SR1 Regional Rankings (Nov. 10, 2025)

[IUP24]

Our teams unfortunately are going to have to get used to being decimated in the portal every year to a degree. Shepherd had a very average team last year and 7 of the defensive players jumped in the portal with 6 of those going D1. Slippery Rock lost some, Cal as well. Every team is getting poached by D1.

I'm probably more tuned into the "new world" of college athletics and D1 football than I would say most on this board. I never anticipated or believed the portal would impact D2 sports the way it has. It's crazy how much impact it's had at our level.

[Ram040506]

I'm probably more tuned into the "new world" of college athletics and D1 football than I would say most on this board. I never anticipated or believed the portal would impact D2 sports the way it has. It's crazy how much impact it's had at our level.

I've been even more shocked by how much success the players that transferred have had. Of those 7 that transferred off of Shepherd's defense last year, the 6 that went D1, 5 of them are starters and making big impacts. I was getting used to a lot of kids just not accessing their talent and going and riding the bench the last year or 2 of their careers. But that wasn't the case with most of this recent group.

[LT93bunny]

Our teams unfortunately are going to have to get used to being decimated in the portal every year to a degree. Shepherd had a very average team last year and 7 of the defensive players jumped in the portal with 6 of those going D1. Slippery Rock lost some, Cal as well. Every team is getting poached by D1.

It is crazy (WILD WILD WEST). Our running back went to Elon. Jimmy Williams.

[IUP24]

I've been even more shocked by how much success the players that transferred have had. Of those 7 that transferred off of Shepherd's defense last year, the 6 that went D1, 5 of them are starters and making big impacts. I was getting used to a lot of kids just not accessing their talent and going and riding the bench the last year or 2 of their careers. But that wasn't the case with most of this recent group.

I actually think what you're seeing is this...

Because there are now actual "investments" into players (I'm talking about the revenue sharing, not NIL), coaches are moving on from players immediately if they aren't a fit. Nobody is carrying dead weight on their rosters anymore. The second you don't cut it, you're out. The current trend is also to bring in older/experienced players via the portal. So when they ship out some player who never played, if they can bring in a 3-year starter from Kutztown to play special teams or be a rotational guy in the defensive backfield, that's a better trade off than replacing that guy they just shipped out with an unproven high school recruit.

There are also more open roster spots because of the House settlement (105 now versus 85) and there is more transitory movement and roster changes now than previously. Coaches are playing deep benches and getting everyone on the field because if you don't, they're going to leave immediately. All that too say, I actually think the overall level or talent at the D1 level is far less today at 90% of the FBS programs than it was 10 years ago. When there were fewer FBS institutions and there was a hard roster/scholarship cap of 85 players, the talent pool was not diluted. Schools like Ohio State and Alabama are on a different level. But there's minimal separation now amongst nearly all of the P4 schools (and some G5s as well). It's lazy and easy to say that's because of money, but I think the answer that's closer to reality is that the talent pool isn't as good because it's now far more diluted and spread out.

Those FCS and D2 imports aren't swimming in as deep of water now as opposed to before because the surrounding skill level is not as drastically different as it was 5-10 years ago at that level. That's why you're seeing these guys move up, play, and be successful at that level.

[Ram040506]

It is crazy (WILD WILD WEST). Our running back went to Elon. Jimmy Williams.

Teammates with former PSAC Freshman of the year LB Brodie Carroll (Shepherd). Currently the starting MLB and leading tackler for ELON as a soph. 84 tackles, 9 TFL's 2 sacks.