Looks like the NCAA is seriously considering allowing athletes to transfer, one time, without penalty (i.e. sitting out a year). Transferring is already out of control, but this would really open the floodgates. A school like us would have to worry, every time we have a player have a successful season, that are top players would chose to move up a "level" or two. I am really looking forward to next season, but if some of the "diamond in the roughs" Darrell has brought could leave without penalty how many of them might choose to go to a higher profile school next. Like all decisions like this it will hurt midmajors the most, although I guess we could also "steal" players from bigger schools who are not getting minutes. I just think it would cause a big mess. The graduate transfer rule is bad enough.

(02-18-2020 06:31 PM)mjs Wrote:  Looks like the NCAA is seriously considering allowing athletes to transfer, one time, without penalty (i.e. sitting out a year). Transferring is already out of control, but this would really open the floodgates. A school like us would have to worry, every time we have a player have a successful season, that are top players would chose to move up a "level" or two. I am really looking forward to next season, but if some of the "diamond in the roughs" Darrell has brought could leave without penalty how many of them might choose to go to a higher profile school next. Like all decisions like this it will hurt midmajors the most, although I guess we could also "steal" players from bigger schools who are not getting minutes. I just think it would cause a big mess. The graduate transfer rule is bad enough.

Absolutely agree!

The NCAA is bound and determined to become a professional organization.

(02-18-2020 06:31 PM)mjs Wrote:  Looks like the NCAA is seriously considering allowing athletes to transfer, one time, without penalty (i.e. sitting out a year). Transferring is already out of control, but this would really open the floodgates. A school like us would have to worry, every time we have a player have a successful season, that are top players would chose to move up a "level" or two. I am really looking forward to next season, but if some of the "diamond in the roughs" Darrell has brought could leave without penalty how many of them might choose to go to a higher profile school next. Like all decisions like this it will hurt midmajors the most, although I guess we could also "steal" players from bigger schools who are not getting minutes. I just think it would cause a big mess. The graduate transfer rule is bad enough.

What article are you refrencing?

A working group for the NCAA proposed a change to the Division I transfer policy that would open the door for student-athletes to compete immediately for their new schools.
Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, the group's chairman, issued a statement on the plan: "The current system is unsustainable. Working group members believe it’s time to bring our transfer rules more in line with today’s college landscape. This concept provides a uniform approach that is understandable, predictable and objective. Most importantly, it benefits students."
The working group laid out four criteria for an athlete to fall under the policy:
Receive a transfer release from their previous school
Leave their previous school academically eligible
Maintain their academic progress at the new school
Leave under no disciplinary suspension
Many fans of college sports have argued athletes deserve to have the freedom of movement of head coaches and athletic administrators—or at least something comparable.

Wouldn't this benefit midmajors as well? Yes a mid major might lose a really good player from time to time, but a player from a power 5 school who isn't playing much could go to a mid major and be eligible immediately too. I don't know that it changes the game any, but it certainly changes recruiting.
Btw, what happens if a player doesn't maintain academic progress at the new school? Does the ncaa send them back to the original school 2 years later?
https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/28730763

(02-19-2020 10:09 AM)ez272 Wrote:  Wouldn't this benefit midmajors as well? Yes a mid major might lose a really good player from time to time, but a player from a power 5 school who isn't playing much could go to a mid major and be eligible immediately too. I don't know that it changes the game any, but it certainly changes recruiting.
Btw, what happens if a player doesn't maintain academic progress at the new school? Does the ncaa send them back to the original school 2 years later?
https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/28730763

I love having really good 4 year players like Malik Dixon, Derek Fisher, etc. in the past or potentially Markquis, Nikola, Kamani, etc. now. They were likely "steals" when we signed them and with some development are guys that could play anywhere. Some will love it here and would stay regardless, but it would be hard for some to resist the opportunity to play their senior year in the ACC or Big 12. So much for senior-laden midmajors make big runs in the NCAA tournament. Ya, maybe we could occasionally get a kid from the ACC, who wants to move down, but I really like having kids here that come as young pups that we can get to know and watch develop.

Dan Wolken takes the other side of the issue-

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/...spartanntp

Only thing I agree on is that the NCAA decisions on who got a waiver and who didn't was pretty subjective and very inconsistent.

Not that I was unhappy with the NCAA's decisions, but there is really no rational reason that Ben Coupet was eligible for us, Connor Vanover was not eligible for the hogs, and Gabe Osabuohien (who transferred from the hogs) was eligible at West Virginia. Vanover's coach was fired (like Ben's and Gabe's) and he also argued that he had a sick grandmother in Little Rock. I guess he may have "pissed off" the NCAA with the ridiculousness of that argument, since he could have come to UALR (would we have wanted him?) or joined his brother at UCA if his grandma was his primary concern.

(02-19-2020 10:09 AM)ez272 Wrote:  Wouldn't this benefit midmajors as well?

That is the theory, but in this case water seems to flow uphill most of the time. When players transfer down, a good percentage of the time there are issues other than on-court skill involved.

Historically mid-majors have had one advantage to fight back against the bigger schools because of the stability within their programs. E.g., teams from the MVC were notable for bringing in good-attitude kids, developing them into 5th year seniors, and then embarrassing the big schools. But now the NCAA has poked a hole in that boat.

So, give them their one free transfer. But make that be ALL. One time, period. No medical, no hardship, no graduate. One transfer, and then you have to stay here, or go home.

Bottom line, it is going to hurt programs like ours, especially with what Darrell appears to be doing- Finding really good talent that was "missed" by bigger programs. Now after a year or two of development, bigger schools can come in a pluck them away from us. Up until now, transferring "down", was much more common than transferring "up". Kids transfer because they are unhappy, which in many/most cases meant they weren't playing enough. Lots of players were willing to accept the "punishment" of sitting out, for one year, for the reward of significantly more minutes. But, only a relatively small number were willing to sit out for the possibility of more "fame" at a bigger program. This new rule change would totally change the equation and will make mid-majors into a "farm club" for the high majors.

The graduate transfer rule has already made it very risky for a mid-major coach to redshirt a player, even if it would be best for their development as a player. Now mid-major coaches will have to worry about every move they make, whether it's playing time, discipline, recruiting new players, etc. that may annoy a player who can simply walk out the door and play at another program.

(02-19-2020 05:18 PM)mjs Wrote:  The graduate transfer rule has already made it very risky for a mid-major coach to redshirt a player, even if it would be best for their development as a player.

And thus one of the main tools (redshirting) that smaller schools have has been effectively taken away from them.