In spite of one of the most significant changes in college football history, coaches (notably in the SEC) are beginning to question whether the entire system needs to be revised rather than just looking for clarification regarding the NCAA transfer portal’s regulations.
Georgia football coach Kirby Smart stated at the SEC meeting: “Right now, the most important issue in football is the transfer portal. Is there one window? Two? When is it? And who’s actually making that decision?”
Right now, players can transfer during two windows — one in December and one in April. Coaches like Smart and Texas A&M’s Mike Elko want to cut it down to a single window in January to bring more stability. But even that feels like a short-term fix.
“What are we doing?” Elko asked. “Every pro league has one free agency period. Why can’t we?”
The bigger issue, some coaches say, is that no one seems to be in charge. Is it the NCAA? The conferences? The committee tied to the House v. NCAA case? Nobody knows — and that uncertainty is not helping the situation.
Smart warned that pushing the portal to April would only lead to more tampering, with players secretly recruited months in advance. “You think it’s bad now?” he said. “Just wait until kids are sitting on your roster getting offers behind the scenes.”
Over in the Big Ten, coaches discussed a spring window too, but even they couldn’t settle on a plan. The House Implementation Committee, which has been working on the issue of the transfer portal. Clarity will likely have to come before July 1. With July 1 approaching, time is running out — and frustration is growing.
Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea summed it up: “Sure, earlier would be better. But if there’s no structure, fixing the timing alone won’t solve much.”
At this point, coaches aren’t just asking for clarity. They’re wondering if it’s time to scrap the whole setup and build something better — something that actually works.