The transfer portal all the rage into today’s college athletics, not just for football but huge in basketball as well. With a proposed rule change by the NCAA, the transfer portal might become an even bigger tool for coaches who are looking to make an impact on their rosters going forward.
Prior to the rule, it required athletes to sit out an entire year after transferring to be able to play for their new university without a waiver. This would be a deterrent for athletes to put in for a transfer without having to graduate to bypass the eligibility rule. The new rule would waive the one-year period where athletes would be deemed ineligible to play immediately.
For athletes, it can really level the playing field in college athletics. Too often coaches secure a players commitment or even sign their letter of intent to play for a particular coach or university before the coach leaves for another job. Much like the Mel Tucker situation at Colorado and Michigan State University. Not to mention the fact that Mike Dantonio resigned after finalizing his 2020 recruiting class.
If a coach can leave any program for another opportunity elsewhere, the athletes who placed their collegiate careers should be afforded the same opportunity. This would also be without having to go through an entire waiver process that could take a significant amount of time to receive their clearance to pursue another school to finish their playing days at the college level.
The committee isn’t scheduled to meet until April but should this new rule pass, look for the landscape of college athletics to change.