Transfers: Someone please explain...

[Voluntarius]

...why we are not attracting much interest from some of the good players in the portal? I know a better NIL deal is the driving force for many top players, while perhaps playing time is a major consideration for guys buried somewhere on a depth chart. It seems we've lost some quality depth to the portal but have yet to replace any with incoming transfers. Just saw that TAMU just added 5 players in 24 hrs, and Ole Miss is at it again this year as an option for several good players. Has our NIL collective committed so much to guys like Nico and Sanders that we can't afford to shell out for some of these guys shopping around? It just seems that we're never mentioned as a possible landing spot whenever a big name hits the portal. I would love to hear some good analysis from some of our more NIL savvy guys here. I know everyone is focused on Columbus this weekend and not paying much attention to portal additions. Is there a simple explanation I'm missing?

 

[Pride85]

I truly hate the portal and NIL.

 

[VolCalls]

I'd say your last statement is the answer. Our coaches are focusing every waking minute on preparing for Ohio State, as they should.

 

[OneVolNation]

Here's the link to the '25 Transfer Portal Thread

 

[wrangler]

...why we are not attracting much interest from some of the good players in the portal? I know a better NIL deal is the driving force for many top players, while perhaps playing time is a major consideration for guys buried somewhere on a depth chart. It seems we've lost some quality depth to the portal but have yet to replace any with incoming transfers. Just saw that TAMU just added 5 players in 24 hrs, and Ole Miss is at it again this year as an option for several good players. Has our NIL collective committed so much to guys like Nico and Sanders that we can't afford to shell out for some of these guys shopping around? It just seems that we're never mentioned as a possible landing spot whenever a big name hits the portal. I would love to hear some good analysis from some of our more NIL savvy guys here. I know everyone is focused on Columbus this weekend and not paying much attention to portal additions. Is there a simple explanation I'm missing?

Could just be that we're good at keeping it quiet, and aren't after that many. We have some visits.

 

[The Original Fade]

I truly hate the portal and NIL.

1000%

Terrible model for college sports

 

[Dadof2Vols]

...why we are not attracting much interest from some of the good players in the portal? I know a better NIL deal is the driving force for many top players, while perhaps playing time is a major consideration for guys buried somewhere on a depth chart. It seems we've lost some quality depth to the portal but have yet to replace any with incoming transfers. Just saw that TAMU just added 5 players in 24 hrs, and Ole Miss is at it again this year as an option for several good players. Has our NIL collective committed so much to guys like Nico and Sanders that we can't afford to shell out for some of these guys shopping around? It just seems that we're never mentioned as a possible landing spot whenever a big name hits the portal. I would love to hear some good analysis from some of our more NIL savvy guys here. I know everyone is focused on Columbus this weekend and not paying much attention to portal additions. Is there a simple explanation I'm missing?

Maybe the coaches are more interested in Quality/Character/Cultural fit then Quantity.

I didn’t really think that Quantity worked out for Ole Miss and Texas A&M last year, what seed did they get in the CFP?

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

Ole Miss and TAMU aren't in the playoff so they have plenty of extra time to devote to the portal. Pretty sure I saw that we've been in on some players though who were lined up for visits? Regardless, I'd say it's a good thing if we're not trying to replace the majority of our roster with transfers like Ole Miss had to do a year ago and FSU has done unsuccessfully recently.

 

[Tennessee Jedd]

Big ole O lineman from aTm named Shanahan is making a visit, I just read. 6'3", 330 lbs. Also, character and fitting the culture CJH has instilled is important to this staff. That narrows the field quite a bit, I would imagine.

 

[Jpcisco]

Playoffs. That's what they are focusing on. It takes time to watch tape and evaluate if a player is going to fit the system you run. I would say once the season is over they will evaluate needs and watch tape, they probably just don't have the time right now. Sucks, and it puts us behind the 8 ball while good players get scooped up, but that's part of it. The ncaa needs to fix the timing of portal entries. Its decimating some rosters before the playoffs begin and what if a Tennessee player like, Nimrod or Webb, committed to OSU right after entering? Could OSU use them to get inside info going into our game? They need to push this back until after the championship game.

 

[utvolpj]

Tamu has lost 20 players to the portal so they need the bodies. UT hasn't been hit hard and will fill holes rather than sign a new roster.

As for time, they've had multiple transfers visit recently and even had a small junior day last weekend.

Flashy names have never been a priority for this staff. They'll be filling the roster with fit and function rather than trying to excite some fan that doesn't follow it much

 

[farmdogvol]

Marshall lost 36 players to the portal, including 3 QBs. They have dropped out of their bowl game because they don't have enough players left to field a team. UT has players coming in they just aren't being very vocal about it. It is the same as last year. CJH did just fine in the portal without making a lot of noise.

 

[DaddyChad]

Tamu has lost 20 players to the portal so they need the bodies. UT hasn't been hit hard and will fill holes rather than sign a new roster.

As for time, they've had multiple transfers visit recently and even had a small junior day last weekend.

Flashy names have never been a priority for this staff. They'll be filling the roster with fit and function target than trying to excite some fan that doesn't follow it much

We’ve got to be at what like 83 this year on the roster? With incoming class and our guys that went into the Transfer portal I wonder where we’re at right now as far as how many people we can add.

