Is the quality of College Football suffering as a result of the transfer portal/NIL?

REBELZED

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Sorry in advance for the long post, but I was debating with a couple Michigan friends (yeah, I know) after our game about how the quality of college football really seems to be suffering as a result of the transfer portal and NIL. My post in another thread (https://www.tidefans.com/forums/threads/who-else-thinks-we-just-gave-away-a-nc.335868/post-4149777) got me thinking it might be worth its own discussion.

It seems to me that the upper echelon of CFB has been populated by worse teams in the last couple years than the upper echelon teams from the previous decade or so. What got this started was I told my Michigan friends I thought any of the champs from the previous 5+ seasons would likely have smoked this year's Michigan team. But because Michigan had a senior-laden team, they were able to play disciplined ball and capitalize on what looked to my eyes like a relatively weak playoff field (compared to previous years).

That debate aside, it just seemed like most games I watched this year (tons of games outside of Bama) were worse quality football than I remember the pre-NIL/portal years being. More glaring mistakes, blown coverages, undisciplined play, and just generally sloppy/uninspiring football. Is that just in my head or has anyone else noticed this?

And like I said, even the championship/playoff teams seem weaker compared to previous years (with maybe a couple exceptions). I am very proud of what this Bama team did to become SEC champs this year, but I'm not sure they could have stayed within 2 scores of any other recent SEC champ.

I think it all comes back to the new challenges and distractions of the NIL/transfer portal age. There is hardly any continuity of players since the experienced backups seem to transfer out as often as not. And I would think that coaches are having to devote so much more time/energy to managing rosters through all the changes that the time to invest in developing players has to have been reduced. As a result of ever-changing teams of less experienced players with less coaching, we seem to be getting a lower quality product on the field.

Anybody else feel this way?
 

Superdad

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Sorry in advance for the long post, but I was debating with a couple Michigan friends (yeah, I know) after our game about how the quality of college football really seems to be suffering as a result of the transfer portal and NIL. My post in another thread (https://www.tidefans.com/forums/threads/who-else-thinks-we-just-gave-away-a-nc.335868/post-4149777) got me thinking it might be worth its own discussion.

It seems to me that the upper echelon of CFB has been populated by worse teams in the last couple years than the upper echelon teams from the previous decade or so. What got this started was I told my Michigan friends I thought any of the champs from the previous 5+ seasons would likely have smoked this year's Michigan team. But because Michigan had a senior-laden team, they were able to play disciplined ball and capitalize on what looked to my eyes like a relatively weak playoff field (compared to previous years).

That debate aside, it just seemed like most games I watched this year (tons of games outside of Bama) were worse quality football than I remember the pre-NIL/portal years being. More glaring mistakes, blown coverages, undisciplined play, and just generally sloppy/uninspiring football. Is that just in my head or has anyone else noticed this?

And like I said, even the championship/playoff teams seem weaker compared to previous years (with maybe a couple exceptions). I am very proud of what this Bama team did to become SEC champs this year, but I'm not sure they could have stayed within 2 scores of any other recent SEC champ.

I think it all comes back to the new challenges and distractions of the NIL/transfer portal age. There is hardly any continuity of players since the experienced backups seem to transfer out as often as not. And I would think that coaches are having to devote so much more time/energy to managing rosters through all the changes that the time to invest in developing players has to have been reduced. As a result of ever-changing teams of less experienced players with less coaching, we seem to be getting a lower quality product on the field.

Anybody else feel this way?
I agree. I am one that has loved watching college football since the last couple of Bryant years. The last few years, the games have been harder & harder to watch, at least for me. Undisciplined, sloppy play; showboating after, seemingly, every play. I see it at the high school games too. I say every year that I don't know how much longer I can watch. But, I'm still watching. :)
 

Superdad

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I guess I got on a different rant. I don't think this years Bama or Michigan team would have fared very well against past Bama SEC Champion teams. Heck, the 2010 team may have had their way with them. I agree that NIL & transfer portal has hurt the product on the field.
 

BamaDMD

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Unless the transfer portal/NIL is reigned in significantly and meaningful guidelines established, college football as we have known it will completely cease to exist. We will just have to see what kind of cancer metastasizes from it although the prognosis is not looking good.
 

UKTideFan1961

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I disagree. I think players are better now than ever, are better prepared now than ever to play, and the use of the transfer portal has allowed teams to become better. As to the first two points, how many guys came in as true freshmen 10 years ago and made immeadiate impacts?

Having said that, there has been a consolidation at the top as the top tier programs raid lower tier programs for players that maybe were not as highly ranked out of HS but developed over a couple of years. I find the portal to be a negative in terms of my overall enjoyment of the game, but there is no doubt the *games* are much better than they used to be,

And, sure, there is more showboating, etc but that is more about the social media culture we live in than anything else.
 

BamaNation

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The main problem as I see it is that by doing all the NIL & transfer stuff, players appear to be playing for themselves and not their schools. To ME that's what made college football special. Guys that stay because they want to play for their schools are rare in this environment. I think all players should be allowed 1 freebie transfer without consequence and play without sitting out. After that, no matter the circumstances, you should have to sit out a whole season ... Just so there's clarity on obligations and commitment and responsibilities. It also is not great for a student to transfer multiple times. Makes no sense in the educational process. Maybe an exception if you get your degree and want to transfer as a grad student to another school. At least that way you've earned that ability. JMHO.
 

