GREAT story in The Athletic today about the college football portal. Kids coming up, going down and the impacts on teams and the way coaches coach. If you don't subscribe, it is some of the best long-form sports writing you will read.
A few of the quotes from this story:
"The standout running back from a Group of 5 program got an unsolicited call from a coach at a Power 5 program.
The coach made a promise: Come here, and we can make sure you make the most of your name, image and likeness.
And he put a number on it: $200,000.
The problem? This particular running back wasn’t one of the more than 1,000 FBS scholarship football players who entered his name in the transfer portal during the past year."
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“The level of discontent among the athletes in college football is at an all-time high,” a veteran Power 5 assistant said. “We gotta kind of coddle them, baby them. I’m just telling you. We try not to, but man (pause), it’s terrible, actually. You try to keep kids happy, but you can’t. There’s 22 starters, but there’s 80 guys on your team who aren’t starting, and even the guys who are starting aren’t getting enough sacks or catches or carries and they’re unhappy.”
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One Group of 5 assistant coach said a study conducted by his staff found that in the last year, 62 percent of players who entered the transfer portal left it with less scholarship money than they had at a previous school. And so far, the payoff of moving up is minimal, beyond the experience of playing big-time college football. Last year, 43 players outside of the Power 5 and BYU/Notre Dame were drafted. Only three players moved up from the Group of 5 or lower to a Power 5 roster and were drafted.
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Other coaches said they’ve emphasized the need to make more of an effort to coach the entire roster in practices, beyond just the players contributing in that week’s game.
Additionally, being honest about expectations and roles is key. At one program, players meet at the end of the season with everyone involved with their development: the head coach, the coordinator, position coach, strength coach, academic advisers and nutrition staffers. Together, they review the year and explain what went well and what the player needs to improve to reach his goals.
A few of the quotes from this story:
"The standout running back from a Group of 5 program got an unsolicited call from a coach at a Power 5 program.
The coach made a promise: Come here, and we can make sure you make the most of your name, image and likeness.
And he put a number on it: $200,000.
The problem? This particular running back wasn’t one of the more than 1,000 FBS scholarship football players who entered his name in the transfer portal during the past year."
______________
“The level of discontent among the athletes in college football is at an all-time high,” a veteran Power 5 assistant said. “We gotta kind of coddle them, baby them. I’m just telling you. We try not to, but man (pause), it’s terrible, actually. You try to keep kids happy, but you can’t. There’s 22 starters, but there’s 80 guys on your team who aren’t starting, and even the guys who are starting aren’t getting enough sacks or catches or carries and they’re unhappy.”
_______________
One Group of 5 assistant coach said a study conducted by his staff found that in the last year, 62 percent of players who entered the transfer portal left it with less scholarship money than they had at a previous school. And so far, the payoff of moving up is minimal, beyond the experience of playing big-time college football. Last year, 43 players outside of the Power 5 and BYU/Notre Dame were drafted. Only three players moved up from the Group of 5 or lower to a Power 5 roster and were drafted.
________________
Other coaches said they’ve emphasized the need to make more of an effort to coach the entire roster in practices, beyond just the players contributing in that week’s game.
Additionally, being honest about expectations and roles is key. At one program, players meet at the end of the season with everyone involved with their development: the head coach, the coordinator, position coach, strength coach, academic advisers and nutrition staffers. Together, they review the year and explain what went well and what the player needs to improve to reach his goals.
