Percentage of Portals that actually change teams

[Bearhof]

So nationwide its 52% of players that have entered the portal actually are able to change schools and less than that end up in a better position. Risky move especially if you are an undergrad student. You lose your scholarship and then don’t get picked up in the portal has been happening to several players. The real goal for 99% of d2 players should be your career after school and should be part of your decision. Those who already have their degree and still eligible to play another year good luck out there.

[BEARS]

I agree that it will be tough for the non-stars on the LR team to find permanent homes (especially homes where they play week-in-week-out). It's a super risky move for players that didn't get playing time at LR, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more than a few of them ultimately hang up their boots when the portal doesn't fall in their favor. Players like JR, Deewee, Kelly, and Jennings will have no problem finding a home and a few of them will be making the hop up to FBS. If they can show out at places like Coastal, Wake Forest, GA Southern, Western Kentucky etc then they will be sniffing around some sort of pro contract (NFL practice squad, UFL, or indoor).

[Bearhof]

I agree that it will be tough for the non-stars on the LR team to find permanent homes (especially homes where they play week-in-week-out). It's a super risky move for players that didn't get playing time at LR, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more than a few of them ultimately hang up their boots when the portal doesn't fall in their favor. Players like JR, Deewee, Kelly, and Jennings will have no problem finding a home and a few of them will be making the hop up to FBS. If they can show out at places like Coastal, Wake Forest, GA Southern, Western Kentucky etc then they will be sniffing around some sort of pro contract (NFL practice squad, UFL, or indoor).

Or could stay with a better chance of making waves at LR like Mike Green Dareke and Duggar. Shannon Myers was also drafted by Miami and made team but suffered a kidney laceration in practice which was unfortunate. Its going to be hard road to start let alone show out at the above d1 schools. See what happens next in the new business of recruiting.

[Redwing]

So nationwide its 52% of players that have entered the portal actually are able to change schools and less than that end up in a better position. Risky move especially if you are an undergrad student. You lose your scholarship and then don’t get picked up in the portal has been happening to several players. The real goal for 99% of d2 players should be your career after school and should be part of your decision. Those who already have their degree and still eligible to play another year good luck out there.

I'm no fan of the portal. But I wonder what the percentage is for players that are starting at a D2 and then enter. I suspect it's not great either, but for some of the kids, it can be a windfall. Those NIL dollars can be huge. And not to mention, the R&B and full scholarship issue. I do wonder about rolling the dice to move to D1 to improve ones chances of a football career after college. If one can transfer AND get significant playing time, that should be a win. Plus getting the opportunity to get coached up by likely better coaches, is a win. But if one is a stud at D2, you'll still get looks. If you don't see the field much after the transfer, it's likely the end of ones football career. How many non-D1 starters does one see at any level of "pro" football?

I would think a bunch of portal guys at D2 are there because they aren't seeing much playing time and they figure maybe there's a slot to play elsewhere.

[Eagle74]

So nationwide its 52% of players that have entered the portal actually are able to change schools and less than that end up in a better position. Risky move especially if you are an undergrad student. You lose your scholarship and then don’t get picked up in the portal has been happening to several players. The real goal for 99% of d2 players should be your career after school and should be part of your decision. Those who already have their degree and still eligible to play another year good luck out there.

You know that economics plays a higher role (especially these days) with the transfer portal with Division 2 student athletes than with other divisions. With D2's lower limitations with scholarships, there's a much higher burden put on the players and their families to shoulder the overall cost (and mounting student debt) not covered by the partial scholarships awarded to players. People can not depend on potential unconstitutional student debt forgiveness as it is quickly losing favor with the vast majority of Americans.

There's really not much opportunities for NIL $$$ in D2, so some players are looking for schools which are better fits economically for themselves and their guardians who are helping for their uncovered expenses.

It's not rocket science seeing that economically, an academically comparable school with a much lower tuition (even without a partial scholarship} can work out much better financially verses a high tuition institution giving a partial or even half scholarship. .

I'm now hearing that pure economics (which is affecting every household) is playing a larger role in recruiting of potential players including those who have placed themselves in the transfer portals. This is a new shift in the game for coaches.

[ironcheftvdinner]

I would be surprised if there are significant numbers of scholarships still available at the FBS and FCS levels at this point. To add to that, I would imagine what dollars remain are for studs/specific needs. So, that leads me to wonder what the offers are actually for.

FBS teams roster over 100 players, so every player over 85 still has to pay their entire way. The mid majors listed for many of the player on the other thread simply don’t have the NIL dollars to keep their best players AND make a significant impact for the non scholarship players.

[Bearhof]

There are going to be hundreds of athletes left with out a team and school. Is there anything lawyers haven’t screwed up. You can add college sports to your list of major disasters.

[Eagle74]

This is not the first year of the transfer portal, and while in the past many player's high aspirations didn't plan out as expected, I'm not aware of any players being left out in the cold and unable to eventually land somewhere.
No one's really sure why some players enter the transfer portal, but I'm sure many more are entering due to the rising economic cost including the higher price of gas for those (and their families) travel to and from home time to time. This includes the cost of their families and friends traveling to see them play. The portal gives a lot of players at least a chance for better economics and the opportunity to play closer to their home. I know this from experience.

[Bearhof]

Football Scoop gives some disturbing statistics on players being left without a scholarship and unable to compete. 8 percent even end up as a walk on. The risk being taken by most of these players to go in the portal has not been a very good experience. Only the very best players are able to better their situation it appears to me.

