The transfer portal has certainly changed the game.
Earlier this month, the Athletic reported that about 450 players from Power 5 schools had entered the portal and just under half of them remain uncommitted.
“It’s something new that’s been thrown on everybody and it’s a huge work in progress that you’re trying to figure out,” Florida head coach Dan Mullen said.
Mullen, like every other college football coach, is learning to adapt to the portal. Florida itself has seen how scholarship numbers can drastically change quickly.
The Gators have had eight players transfer this offseason and have five open slots ahead of the 2019 season - although there is still time to add a transfer themselves.
However, there are rules in place that can hinder this process. There are rules that limit schools' initial counter numbers each year, so one can easily argue there are more prospects in the portal than open scholarships at FBS programs.
So not only are players left trying to find a new home but it could be more difficult for teams to sign enough to stay near the NCAA 85 scholarship man roster.
"I do think it's really interesting," Mullen said during the SEC spring meetings in Destin, Fla.. "I think one thing that you'd love to see the NCAA potentially look at is if there is some way that you have a bunch of guys enter the portal, is there a way that you can help that?"
Players have always been able to transfer.
Whether it was because a player decided he wanted to be closer to home or he simply wanted more playing time, players did transfer before the portal. However, with its addition, transfers are becoming more prevalent.
"To me it's the guys that wouldn't have transferred in the past, not the guys that still probably [would have transferred]. A younger player that maybe is over his head or there is an issue at home, they went far away to school and there is an issue at home, a family illness or one of those deals. Those type of situations are kind of the older, traditional ones," explained Mullen. "But pay attention to which ones are the new ones and how that's affecting football and then try to judge it as best you can as you recruit who's not going to fall into that.
"Part of it, and everybody knows, is transfers have been around for a while. I think this just changes the light on it," he added. "Before a guy could come to us, request a transfer, we'd go, 'OK, what schools do you want to be released to?' We'd say, 'You're released to these schools.' And really anybody outside of that meeting wouldn't know anything about it. And now it's just kind of really brought all the attention to the forefront of it."
According to Mullen, it's about making sure the individuals are getting educated about their decision and the consequences of them.
“I’ll be honest, some of the questions are, ‘Is it what the kids think it is?’ It was put in as a big benefit for student-athletes and is it really that? Is it teaching the right lessons? Is it just making it easier to give up?
“Societally speaking, I’m a big believer you kind of start what you finish, try to get at least get through a cycle anyway," Mullen said. "If it’s not for you, but try not to walk away midseason or one of those deals. It makes it somewhat easier for guys to do that.”
Mullen told reporters he is trying not to judge the transfer portal after just one year.
“It’s always tough in a Year 1 or 2 of things because you don’t want to jump and overreact until you have all the information,” Mullen said. “I kind of like to get all the information before you go to make those decisions. It’s one of things we’re really going to have to study and see how it’s affects over the next couple of years: is it growing, is it shrinking, what direction is it heading?"
