2. The insane transfer portal
Now here’s where this gets really strange, and a lot of this depends on whether or not there’s spring football as normal to determine how the teams are shaping up.
You know that backup quarterback, dime package defensive back, and Johnny Four-Star receiver from the 2019 class that you’ve been waiting to see? Yeah … don’t worry about it, because he’s probably sucked into the transfer portal by the time you finish reading this sentence.
The NCAA rules on transferring haven’t been locked down and finalized for this year, but that hasn’t stopped players from transferring all across the board.
There’s a problem, though. There’s still a question of whether or not most-to-all of these players are going to be immediately eligible.
The transfer portal and the rules have always been murky. Some players have confused being a grad transfer – graduate, and you’re immediately eligible to play anywhere – and entering the portal, which simply means you’re transferring but without the guarantee of being able to play right away.
The NCAA is dragging its feet on whether or not everyone gets a one-time exemption because of the COVID year, or if players are going to get a penalty-free shot at transferring, or if things are going to stay as is.
In any event, the transfer portal has become the land of disgruntled non-employees looking to play elsewhere.
It used to be just the guys who sat on the bench but wanted a shot, but now a whole lot of recognizable names are moving around, too. And it’s only going to get crazier because …