The Portal, 2025 Style

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Portal nightmare has begun, heard Shepherd and SH numerous bodies in portal. Some very interesting to say the least..

Don't be shocked if some Griffins become Crimson Hawks.

Just sayin'

[CUlater]

With the first week (almost) in the books for D2 portal chaos, from my perspective so far two really big losers. Gannon and Shep have been gutted of their top returning talent. Fairly spotty from there so far but those two jump off the page to me.

[Ram040506]

From Twitter/Facebook for Shepherd:

-LB Harold O'Neal has entered the portal as a grad transfer with 1 year remaining. 2nd Team Defense for PSAC East.
-LB Brodie Carrol has entered the portal with 3 years and a RS remaining. PSAC East Freshman of the year, already offers from Albany, Western Illinois and New Hampshire.
-LB JT Kouame-Yao has entered the portal with 1 year remaining and a redshirt. PSAC East 1st Team LB
-DB Miles Greer has entered the portal with 2 years remaining and a redshirt. PSAC East 1st Team returner 2X, 1st team DB as well.
-WR Cameron Dorner has entered the portal with 1 year remaining and a redshirt. 2nd Team All PSAC East
-DB Donte Harrison has entered the portal as a grad transfer with 1 year remaining and a redshirt. 2nd team all PSAC East Defense.

YAY!

[Iupgh]

It's a mess all around. We now have a de facto feeder system within our league for the top programs. Millersville can develop a high school recruit for a couple years and then he'll spent his best years (Junior and Senior) at IUP or Slippery Rock, etc.

At its core, the transfer portal was meant to serve a purpose. There are certainly instances where players sign with a program and just aren't a good fit. There are lots of programs (many in our league for example) that have terrible cultures. Some players get sold a bill of goods and quickly see the reality.

It's not coincidental some programs don't lose many players.

Keep in mind, too, it's not always the player electing to transfer. Scholarship money is year to year. Coaches miss on a lot of recruits. After a year or so if it's very clear (to the coach) said player isn't going to make it ... time to pack up. That money can be spent better elsewhere. So, essentially the player is cut. We rarely hear that side of the story but it happens a lot. Sometimes these players are complete idiots off the field and the coach can't wait for the season to end to get rid of them.

Every team is going to lose a few each year. When you see the mass exodus, that can spell trouble.

As for the 'program hoppers' ... it is what it is. When I see a 26-year-old still playing D2 sports ... well, he best have at least (1) Masters. Unfortunately many don't even have their first degree yet. That's scary.

Portal nightmare has begun, heard Shepherd and SH numerous bodies in portal. Some very interesting to say the least..

[IUPbigINDIANS]

When they've spent 5 years playing football at 3 different schools and only have 3 years of credits toward a degree to show for it...

It's a mess all around. We now have a de facto feeder system within our league for the top programs. Millersville can develop a high school recruit for a couple years and then he'll spent his best years (Junior and Senior) at IUP or Slippery Rock, etc.

At its core, the transfer portal was meant to serve a purpose. There are certainly instances where players sign with a program and just aren't a good fit. There are lots of programs (many in our league for example) that have terrible cultures. Some players get sold a bill of goods and quickly see the reality.

It's not coincidental some programs don't lose many players.

Keep in mind, too, it's not always the player electing to transfer. Scholarship money is year to year. Coaches miss on a lot of recruits. After a year or so if it's very clear (to the coach) said player isn't going to make it ... time to pack up. That money can be spent better elsewhere. So, essentially the player is cut. We rarely hear that side of the story but it happens a lot. Sometimes these players are complete idiots off the field and the coach can't wait for the season to end to get rid of them.

Every team is going to lose a few each year. When you see the mass exodus, that can spell trouble.

As for the 'program hoppers' ... it is what it is. When I see a 26-year-old still playing D2 sports ... well, he best have at least (1) Masters. Unfortunately many don't even have their first degree yet. That's scary.

[Fightingscot82]

You have to wonder who is advising these young men...

When they've spent 5 years playing football at 3 different schools and only have 3 years of credits toward a degree to show for it...

[WarriorVoice]

You have to wonder who is advising these young men...

[jrshooter]

I have the first entry, and can't say it's surprising. Shippensburg QB Sam Stoner is last seen turning left at Sheetz and heading outta there.

https://twitter.com/SamStoner15/stat...60068448502066