REBELZED

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I disagree. I think players are better now than ever, are better prepared now than ever to play, and the use of the transfer portal has allowed teams to become better. As to the first two points, how many guys came in as true freshmen 10 years ago and made immeadiate impacts?

Having said that, there has been a consolidation at the top as the top tier programs raid lower tier programs for players that maybe were not as highly ranked out of HS but developed over a couple of years. I find the portal to be a negative in terms of my overall enjoyment of the game, but there is no doubt the *games* are much better than they used to be,

And, sure, there is more showboating, etc but that is more about the social media culture we live in than anything else.
See I think the games have gotten closer but not better.

For so long casual fans have been clamoring for parity and I think we are getting it in the form of everybody getting worse...
 
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REBELZED

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The main problem as I see it is that by doing all the NIL & transfer stuff, players appear to be playing for themselves and not their schools. To ME that's what made college football special. Guys that stay because they want to play for their schools are rare in this environment. I think all players should be allowed 1 freebie transfer without consequence and play without sitting out. After that, no matter the circumstances, you should have to sit out a whole season ... Just so there's clarity on obligations and commitment and responsibilities. It also is not great for a student to transfer multiple times. Makes no sense in the educational process. Maybe an exception if you get your degree and want to transfer as a grad student to another school. At least that way you've earned that ability. JMHO.
Absolutely! The pride of playing for a particular school/program/coaching staff and the passion that brought was always what separated college football from pro.

Now we're just getting a pro football type environment with much lower quality football. Not to mention a bunch of entitled teenagers jumping from school to school based on who is paying them more...
 

Gallowglas

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In the way things are today? Absolutely. It would be hard to argue otherwise. At least with the NFL there are contractual arrangements in place to keep things mostly consistent until players hit free agency. NCAAF is the wild west right now and the only rule of law is money.
 

Power Eye

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Sorry in advance for the long post, but I was debating with a couple Michigan friends (yeah, I know) after our game about how the quality of college football really seems to be suffering as a result of the transfer portal and NIL. My post in another thread (https://www.tidefans.com/forums/threads/who-else-thinks-we-just-gave-away-a-nc.335868/post-4149777) got me thinking it might be worth its own discussion.

It seems to me that the upper echelon of CFB has been populated by worse teams in the last couple years than the upper echelon teams from the previous decade or so. What got this started was I told my Michigan friends I thought any of the champs from the previous 5+ seasons would likely have smoked this year's Michigan team. But because Michigan had a senior-laden team, they were able to play disciplined ball and capitalize on what looked to my eyes like a relatively weak playoff field (compared to previous years).

That debate aside, it just seemed like most games I watched this year (tons of games outside of Bama) were worse quality football than I remember the pre-NIL/portal years being. More glaring mistakes, blown coverages, undisciplined play, and just generally sloppy/uninspiring football. Is that just in my head or has anyone else noticed this?

And like I said, even the championship/playoff teams seem weaker compared to previous years (with maybe a couple exceptions). I am very proud of what this Bama team did to become SEC champs this year, but I'm not sure they could have stayed within 2 scores of any other recent SEC champ.

I think it all comes back to the new challenges and distractions of the NIL/transfer portal age. There is hardly any continuity of players since the experienced backups seem to transfer out as often as not. And I would think that coaches are having to devote so much more time/energy to managing rosters through all the changes that the time to invest in developing players has to have been reduced. As a result of ever-changing teams of less experienced players with less coaching, we seem to be getting a lower quality product on the field.

Anybody else feel this way?
You are spot on. It not only takes away from the quality of the product on the field, but it takes away from the enjoyment of the fans who support it. I'm okay with players making money, and I'm okay with players being able to transfer, but there has to be rules in place, otherwise, the sport is just getting silly. Even the more prominent commentators like Pate and Klatt are commenting about how much they love the sport, but don't like what it has become. The calendar is ridiculous, the free for all that has become the portal is absurd, no rules of any type govern NIL, so roster management has become an impossible task.

Like Saban said a few years ago when discussing this, Alabama is one of the "haves", we aren't one of the "have nots", so it's not like we are only complaining about this because our team is negatively affected by it. We have historically benefited from this stuff.
 
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theballguy

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Anybody else feel this way?
Yep, ever since Covid year. First, players have gotten soft and even further entitled. Just the way it is. And I think more importantly and with more of an impact, NIL and the TP have spread teams out. There's no longer any depth anywhere. There's hardly any combined talent or the desire at any program over the last few years to put it all together and execute as a team at an elite level. There's almost no desire by any 4 or 5 start to go to a particular school they've always been a fan of or respected when they were younger. It's about money which is for them, sort of understandable.

I was really bummed that Alabama was not able to take advantage during 2021, '22, '23 when teams were very soft. The lone exception I feel was Georgia in 2021. Their offense was not the greatest but their defense was elite and one of quality we have not seen since. I feel like any Bama team from 2020 going back could have easily won the NC the last 2 or 3 seasons without breaking a sweat.
 
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It's obviously gotten worse for Bama fans. And Clemson fans, if for different reasons. But it's probably better for fans of teams like Washington---of which there are a lot more.

Pre-NIL and quasi-free agency, Saban was able to stockpile 5- and 4-star talent and develop them. In recent years, though, about half of those guys bolt for another team, leaving us thinner. But, by definition, that makes lower-tier teams like Ole Miss and TCU better.
 

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