- Sep 4, 2014
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I used to think like that too but I’ve changed my tune over the years. Coaches can leave anytime they want for a better opportunity so should the kids. They have 4-5 years to play college football and the rest of their life to do something else not nearly as exciting. Go make the best of it. Later on in life when you have a real job you can up and leave for a better opportunity…everyone else gets to but college athletes…makes no sense
I don’t disagree entirely, and do think there are circumstances that should come in to play. Like you, I used to be firmly against it and thought it would really damage programs. I haven’t seen that so far.
But one thing that’s interesting is that it is now shifting in terms of benefit in favor of schools and coaches, not players. From what I read, there are apparently over 2300 players currently in the portal. Based on the data, roughly 46% or never signed to another program. So that means they are effectively ending their college careers by doing so. No other program to get exposure, no degree. From a stable full ride(most schools didn’t process) to an education, to now having nothing. And because programs are subject to being hurt, and coaches salaries are what they are, now schools everywhere are encouraging(pushing) kids out because they have to. So for every Jared Verse, there are hundreds of bad decisions that completely bite the player. And there will be roster upgrades like we’re likely seeing here, where a 3* kid is playing their last year of college football, because they were encouraged to leave to make room for an upgrade, and weren’t picked up. As always, when we try to make things “fair”, it ends up backfiring and plenty of kids from humble beginnings are now left out in the cold, which is exactly what I said would happen. Probably should’ve left in the way it was in retrospect, but we seemingly can’t help ourselves.