NCAA has waived 79% of their immediate eligibility cases! 79%!
The players side: Players have concerns of their short window to showcase themselves for the NFL. They believe that if they can play elsewhere for a school that wants them and that gives them their best opportunity at their dream to play in the NFL then what right does anybody have to stop them? The trend in FCS right now is to start players young. So if you aren't getting significant time by your sophmore year, shouldn't you have the chance to prove yourself somewhere else? Makes total sense. Coaches are constantly leaving to further their careers why should the players be stunted? The NCAA is a business, it just doesn't let it's players make business moves.
The coaches side: The coaches have a whole list of reasons. The bullshit reason is that they're concerned about the low graduation rates for players who transfer. The real reason is that the coaches have to completely change the way they manage their teams. One, they won't know who is going to be on their roster come recruiting time. Two, if they can only give out 25 scholarships how can they offer somebody in the portal if they give out all their scholarships to recruits. Three, are you going to start screwing the high school players by only using your scholarships on recruiting players in the portal who you know can handle the collegiate workload. Four, what is stopping a player from transferring every year to a different school just for the fuck of it. Lastly, five, so many coaches are worried about the impact on what this will do for the young men in their program going forward. They feel their players want to live in a world of instant gratification. If something isn't working out, instead of competing and working harder they see it as guys just throwing in the towel. The coaches want to be able to do their job and develop the player over time. Just this year alone for instance Alabama didn't start Irv Smith Jr or Deionte Thompson until their junior year. Thompson was a Consensus All-American and a projected first round pick. Irv was Second Team All-SEC and might sneak into the first round of the draft. What would've happened if they left for another program?
My side: The problem is that these weren't kids born in the Jordan or Kobe era but rather the Kevin Durant era. What's stopping superstar athletes on mid-level teams from jumping on a guaranteed playoff team. Can't beat em, transfer to em. What if Joey Bosa was pissed two seasons ago that Ohio State didn't make the playoffs and said fuck it I'm going to Bama next year. Where does it end?
The only person talking sense in all of this is Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald proposed that if players transfer that they do sit out for a season. The catch being, if they graduate, the player regains one more year of eligibility. Leave it up to the smart school. Of course he says that. A degree from Northwestern goes a lot further than one from Mizzou. They're a long way away from perfecting this but I think Pat's the closest one to cracking it.
To transfer or not to transfer, that is the question.
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