Jimbo Fisher discusses where college football is headed regarding NIL, transfer portal

As the ever-changing NCAA Transfer Portal and Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) era of collegiate sports continues to have an impact on the game of college basketball, football and its schools, many people are pushing for the NCAA to implement some rules and guidelines regarding the matter.

While student-athletes are constantly entering and exiting the transfer portal, and with others landing luxurious NIL deals, there’s plenty of uncertainty going around with where college sports are heading.

Although college coaches, players and administrators aren’t sure about what’s to come, they’re simply just going with the flow – at least Texas A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher is. Before speaking at a Houston Touchdown Club luncheon, Fisher met with the media and discussed where college football is headed in terms of NIL and the transfer portal.

“I don’t know. … I haven’t put that much thought to it, but it’s inevitable that something’s happening and going to happen,” Fisher said. “There’s a change right now that we’re going through – daily, weekly, monthly, hourly. It goes like crazy. Could there be something like that? It wouldn’t shock me. But I still think there’s a lot of moving parts that have to be put in place before things like that happen.

“That’s what commissioners and ADs are for. … We’re here to try to recruit and coach and do what we’ve got to do.

Fisher: There’s no set timeline for changes to be made

Continuing his discussion, Fisher shared that he feels there’ll be some rules and regulations regarding NIL and the transfer portal put into place at some point, but made it clear that there’s no set timeline as to when it’ll happen.

“There’s going to be some kind of separation in time, but how quick that is – that’s anybody’s guess,” Fisher said. “How quick did we think NIL was coming? How quick did we think transfer portal was coming? That happened overnight. I think there’s too many things when you’re starting that part of it – probably with contractual obligations with bowls and TV contracts – but I don’t know. They may be able to work around that in a shorter time. … It wouldn’t shock me.

“It’s amazing how quickly things have changed now. It’ll be interesting – that’s for sure. But hey, whatever it is, we’ll have to adapt.”

With so much uncertainty, Fisher is taking the proper route by just doing his job and watching what happens.