VC Transfers

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Dale Bonner to Baylor.

Holy Smokes

[IUPbigINDIANS]

With the D2 to D1 frenzy ... and now with a MAJOR signing ... I wonder what the future of D2 holds for its stars.

I understand it ... but as a D2 fan I sure hope this isn't the new norm.

Granted, in a normal year players moving up (non grad transfer) would have to sit out a year so that may sway some of them in the future.

But, man, some SERIOUS star power left D2 in the past month.

[Scrub]

With the D2 to D1 frenzy ... and now with a MAJOR signing ... I wonder what the future of D2 holds for its stars.

I understand it ... but as a D2 fan I sure hope this isn't the new norm.

Granted, in a normal year players moving up (non grad transfer) would have to sit out a year so that may sway some of them in the future.

But, man, some SERIOUS star power left D2 in the past month.

Next man up, I say. The D2 game will still be great to watch (even with a little less star power). It will still be superior fundamental basketball (for those of us who like that sorta thing). It will still avoid being 100% AAU madness on the floor. Yes, the high quality basketball only got better in recent years with big time athletes like Dale Bonner, Ryan Hawkins, Dalton Bolon, and the like. But it'll still be high quality basketball without those guys.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Next man up, I say. The D2 game will still be great to watch (even with a little less star power). It will still be superior fundamental basketball (for those of us who like that sorta thing). It will still avoid being 100% AAU madness on the floor. Yes, the high quality basketball only got better in recent years with big time athletes like Dale Bonner, Ryan Hawkins, Dalton Bolon, and the like. But it'll still be high quality basketball without those guys.

I get that. But, will it be the norm for this to happen yearly? It's great for Dale Bonner. Sucks for Fairmont State.

[IUPHawks24]

With the D2 to D1 frenzy ... and now with a MAJOR signing ... I wonder what the future of D2 holds for its stars.

I understand it ... but as a D2 fan I sure hope this isn't the new norm.

Granted, in a normal year players moving up (non grad transfer) would have to sit out a year so that may sway some of them in the future.

But, man, some SERIOUS star power left D2 in the past month.

[Bart]

Recent history suggests he may do just fine.

Bonner is the second player to transfer to Baylor from a lower NCAA Division in recent years. He follows Freddie Gillespie, who joined the Bears in 2017 after two years at Division III Carleton College, developed into the 2020 Big 12 Most Improved Player and an All-Big 12 Second Team selection, and is now playing on a two-year contract with the NBA's Toronto Raptors.

https://baylorbears.com/news/2021/5/...er-bonner.aspx

[Columbuseer]

Recent history suggests he may do just fine.

Bonner is the second player to transfer to Baylor from a lower NCAA Division in recent years. He follows Freddie Gillespie, who joined the Bears in 2017 after two years at Division III Carleton College, developed into the 2020 Big 12 Most Improved Player and an All-Big 12 Second Team selection, and is now playing on a two-year contract with the NBA's Toronto Raptors.

https://baylorbears.com/news/2021/5/...er-bonner.aspx

Gillespie is 6-9 and 245. Walked on. Baylor coach obviously sees something in Bonner that I had not in watching him play 6 games.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The word starting to leak out is Dale Bonner had more than (27) D1 offers -- numerous being in the P5. Baylor wasn't the only 'profile' school that offered.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Everyone else, good luck. It certainly disincentivizes high school recruiting.

Agreed. Until this portal-happy phenomenon cools off ... teams with money (the ability to just routinely shop for transfers) are going to recruit less and less high school players.

My target audience would be the transfer with 2-3 years eligibility (i.e. Anthony Glover, etc.). If the opportunity presents to take a one-year guy occasionally, so be it.

[IUP24]

I'm not sure many of these things are just going to "go away." The free year of eligibility and free transfer year has created this mess we're seeing now. It's really bad in basketball - atrocious actually. But football is impacted too.

I think the norm you're going to start seeing in football is players "opting out" earlier and earlier. You saw guys not play at all in 2020 and still get selected in the NFL draft. Two players who were full season opt outs were taken in the first round, not sure if there were more. It affected the stock of some, but many others were taken where they were projected to be selected originally. So with that mindset, if you're a player and you've put everything there is to showcase on tape, many will ask "why risk it?" Christian McCafferty was the first to publicly make a big declaration of "opting out" or not playing in a bowl game. The following year, others followed suit. Then Joey Bosa was injured in the opening weekend of the following college season, could have returned mid-season, and said "no thanks" and was still a top 5 pick. In the years since, we've seen players calling it quits with 4-6 games to play in the season. COVID was an easy excuse for players to not play in 2020, but I feel that's going to carry over. I wouldn't be surprised next season to see draft eligible players simply just announce they won't be playing college football and declaring for the 2022 NFL draft in August. Trey Lance was drafted 3rd overall on the basis of playing essentially one season of college football.

These are just things I don't see changing. I wonder what the transfer portal looks like after next basketball season. This very well may be beyond repair at this point, in all of these sports.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I'm not sure many of these things are just going to "go away." The free year of eligibility and free transfer year has created this mess we're seeing now. It's really bad in basketball - atrocious actually. But football is impacted too.

