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Fran McCaffery says the transfer portal is a 'bad rule,' calls immediate eligibility 'foolish'

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz10/05/22

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Iowa Hawkeyes basketball head coach Fran McCaffery has held his current role since 2010. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images),

Fran McCaffery knows what it’s like to transfer to a new program. He started his college career at Wake Forest before finishing up at Penn and immediately diving into coaching in 1982.

But things are much different now. The transfer portal and NIL play prominent roles in college sports, and comparisons have been made to free agency as a result. Things are still changing, as well, with the NCAA adjusting the football portal windows.

Wednesday, the Iowa coach made his stance quite clear on the effect NIL and the portal are having on the landscape.

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“I think everybody in this room knows what the challenges are, because it’s pay for play,” McCaffery told reporters during Iowa men’s basketball media day. “That’s not what it was supposed to be. I’ve been adamant about the transfer portal rule is a bad rule, especially in conjunction with name, image and likeness, because that’s where the pay for play comes in. There was nothing wrong with the rule before. It was not a penalty. I’ve said that before.

“I’m an example of it. I transferred. You transfer, you don’t lose any eligibility. You get a year of lifting, you get another year of an opportunity to be a student, a double major, start a masters. You’re in school for an extra year. There’s no negative there. But to declare every college basketball player a free agent is foolish, and that’s what they’ve done.”

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Iowa didn’t bring in any transfers via the portal, but lost two players — Joe Touissant and Josh Ogundele — over the offseason.

McCaffery’s sentiments are similar to the ones Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz expressed at Big Ten football media days in July. Ferentz called for more “structure” regarding the portal and NIL to avoid situations like the one involving Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher earlier in the offseason.

“There’s a real lack of structure and framework in our sport right now, which I think is concerning and dangerous,” Ferentz said. “NIL I think is a great initiative and great conceptually, but it looks like there’s some potential of getting back to haves and have nots. We’re always gonna have those, but the degree of separation has the potential to accelerate.

“I don’t think it’s a great look when you’ve got national coaches bickering in public. I’m not judging anybody, but I’m not sure that’s good for our sport collectively. Our transfer policies right now are a little bit concerning too. That being said, I don’t think any of us want somebody on our team that’s not happy. That’s not good for anybody. That’s a bad marriage.”