To the OP, a ton of additions via the portal isn’t usually a good thing. Teams like Tennessee and Georgia will likely be the least active in the portal.

 

[CR-vol]

1000%

Terrible model for college sports

Did you ever think what it would likely be here if we hadn't had NIL and the portal the past few years? We'd probably be making excuses about how long the rebuild process takes while Alabama and Georgia would be playing for another National Championship. I don't want to go back to that.

 

[Hurley Mooncalf]

Some times, the school will want to try to keep it quiet to prevent an escalation with a competitor, either monetarily or just because the quality of the player. Happened with Chaz Lanier in basketball last year.

 

[The Original Fade]

Did you ever think what it would likely be here if we hadn't had NIL and the portal the past few years? We'd probably be making excuses about how long the rebuild process takes while Alabama and Georgia would be playing for another National Championship. I don't want to go back to that.

I’ve slowly softened to the idea that the players deserve at least some of the massive amounts of money that’s being made in college sports even though they get get a free education and college life most only dream about. But the model right now has no guardrails or uniformity and it’s creating chaos that’s bad for the sport and fans. Instead of tweaking tue rules, we just abandoned the rules altogether.

At this point I just wish they would be on salary/contracts with the schools. All college athletes. It can be based on a % of revenue. Yes, the rich would get richer but that’s already the case. They could still earn outside NIL money from endorsements but it would mitigate the portal chaos if the receiving team of a player had to buy out the contract from the previous school.

Right now, the word commitment is punch line In college sports.

 

[movinonup]

Did you ever think what it would likely be here if we hadn't had NIL and the portal the past few years? We'd probably be making excuses about how long the rebuild process takes while Alabama and Georgia would be playing for another National Championship. I don't want to go back to that.

And Saban would still be coaching

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I’ve slowly softened to the idea that the players deserve at least some of the massive amounts of money that’s being made in college sports even though they get get a free education and college life most only dream about. But the model right now has no guardrails or uniformity and it’s creating chaos that’s bad for the sport and fans. Instead of tweaking tue rules, we just abandoned the rules altogether.

At this point I just wish they would be on salary/contracts with the schools. All college athletes. It can be based on a % of revenue. Yes, the rich would get richer but that’s already the case. They could still earn outside NIL money from endorsements but it would mitigate the portal chaos if the receiving team of a player had to buy out the contract from the previous school.

Right now, the word commitment is punch line In college sports.

At this point they might as well drop the whole "student athlete" facade, eliminate the academic requirements, and make the players contract employees of the university. I do not believe for one second these guys are getting a true education. How can they be? You ever notice, you NEVER hear about any of these players struggling with eligibility because of grades anymore. I seriously doubt it's because players have gotten smarter over the years.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

1000%

Terrible model for college sports

Completely agree

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

At this point they might as well drop the whole "student athlete" facade, eliminate the academic requirements, and make the players contract employees of the university. I do not believe for one second these guys are getting a true education. How can they be? You ever notice, you NEVER hear about any of these players struggling with eligibility because of grades anymore. I seriously doubt it's because players have gotten smarter over the years.

Been this way for a long time. A good friend of mine had classes with Travis Henry back in the day. He told me Travis could barely read or write. Said that he had people take tests for him.

 

[NATHAN05]

Just came out today

 

[Voluntarius]

Here's the link to the '25 Transfer Portal Thread

Noted, thanks.

 

[rickyyrs]

Big ole O lineman from aTm named Shanahan is making a visit, I just read. 6'3", 330 lbs. Also, character and fitting the culture CJH has instilled is important to this staff. That narrows the field quite a bit, I would imagine.

Kentucky has a few that is transferring. A couple WRs in Brown and Key, and a DL guy Silver

 

[LWSVOL]

...why we are not attracting much interest from some of the good players in the portal? I know a better NIL deal is the driving force for many top players, while perhaps playing time is a major consideration for guys buried somewhere on a depth chart. It seems we've lost some quality depth to the portal but have yet to replace any with incoming transfers. Just saw that TAMU just added 5 players in 24 hrs, and Ole Miss is at it again this year as an option for several good players. Has our NIL collective committed so much to guys like Nico and Sanders that we can't afford to shell out for some of these guys shopping around? It just seems that we're never mentioned as a possible landing spot whenever a big name hits the portal. I would love to hear some good analysis from some of our more NIL savvy guys here. I know everyone is focused on Columbus this weekend and not paying much attention to portal additions. Is there a simple explanation I'm missing?

Heupel is extremely careful with the portal. He has certain position groups he targets and cultural fit is a high priority. Based on visits from this weekend, it appears the main focus at this juncture is on lineman.

He will not just go after big names because they are big names. Has to be a fit and a need. BTW, what he feels is a need and what fans feel are needs are not always in synch.

 

[LWSVOL]

We’ve got to be at what like 83 this year on the roster? With incoming class and our guys that went into the Transfer portal I wonder where we’re at right now as far as how many people we can add.

To the OP, a ton of additions via the portal isn’t usually a good thing. Teams like Tennessee and Georgia will likely be the least active in the portal.

we are at 85 and will need to be at 83 in the fall...