[canadarican]

Some random thoughts while taking a dump:

• I don't remember the exact number, but a few years back (within 1 or 2 maybe) the NCAA put out a stat that 85-88% of players who enter the portal never find a new "home". That is alarming.
• That being said, I am 100% in favor of the players doing what they truly believe is the best for them. The coaches do it and will leave for a better opportunity almost at the drop of the hat. To me, it's undeniably wrong for players to not have the same opportunity.
• NIL and the transfer portal will even out one day, but the money stuff has always been going on. It's just above the table now and for some dudes (especially at the FBS level) this is lifechanging money.
• I'm not in love with the current transfer rules (see 1st bullet point), but I understand them. I mostly dislike it because working with students everyday, I hate when they leave because I care about them. But I also want them to do what is best for them and their family longterm, especially if an opportunity arises.
• However, I think there are wayyyyy too many Other folks putting insane thoughts in some players heads and overvaluing their skillsets like you see with travel ball or rec league for example. There are way to many dudes being told absolute garbage by people around them.

my thoughts may change tomorrow, but I think that's what I lean today.

[Eagle74]

I had a chat with a friend about the football transfer portal as it applies to D2 schools, and how I hear more and more that some aren't picked up by other schools.

His comments opened my eyes quite a bit. He said that some players are fully aware that they basically don't have a realistic chance of landing at another school, but declaring for the transfer portal is a way of 'saving face' for when a player no longer wants to play for a program, no longer wants to attend the college they're enrolled at, financially can no longer afford to attend the school, homesick, and in some cases, no longer want to play football at all. " Yea I played football at ______ but ended up entering the transfer portal for other potential better opportunities, however, with so many entering at that time, that didn't work out like we had planned". It's become an easy out.

[BearFan1]

I really appreciate the thoughts that have been expressed by all that have posted in this thread. As do most of you, I have mixed feelings about the portal, mostly agreeing that if the coaches can move at the drop of a hat, so should the players have the opportunity to improve their lot in life and in sport.

Where I find it a bit unfair is the "blame" that may unfairly be placed on the "new" coaching staff (acknowledging that they moved to the new school for some reason).
I also think Bearof made an important point much earlier about what the "leaving" player may be giving up when they chose to leave a program. Let me point out one such player.

What John Ross Maye has contributed to Lenoir Rhyne is without out a doubt most significant. From day one on campus his contributions have been lights out good. On and off the field. And yes he stayed four years, albeit one was a shorten year. I hope that his choice to enter the portal for a one year step up in playing level does not unduly dim the appreciation that all LR fans should have for him.

More specifically, do I believe this portal move will be the spring board to the NFL. NO, I do not.
Do I believe he can and will have success at the next level? Yes I do.
Do I believe that at some time down the road will he look back and have regrets about this move? Yes I do.
Will it keep JR Maye from LR Hall of Fame recognition? Unfortunately, most likely.

25 plus years ago, my older son was being denied the the chance to be a running back at a very good 1A program for one and only one reason. Skin color.
His junior year the day before the first practice he and I made the decision to move him to the the neighboring 3A school. His senior year he obtained a scholarship as a running back. That would not have happened if he stayed at the 1A program. No doubt. No chance.

He and I still, at times, discuss if it was the right thing to do. We know what he obtained. We do not know what he gave up. That 1A team with him at Linebacker and sometimes offensive player might have won the State Championship rather than being narrowly eliminated in the 3rd round. We do not know if we made the correct decision, in the long term. Short term, we absolutely made the correct decision.

I do not know the financial circumstance of any of the young men and their families that are making these portal decisions. But I would imagine it comes to play in many of their situations. For all the elements that come into play, one that has received very little attention is the role that the institutions play, either through their allocation of resources or their willingness/ability to raise the necessary funds to address the scholarship ability.

I for one have said that I believe the idea of a D2 programs with 100 dressed out players, most of which have little to no institutional financial support, hoping to make up in quantity what the recruiting ability lacks in quality, is probably very short sighted.

Once I went to a Starmount vs Mt Airy game. Walking by Bear Coach Hollingsworth I said to him.. "OMG look at all those Starmount players, (about 80 compared to Mt Airys 28)" to which Coach Hollingsworth said "yea but they can't put but 11 on the field at the time, and our 11 are better than their 11". He was right.

[Just a fan 73]

What many of you and not talking about is when a new coaching staff come in, they are not invested in the kids already at the school. They are already planning on getting rid of kids and bringing in their own. Many times it has nothing to do with talents but lack of opportunity. I have heard from kids that sat and waiting their turn, new staff come in and tell them I looking to see who I can get rid of to bring in my guys. So what is a kid to do sit there knowing they won't get an opportunity or try to go elsewhere whether not they get picked up. This is what college sports is now.

[canadarican]

What many of you and not talking about is when a new coaching staff come in, they are not invested in the kids already at the school.

THIS. Not always true but most of the time is unfortunately true. IDK if I'd compare it to the "new stepparent" approach I've had some compare it to, but it's not drastically off.

[BearFan1]

I would believe the "new stepparent" situation is true in turn around situations. But where the team just went to the National Semifinals, I would not think that is the case most of the time. I can not imagine that anyone would not want the returning All Americans or even returning All Conference players to stay in place.

Football is not like Basketball or even Baseball where one or two players can make all the difference in the world.
What I have heard from some (not many), just a couple of LR players is that the new coaching staff is really serious about doing the necessary things completely correct, and doing it all the time.
You know that John Wooden started each year teaching his players how to put their shoes own and how to tie their laces. So their feet did not take them out of the game.