No Transfer Portal Fireworks This Time Around As Teams Get Better At This Process

We had no idea what to expect from this transfer portal period in the new era of college athletics, with NIL and the unlimited amount of times a player could leave one school for the next. 

It was certainly going to be an eye-opening experience for a number of players who wanted to test their value, while also being an opportunity to take advantage of the new rules. While we have seen a few splashes this spring, with just over a week left in the portal window, there hasn't been a huge number of household names to make a move. 

We can chalk this up to a lot of things, but maybe we're starting to see teams take full advantage of the winter period, and look for the one or two backups needed coming out of spring practice. If we're being honest, this is truly what it was for. The number of lucrative NIL deals being negotiated this spring is not in the same ballpark as what we witnessed during the month of December, and even into February with coaching changes across the country, mostly due in-part to Nick Saban retiring. 

But what we've seen over the past week has mostly centered around players looking for a fresh start, even if that means their 3rd or 4th school in just a few years. Take for instance UCF linebacker Zavier Carter, who entered the portal on Monday. Carter started his career at LSU, transferred to UNLV, then left Las Vegas after a year play for Gus Malzahn at UCF. Now, Carter will be looking for another place to call home. 

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 29: Head coach Gus Malzahn of the UCF Knights  reacts during the first half of a game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at FBC Mortgage Stadium on October 29, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

This is where unlimited transfers are coming into play, especially for players who either can't get onto the field, or feel as if they have value somewhere else. Sometimes it's not the right fit, and sometimes the school you thought would be the one to catapult your college career turns out to be a dud. For a number of these players, they are being processed, after a conversation with the head coach following spring practice. 

It works both ways now in the college game, in a more public setting. If a coach feels as though he needs to clear a roster spot for someone else, or doesn't see things working out with a certain player, it's time to move on. This is a business now, not only for the players, but for every coach that makes up a college football staff. The players are not the only ones with the power to distance themselves from a situation, as some of the time it comes down to a culture fit. 

If you're looking for an example as to how a coach is using the transfer portal to fill-out a massive chunk of their roster, look no further than Deion Sanders at Colorado. 

Colorado Is Piecing Together Its Roster, One Transfer At A Time

The college football world has certainly been paying attention to what's transpiring at Colorado over the last sixteen months. Whether it's the transfer portal, or Deion Sanders landing a high-profile player out of high school like Jordan Seaton, the approach is different than others. 

While most coaches are mixing in a number of high school players with transfer portal additions, folks are wondering if the Deion Sanders method at Colorado is going to work. We have seen the Buffaloes lose more than 15 players to the portal over the last week, but Sanders isn't worried about perception, he's worried about making sure the guys that come to Colorado know what they're getting into. 

"We're good, trust the recruiting team. I trust our coaches. Please have some faith in me. We're good. We're alright," Deion Sanders said recently about portal attrition. "What happens with the portal man, and what you guys need to know, a lot of people are fighting for backups. When a guy's a starter and he transfers, you got to really think about that. I mean, is he really that? I don't know how many starters have really transferred around the country.

"I think we got some coming in for visits pretty soon, maybe even this weekend. But we can attract those type of players. I don't think we're losing those type of players. And if we do, we're good. We're good. We're making a big deal out of nothing."     

Hey, it's his team, and he has the full support of the university. So if this is how Deion Sanders is going to try and win games in the Big 12 next season, have at it. At the end of the 2024 season, getting to a bowl game should be considered a successful season. Headlines will be made by Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, and that offensive line should be much better than last season, even though it wouldn't take much. 

Collectives Aren't Going To Waste Money During Transfer Portal Period

I know the dollar-figures that have been thrown around over the last few years have been mind-blowing for some, but that doesn't mean a school is going to just throw money at guys who would provide depth. We are in a new day and age of NIL, even if it just started three years ago. 

Sure, these collectives have money to spend, but they have changed the ways they are spending it. You might think that your school will go after that running back who put up great numbers, but the coaches at these schools are the ones making the decisions. Sure, the NCAA has backed off when it comes to regulating NIL, but that also doesn't imply that schools are just going on a spending spree because they aren't being watched as close. 

Nick Saban sounds ready to help save college football. (Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)

Sometimes the player isn't worth the headache, or the team doesn't need another position player in the room. However you look at it, the recruiting staffs are getting wiser by the day, and the transfer portal is always going to draw attention. And while NIL Collectives are upping their promotion on social media and within team sites, they are looking to sustain this model, not go broke because a certain player looks like a game-changer. 

As college athletics continues to change, so does the thinking of coaching staffs and NIL groups around the country. Don't forget, even though a player has to enter the portal by April 31st, they don't have to pick a school during this time frame. 

Let's see how the next eight days will play out, then a broader discussion on where we go next will be had.