Transfer Portal Season 2023

[IUPbigINDIANS]

This just in...Transferring doesn't always mean greener grass...I saw this on Twitter this morning:

2022-23 CBB Transfer Portal Stats

With most universities starting classes in the coming weeks, of all the athletes that have committed to a new program, 1 out of 12 players who transferred this year went up in the portal, the rest have either transferred lateral or down.

With most of the rosters finalized, 45% of players who entered the portal this year will not play NCAA basketball in the upcoming 2023-24 season.

I watched it pretty closely and did notice a number of former PSAC players -- some of whom were pretty good players -- didn't find homes.
Former Clarion star Gerald Jarmon comes to mind.

I do think the "1 out of 12" stat is a bit misleading. Not every player who transfers does so to go up.

It seems the goal of many is in fact to do a lateral transfer (D2 to D2)

- upgrading to a better program
- finding a better fit where he can play more


No doubt some of these kids are purely delusional, but I do think a good chunk just want a fresh start. Some of these coaches, behind the scenes, are real jerks. Too many players sign with schools and coaches sight unseen.

In the PSAC, much like PSAC football, it's pretty clear which programs win (and, can win) and which programs don't (and really can't). The money is so uneven.

The PSAC West has seen a number of stars actually 'go up' in the past two seasons -- Phillip Alston, Tomiwa Sulaiman, Armoni Foster, Samuel Tabe, Michael Bradley and Pipeloluwa Ajayi come to mind. In the MEC, West Liberty has lost two superstars recently to D1.

As fans, the Sulaiman / Ajayi departures hurt on a lot of levels. Not only are IUP and Mercyhurst bitter rivals, but those two were both just sophomores last year. We could have had two more years of them battling each other.

The good news is the Covid exemptions and bonus years are starting to work their way out of the system. I suspect this transfer mania cools down in the coming years.

[IUP24]

I watched it pretty closely and did notice a number of former PSAC players -- some of whom were pretty good players -- didn't find homes.
Former Clarion star Gerald Jarmon comes to mind.

I do think the "1 out of 12" stat is a bit misleading. Not every player who transfers does so to go up.

It seems the goal of many is in fact to do a lateral transfer (D2 to D2)

- upgrading to a better program
- finding a better fit where he can play more


No doubt some of these kids are purely delusional, but I do think a good chunk just want a fresh start. Some of these coaches, behind the scenes, are real jerks. Too many players sign with schools and coaches sight unseen.

In the PSAC, much like PSAC football, it's pretty clear which programs win (and, can win) and which programs don't (and really can't). The money is so uneven.

The PSAC West has seen a number of stars actually 'go up' in the past two seasons -- Phillip Alston, Tomiwa Sulaiman, Armoni Foster, Samuel Tabe, Michael Bradley and Pipeloluwa Ajayi come to mind. In the MEC, West Liberty has lost two superstars recently to D1.

As fans, the Sulaiman / Ajayi departures hurt on a lot of levels. Not only are IUP and Mercyhurst bitter rivals, but those two were both just sophomores last year. We could have had two more years of them battling each other.

The good news is the Covid exemptions and bonus years are starting to work their way out of the system. I suspect this transfer mania cools down in the coming years.

This stuff is going to organically phase away a significant deal. Figure all of these scenarios...

-Any player on a roster somewhere in 2020 was given a free transfer that season because there were so many different variables out there regarding who was playing, who wasn't, etc.
-Any player on a roster during 2020 was also awarded an extra year of eligibility simply in addition to the 2020 transfer allowance.
-If you graduate, you have always been permitted to transfer post-graduation assuming you still have eligibility.
-The NCAA also created the free one-time transfer policy.

