The NCAA approved the elimination of the spring transfer portal window in college football on Wednesday, marking a monumental change to the landscape of the sport.
The Division I Administrative Committee approved the change, impacting programs across the country, including the Blue Raiders.
“I think the one portal window, if that’s what they choose to do, I think it’s probably right,” MTSU head coach Derek Mason said on Sept. 8.
On Sept. 4, the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee originally approved a recommendation for new legislation proposing a 10-day transfer portal window of Jan. 2-11. However, the timing of the single window for football players is still up in the air, according to MTSU Director of Athletics Chris Massaro.
“There are still a lot of details to come so it is difficult to have an immediate reaction to yesterday’s news,” Massaro said. “For instance, we don’t know the length of the January window which will impact recruiting and other things.”
The Oversight Committee’s recommendation also contains some changes to recruiting with high school prospects, including making the entire month of December a recruiting dead period, and moving the first date recruits can receive official written offers from Aug. 1 of their senior year to Nov. 15 of their senior year.
Previously, the transfer portal opened for football players for 45 days in the winter, with a 15-day window in the spring. Transitioning to a one-time portal window will bring many changes to recruiting in college football.
“I think the important part of this is that recruiting is not going to stop,” Mason said. “Then people are going to look at your roster. Who’s playing well, this, that and the other. So you have to be worried about retention, as well as acquisition.”
Per the Oversight Committee’s recommendation, the 10-day span will serve as the lone window for players to enter the portal.
Although the new window offers the possibility of a chaotic offseason, Massaro believes it provides an opportunity for the rampant transfer numbers in college football to decrease.
“I think this is ultimately good for many football student athletes as schools will be more likely to keep their rosters together for a longer period of time,” Massaro said. “I am hopeful that it will allow football to student athletes to develop deeper bonds with their teammates.”
Massaro also said that the elimination of the spring window will push schools to recruit more athletes out of high school, rather than relying on the portal for talent.
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