Colorado AD Rick George angrily sounds off on new transfer portal rules, court case

Colorado athletic director Rick George is pretty fed up with the transfer portal rules and the latest court ruling.

The NCAA adopted new transfer rules that allow anyone to transfer and earn immediate eligibility as long they’re in good academic standing. The decision is not final until the council meeting ends Thursday and it must be ratified by the Division 1 board on Monday.

On the heels of Colorado running back Alton McCaskill entering the portal, for the second time by the way, George fired off on social media.

“Thank the AG’s that filed the temporary restraining order,” George wrote on Twitter.

The academic requirements will replace previous year-in-residence requirements for student athletes transferring more than once as undergrads.

On the surface, that’s a huge change. It gives the student athletes more freedom, good or bad.

Safe to say, George is not a fan of that move.

McCaskill wasn’t the only noteworthy player to transfer from Colorado during this portal cycle. Former five-star cornerback Cormani McClain entered the portal as well.

He saw playing time last year as a true freshman, but sometimes didn’t see the field because head coach Deion Sanders refused to play him.

The reason? Lack of studying when it came to the playbook. McClain’s playing time increased as the season went along, and he started Colorado’s last three games. All told, he totaled 13 tackles and two passes defended as a freshman.

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“Study, prepare. Study, prepare, be on time for meetings,” Sanders said in September. “Show up to the darned meetings. Understand what we’re doing as a scheme. Want to play this game. Desire to play this game. Desire to be the best in this game at practice, in the film room and on your own free time.”

Whether that’s McClain’s own issue or Colorado’s is surely going to be debated this offseason. The portal exodus was almost expected considering that’s the primary where Sanders builds his roster.

Sanders said he hopes McClain ends up in a good situation to not only develop as a football player, but also as a person.

“I’m always in prayer for young men, and I want the best for them,” Sanders told DNVR on Wednesday. “And I pray to God that he goes to a program that challenges him as well as holds him accountable and develops him as a young man. Unfortunately, we weren’t the program that could accomplish that.

“So prayerfully that he understands that this is his second go-around and get it. Go get it, man. Because he has a tremendous amount of talent, but he has to want it.”

Over the last three years, the transfer rules have consistently changed, but even a place like Colorado has to question them a little.