Brian Kelly weighs in on transfer portal windows, roster management

Following recent changes to the NCAA’s move to restrict entrance into the NCAA transfer portal to designated windows on the calendar, LSU coach Brian Kelly weighed in on how those changes have impacted roster management.

The rules were put in place to avoid an open-season scenario where players are entering and exiting the transfer portal year-round, causing a constant headache for coaches.

“We had some deep discussions at the SEC meetings, very frank, open discussions,” Kelly said Wednesday on an SEC teleconference call. “I think this is the best solution that gives the student-athlete the opportunity to get into the transfer situation if they deem to get one and allow roster management.”

As things stand, the NCAA now allows players to enter the transfer portal for a free one-time transfer without restrictions during a 45-day window that begins the day after championship selections are made, as well as a 15-day window from April 15-30.

Kelly thinks that’s an ideal solution currently, striking a happy medium between what’s in the best interest of players and helping programs balance roster management in a reasonable way.

“It allows both of them to take place in a manner that doesn’t bring in a lot of other things that could create anxiety, such as tampering or giving up on the season or doing things that just create distractions,” Kelly said. “I think when all parties got together, including student-athletes that weighed in on this, I think everybody felt like this was the best decision.”

Transfer portal windows make it tricky for evaluation personnel

At this point most major college football programs have multiple staffers dedicated to scouring the NCAA transfer portal for potential roster acquisitions.

With the transfer portal windows restricting official entry until those dates arrive, personnel departments now have to do a bit more homework keeping tabs on players who might be considering a move. That’s happened quite a bit around the country already, with many players putting out announcements that they intend to enter the transfer portal.

Those announcements have happened at programs where the coach has been fired, as well as at programs with a first-year coach in no danger of losing his job.

From a market standpoint, at least some players seem to feel there’s an advantage to showing their hand early.

Regardless, it’s a new wrinkle for the scouting departments.

“Certainly I think you have to do your due diligence, similar to what an NFL board would do relative to people that are put on the waiver wire or people that are free agents or anything like that,” Kelly said. “You better know the guys that are from the areas that you’re interested in looking at. Yeah, I think it expands your personnel department and puts more of an emphasis on understanding players that are in other programs, absolutely.”

Is it a perfect system?

“Look, there’s never going to be 100% unanimous agreement on it because there are pieces there that influence how things affect the student-athlete and how they affect the, ultimately, setting up your roster,” Kelly said.

So until there are further shifts, everyone is working to adapt to the latest set of changes.