In-state G5 coaches view transfer portal as a net positive

[Jonnyeagle]

Coaches like UTSA's Jeff Traylor, North Texas head coach Seth Littrell and Texas State's Jake Spavital view the transfer portal as way to improve roster, chances at success in 2022 college football season.

Listen to a press conference or sports radio or the loud voices on Twitter and it’d be easy to think that the advent of the transfer portal is sure to damage college football, especially at the G5 level. But most of the coaches, at least in Texas, disagree. The transfer portal presents new challenges, and it isn’t a perfect system, but many head coaches argue that their rosters have never been as talented. 

The sky isn’t falling. The game of football isn’t dying. Like most changes, the outcry outweighs the outcomes. The seven G5 programs in Texas added an average of 9.7 transfers to its programs between the end of the 2021 season and the beginning of fall camp in 2022. SMU led the way with 17. UTEP was the lowest with one, but the Miners did add nine JUCO players to the roster. Of the 68 incoming transfers at the G5 programs in Texas, 43 came from the Power Five level. That’s 63 percent.

The talent is trickling down more often than it is bolting for greener pastures. And the more successful and attractive programs are attracting the best talent, and retaining its starters. The foursome of SMU, Houston, UTSA, and Rice brought in 43 transfers with 35 arriving from Power Five Programs (81.3 percent). Those four teams went 36-16 last season. Take away Rice and the three remaining schools went 32-8. Rice's academic reputation and a few more hires on the recruiting staff helped the Owls keep pace. The trio of North Texas, UTEP, and Texas State combined to go 17-21 in 2021. Only eight of the 25 transfers signed by those three schools arrived from Power Five programs (32 percent). 

read more:  https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2022/08/17/in-state-g5-coaches-view-transfer-portal-as-a-net-positive?ref=article_preview_img