I think the norm you're going to start seeing in football is players "opting out" earlier and earlier. You saw guys not play at all in 2020 and still get selected in the NFL draft. Two players who were full season opt outs were taken in the first round, not sure if there were more. It affected the stock of some, but many others were taken where they were projected to be selected originally. So with that mindset, if you're a player and you've put everything there is to showcase on tape, many will ask "why risk it?" Christian McCafferty was the first to publicly make a big declaration of "opting out" or not playing in a bowl game. The following year, others followed suit. Then Joey Bosa was injured in the opening weekend of the following college season, could have returned mid-season, and said "no thanks" and was still a top 5 pick. In the years since, we've seen players calling it quits with 4-6 games to play in the season. COVID was an easy excuse for players to not play in 2020, but I feel that's going to carry over. I wouldn't be surprised next season to see draft eligible players simply just announce they won't be playing college football and declaring for the 2022 NFL draft in August. Trey Lance was drafted 3rd overall on the basis of playing essentially one season of college football.

These are just things I don't see changing. I wonder what the transfer portal looks like after next basketball season. This very well may be beyond repair at this point, in all of these sports.

Look at Pitt football this past year. Once these season seemed to slip away they had several players 'opt out' with just a few games left. Pitt declined a bowl game because they had so many guys out.

You can surely make a case Trevor Lawarence was crazy to play last season. Worked out fine, but he was going No. 1 whether he played last year or not.

I think the football portal is just as crazy (if not more) than the basketball portal is right now.

[IUP24]

Look at Pitt football this past year. Once these season seemed to slip away they had several players 'opt out' with just a few games left. Pitt declined a bowl game because they had so many guys out.

You can surely make a case Trevor Lawarence was crazy to play last season. Worked out fine, but he was going No. 1 whether he played last year or not.

I think the football portal is just as crazy (if not more) than the basketball portal is right now.

Paris Ford was actually the only guy to "opt out" prior to the end of the season. I was almost certain that all the rest, Jones, Weaver, Morrisey, Hamlin, Pickett, etc., they all played the full season. After the season, the coaches left the decision of playing in the bowl game up to the team. The team voted at the end of the year almost unanimously to skip the bowl game because they wanted to go home for Christmas. Had they voted to play the bowl game, the players would have stayed in the team bubble during what should have been considered the holiday break. Pitt was pretty good from a COVID perspective all year, so I can't say I blame those guys for not wanting to play another meaningless game and be separated from their families anymore. They had very few cases and "protocol" situations. There was one week where them and Georgia Tech both had some issues and that game got rescheduled, otherwise they were in pretty good shape.

I agree about Lawrence. I just think the cat is out of the bag. These guys have seen it hasn't necessarily negatively impacted their pro status, so what's the point? Joey Bosa was really the first to say, "yeah, I don't need this." I don't see that mindset changing. If anything, the attitude set forth in collegiate athletes due to COVID decision making I think has permanently changed the landscape of college athletics. You're going to see multiple high profile guys announce they aren't playing next year right around the time that fall camp will open.

[tsull]

are some of these schools just up and closing? lol

Concordia (NY) has 12 players in portal
Francis Marion has 7 players
Lincoln (PA) has 9

Actually, I think Concordia (NY) closed; Concordia (OR) closed.

I don't like the portal and think they need to reinstate the 1 year sit-out rule. Yes, I know coaches can change jobs without sitting out and I think if a coach leaves, then the player can leave without sitting out. I also realize the extra Covid year has ramped up the portal. But it's out of control. Guys who are starting on good D1 teams and scoring a lot on D1 teams are leaving. D2 has become like a JC feeding frenzy. I also think they ought to put teams on 5 years no post-season for tampering with players from other schools. The NCAA needs to put some teeth into their rules.

Northern State -- a very good D2 program, leads the nation in D2 attendance -- has lost 8 players to the portal. Granted, Parker Fox graduated and went to Minnesota near his home town, I get that. A lot of the others I don't get.

I like following a player from his freshman year to his 4th year or even 5th year. I do understand that most fans aren' t like this and can't remember the roster from one year to the next as they pry themselves off their couch from binge-watching Netflix b.s. to go watch a hoop game, wondering who the players and coaches are. But some of us are into our teams. I don't like the portal.

[IUP24]

Actually, I think Concordia (NY) closed; Concordia (OR) closed.

I don't like the portal and think they need to reinstate the 1 year sit-out rule. Yes, I know coaches can change jobs without sitting out and I think if a coach leaves, then the player can leave without sitting out. I also realize the extra Covid year has ramped up the portal. But it's out of control. Guys who are starting on good D1 teams and scoring a lot on D1 teams are leaving. D2 has become like a JC feeding frenzy. I also think they ought to put teams on 5 years no post-season for tampering with players from other schools. The NCAA needs to put some teeth into their rules.

Northern State -- a very good D2 program, leads the nation in D2 attendance -- has lost 8 players to the portal. Granted, Parker Fox graduated and went to Minnesota near his home town, I get that. A lot of the others I don't get.

I like following a player from his freshman year to his 4th year or even 5th year. I do understand that most fans aren' t like this and can't remember the roster from one year to the next as they pry themselves off their couch from binge-watching Netflix b.s. to go watch a hoop game, wondering who the players and coaches are. But some of us are into our teams. I don't like the portal.

I'm with you. D1 college basketball, for me at least, is nearly unwatchable anymore. I just have no interest. Why should I invest my time, or money for that matter, when every player is just a mercenary?

To add, I don't know how you fix this. But it needs fixed.

[Columbuseer]

I'm with you. D1 college basketball, for me at least, is nearly unwatchable anymore. I just have no interest. Why should I invest my time, or money for that matter, when every player is just a mercenary?

To add, I don't know how you fix this. But it needs fixed.

I cannot watch d1 either with the exception of Gonzaga. Too many bad decisions and lack of teamwork. Also
micro managing coaches who are slowing the pace of the game by not looking to score until 13 secs remaining.