A freshman football player in 2020 who signed a LOI during the December 2019 signing period could have:
1. Transferred in the summer of 2020 for a better situation due to COVID.
2. Utilized his one-time transfer in January 2021 after the 2020 season.
3. Play the 2021 and 2022 seasons at one particular school.
4. Graduate and freely transfer to another university for the 2023 season.
5. Apply for a waiver and transfer (with cause/reason) to one more school using his COVID year of eligibility for the 2024 season.

In a 5-year period, that's 4 different schools and 4 separate transfers (3 of the 4 being free and totally allowable). We're phasing out of that. I think we have one more year of this and then stuff will normalize again, to a point.

I don't see a world where the genie goes back in the bottle and we lose the free one-time transfer, but I actually don't mind the extra year of eligibility. In fact, I would like to see a world where the NCAA can effectively keep that option available, but with some strings attached. I think for many individuals, that 5th year has helped them to become star players and put them into a better pro position. For others, it helps them to finish a master's degree. I think as this goes on, they should place parameters over how the 5th years are handed out. For example, you had to have played 3 years consecutively at the same school prior to being allowed that 5th year. Reward commitment in an effort to control player movement. Don't just hand out a 5th year because Johnny basketball player wasn't going to be an NBA lottery pick.

[Scrub]

I don't see a world where the genie goes back in the bottle and we lose the free one-time transfer, but I actually don't mind the extra year of eligibility. In fact, I would like to see a world where the NCAA can effectively keep that option available, but with some strings attached. I think for many individuals, that 5th year has helped them to become star players and put them into a better pro position. For others, it helps them to finish a master's degree. I think as this goes on, they should place parameters over how the 5th years are handed out. For example, you had to have played 3 years consecutively at the same school prior to being allowed that 5th year. Reward commitment in an effort to control player movement. Don't just hand out a 5th year because Johnny basketball player wasn't going to be an NBA lottery pick.

I really like that idea of the NCAA finding a way to reward players for program loyalty. Intriguing concept.

[IUP24]

I really like that idea of the NCAA finding a way to reward players for program loyalty. Intriguing concept.

I think there are many examples of players just coming into their own by the time they reach the end of their eligibility. If you can reward players with the opportunity to complete a masters degree, and have an extra year of eligibility, I think that’s a nice incentive.

I’m against the amount and frequency of player movement, not player movement itself. That stuff will organically phase out in the next 1-2 years. But it would be nice to keep the 5th year option alive in some circumstances.

[WarriorVoice]

Former Bowling Green player Cam Young, 6'7 Forward and former IUP Guard Jaheim Bethea have transfered to ESU. Expect both to be in the starting lineup for Jeff Wilson this year.

[bballfan03]

So despite VC saying he went to St Mary's in Canada.. I just discovered Ali Ragab, Gannon, is on WVUs roster. WTF?! WVU has to be desperare

[IUPbigINDIANS]

So despite VC saying he went to St Mary's in Canada.. I just discovered Ali Ragab, Gannon, is on WVUs roster. WTF?! WVU has to be desperare

They lost a lot, late, after Huggins.

[boatcapt]

I think there are many examples of players just coming into their own by the time they reach the end of their eligibility. If you can reward players with the opportunity to complete a masters degree, and have an extra year of eligibility, I think that’s a nice incentive.

I’m against the amount and frequency of player movement, not player movement itself. That stuff will organically phase out in the next 1-2 years. But it would be nice to keep the 5th year option alive in some circumstances.

As with almost anything, they will find a way to expand such a 5th year program to the point were it actually hurts the game. Want proof? Just look at the transfer eligibility and protal process. Good intentions that morphed into a horrible outcome. HARD to put the jeanny back in the bottle so to speak.

Yep...College players do become better the older they get. Of course, the same could be said of almost everyone...I was MUCH better at my job five years into doing it than I was the first year or two!!!! Heck, why stop at a 5 years? Let's have 7 or 8 years of eligibility...THAT way players will have a shot at getting their PHD..."Doctor of Basketball Joe Smith!!"

