NCAA eliminates the spring transfer portal

By Chris Marler

College coaches are finally getting some relief, as is the college football calendar itself. 

On Wednesday, the NCAA Division I Administration Committee announced that they would be moving to a single transfer portal window effective immediately. The dates of the single window have not been determined yet. However, sources told On3 that the proposed window was set for January 2-11. 

The hopes for moving to one portal window would be to eliminate players moving on from certain teams before their season is over. The move to Jan. 2 would mean the portal would not open until the final day of bowl season outside of the College Football Playoff games remaining. 

The move to a single window was supported by every major conference except the Big Ten.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea at all,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said earlier this month. “In the conversations that we had with the Big Ten coaches, I think the majority of them agree. I just don’t quite understand how teams that are playing in the playoffs are expected to make the decisions and sign their upcoming players while they’re still getting ready to play for games. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Regardless of how the coach of the defending national champions feels, it’s a move that received overwhelming support from a majority of coaches around the country. It also gives a more clear definition to the calendar for the sport as a whole. With a transfer portal opening in January, that eliminates having to juggle the end of the regular season, conference championship games, bowl game preparation, and the final weeks of early signing day for recruiting. 

It should also be noted that a 30-day window will still be available to players at schools where the head coach is fired.