Transfer Portal Activity

[Sundog]

In the past few days, 4 current NDSU players (3 of whom saw significant snaps this year) have announced that they're entering the transfer portal. Their timing means that they will not be participating in the upcoming playoffs. Any other FCS schools seeing similar developoments? I personally have mixed feelings about this... their careers/best interests vs. loyalty to their program and their teammates.

[ElCid]

In the past few days, 4 current NDSU players (3 of whom saw significant snaps this year) have announced that they're entering the transfer portal. Their timing means that they will not be participating in the upcoming playoffs. Any other FCS schools seeing similar developoments? I personally have mixed feelings about this... their careers/best interests vs. loyalty to their program and their teammates.

Impact players? Might affect my pick 'em scores. Hah.

[caribbeanhen]

Impact players? Might affect my pick 'em scores. Hah.

impact players means different things to different people

[Professor Chaos]

Impact players? Might affect my pick 'em scores. Hah.

The 4 were CB Marques Sigle, WR DJ Hart, RB Dom Gonnella, and CB Britton Pascoe.

Sigle was their #3 CB but had played really well - only reason he wasn't starting is they have 2 established starters already. Hart was probably either their #2 or #3 receiver in terms of snaps and, IMO, was their most dynamic WR. Gonnella was their #4 RB (moved up to #3 with the injury to Hunter Leupke) but in NDSU's offense that does get you some decent carries - they have ridiculous depth at RB though. Pascoe was a redshirt freshman who hadn't appeared in a game yet this year I don't think so he is probably just looking for somewhere he can get more playing time.

Losing Sigle and Hart hurts. Losing Gonella is unfortunate but pretty minimal impact IMO. Losing Pascoe has no impact on this season.

I mentioned it in the MVFC thread but I'm pretty sure the reason these guys are heading to the portal now is the early signing period in mid-December is when the majority of FBS scholarships are locked up so if they wait until after the playoffs they're potentially losing opportunities. If they'd make the early signing period actually early like in August FCS teams would be able to avoid a lot of these situations happening during the playoffs I'd think (not to mention the coaching churn that tends to happen this time of year for the same reason of trying to beat the early signing period).

[Libertine]

If they'd make the early signing period actually early like in August FCS teams would be able to avoid a lot of these situations happening during the playoffs I'd think (not to mention the coaching churn that tends to happen this time of year for the same reason of trying to beat the early signing period).

I get the frustration but moving early signing to August will never get any traction. That's prior to the start of the player's senior season, which coaches view -- with very few exceptions -- both as confirmation of a player's value as well as a necessary part of their development. Not to mention that signing a kid to a scholarship prior to the start of their senior year is illegal under current NCAA rules and changing those rules would open up a simply massive can of worms that would be virtually impossible to regulate.

[Professor Chaos]

I get the frustration but moving early signing to August will never get any traction. That's prior to the start of the player's senior season, which coaches view -- with very few exceptions -- both as confirmation of a player's value as well as a necessary part of their development. Not to mention that signing a kid to a scholarship prior to the start of their senior year is illegal under current NCAA rules and changing those rules would open up a simply massive can of worms that would be virtually impossible to regulate.

The majority of guys who commit to FBS schools and top FCS schools are offered and verbally committed well before their senior season starts. As far as needing them to be seniors move it to 9/15 or 10/1 then. They do it in basketball with an early signing period 4-5 months before the late signing period.

Or just get rid of the early signing period altogether... I was all for it at first just because the Nick Sabans of the world were against it so I thought it must be good for the littler guys but I didn't anticipate it causing this cluster**** of player and coach movement in late November/early December that would be so disruptive to the FCS playoffs.

[Libertine]

The majority of top guys in their school's recruiting class and who typically get the most press who commit to FBS schools and top FCS schools are offered and verbally committed well before their senior season starts.

I took the liberty of adjusting your quote to reflect the broader truth. Also -- and I know this sounds unethical but it's the way college recruiting works in the real world -- just because a college offers a kid and he commits to that school does not mean the school is under any obligation to "accept" his commitment. Particularly now that the transfer portal exists, college programs often find themselves in a position where their roster needs can change overnight when they lose transfers or an unexpected transfer player who's more ready to contribute immediately can become available to them. This means that schools simply can't afford to just welcome any offered prospect that agrees to come even though the school definitely invited them.
I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone here that, more than any other sport, the longevity of a college football program is built less on star players and more on the overall quality of the depth chart. As a result, that high school senior year of development becomes more important than ever, both for borderline scholarship players as well as for programs who are trying to make hard choices between this kid or that kid as they build their roster.

[acbearkat]

The majority of guys who commit to FBS schools and top FCS schools are offered and verbally committed well before their senior season starts. As far as needing them to be seniors move it to 9/15 or 10/1 then. They do it in basketball with an early signing period 4-5 months before the late signing period.

Or just get rid of the early signing period altogether... I was all for it at first just because the Nick Sabans of the world were against it so I thought it must be good for the littler guys but I didn't anticipate it causing this cluster**** of player and coach movement in late November/early December that would be so disruptive to the FCS playoffs.

I believe the early signing period needs to be for early enrollees only. In my opinion, that would be a good change for the NCAA to make and I believe that would make it much less likely you would see head coaches being fired so early in the season (Michigan State being an outlier; Mel Tucker would have been fired early in the season even without the leak to USA Today).

[Tribal]

We lost key and not-so-key players to the transfer portal. I try to view it as the player’s dad….whatever reason I support the player’s decision. We lost a die-hard starting Tribe RB to Monmouth. I’ll just say “good luck” to him and I prefer the 4 RBs we have who want to compete for playing time. Our TE transferred to Clemson. He did well but there’s an old saying, “fake grass is always green.” NDSU has plenty of guys who love the school and want to compete. You’ll be fine…the transfer portal is what it is.


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[SFA 93]

LB: BREVIN RANDLE 6-0; 230 (SFA)
GP:37;TKL:184;TFL:12.0;SCK:3.0;FF:2;FR:2;PD:1;INT: 2;TD:1

- PLAYED IN 4 GAMES AND THEN SAT OUT THE REST OF THE SEASON TO ENTER THE PORTAL WITH 2 YEARS REMAINING (2022)
- 1ST TEAM ALL-WAC (2021)
- 1ST TEAM ALL-SLC/SLC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (2020)