[IUP24]

As with almost anything, they will find a way to expand such a 5th year program to the point were it actually hurts the game. Want proof? Just look at the transfer eligibility and protal process. Good intentions that morphed into a horrible outcome. HARD to put the jeanny back in the bottle so to speak.

Yep...College players do become better the older they get. Of course, the same could be said of almost everyone...I was MUCH better at my job five years into doing it than I was the first year or two!!!! Heck, why stop at a 5 years? Let's have 7 or 8 years of eligibility...THAT way players will have a shot at getting their PHD..."Doctor of Basketball Joe Smith!!"

You sound way too jaded. You have to wholistically look at what I'm saying and evaluate it for what it is.

Two things are actively happening now... 1) The NCAA is significantly cracking down on the number of multiple time transfers without penalty. The cycle of the players who could have essentially transferred 3 times without penalty is organically phasing out. And it's pretty clear the NCAA is trying to reign in the unlimited "freedom of movement" as that is happening. 2) The number of players who are opting to take the 5th year COVID season is also reducing. And in 2 years, those players will not have the option to take the 5th year anymore anyways. A kid who was a redshirt freshman in 2020 may feel like he never missed out on anything in college or athletically due to COVID, so he may not want that extra year.

I have no issues with the "one time transfer rule." I would prefer that there be parameters on it, but that is what it is. You can up and leave your job if you want to. Any other student can up and transfer if they are too far from home, struggling academically, want a change, etc. There are valid reasons why somebody 18-23 years old may want to change where he/she goes to college. I hate the transferring for clear NIL reasons, but I'm not sure how you address that. At the end of the day, most of these athletes are not getting "paid" what many assume or think. Some are getting more than you'd like to believe, but most are getting much less than you think or nothing at all from NIL. I also have no qualms with the post-graduate transfer (which, to be clear, is a rule that has always existed). If you've fulfilled your academic responsibilities at the school, then you should have every right to go elsewhere if you are pursuing a master's degree.

I agree that you aren't going to put the genie back into the bottle for 95% of this stuff. People overreact to the transfer portal. But players transferred forever before the portal became an official thing in 2018. And to be clear, the NCAA used the transfer portal process for numerous sports before it got implemented into football and basketball. All this does is allow a student athlete to remain enrolled in school while communicating with other coaches to find a new place to play. Once their name goes into it, they can be recruited and contacted. It's supposed to make the process easier on players/coaches alike. Now, you can argue that the number of people going into the portal is absurd, and I'd agree, but that's an independent discussion of this one.

My proposal is that a 5th year can be awarded if you played 3 consecutive years at one school, which ran concurrent and prior to the 5th year being requested, and only to those that transferred one time. That would solve a lot of issues and provide good opportunities:

1. It encourages and rewards staying in one location.
2. It limits or discourages excessive player movement.
3. It offers an educational opportunity for a student athlete to obtain a master's degree.
4. It offers an additional opportunity to showcase skills for professional scouts (at any level) in the athlete's chosen sport. Athletes may think long and hard about a miniscule transfer... "Should I transfer now for that NIL opportunity worth 50,000, or should I stay put and potentially have a better shot at a pro career by using my 5th year?"

[boatcapt]

I said this before the whole NIL and transfer portal thing got rolling. For 99% of the college athletes, the system wasn't broken...SOOOO...why change a system to benefit the 1% of elite level athletes in two sports (D1 football and basketball)?

[Fightingscot82]

Grady announced a grad transfer from Wagner. Rock looking loaded this winter.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Grady announced a grad transfer from Wagner. Rock looking loaded this winter.

He's also loaded with personalities (tightly-wound ones).

If they stay together he will have a good team. That's a major 'if' however.

Lot of 'get mine' on that roster, including the king of 'get mine' coming down from Peach Street (who also is hurt constantly). We'll see.

Reminds me of an old Gary Edwards' type ensemble.

It may work.

It may also resemble the Titanic by Santa Claus.