The ACC and Big Ten are making a bad situation even worse.
The transfer rules for football, basketball and other major sports are already off the rails, so why are two of the most respected conferences trying to turn them into the wild west?
ACC Commissioner John Swofford has joined a movement started by recently retired Big Ten boss Jim Delany to allow college athletes to transfer one time in their careers and be eligible to play immediately at their new schools.
The proposal is being studied by all the other leagues, but if passed would turn an already loosey-goosey transfer policy into complete chaos. Here are a few reasons why:
College athletes who aren’t getting enough playing time or attention at their first school might think about transferring right after their freshman seasons. Today’s fawned-over five-stars are getting advised by more than their parents and high school coaches — and it’s not always sound advice.
College coaches are already unsure about who is coming back next season because of the pro draft and the transfer portals. Now, they might start paying attention to who’s not playing or happy at other schools and get the word to them that they have a spot open in their lineups. What if a friend at that school starts texting his buddy to come play with me.
The NCAA has already created confusion by granting waivers to some athletes who apply for immediate eligibility after transferring due to a family illness or homesickness. This new transfer rule could make the situation a lot worse.
The current rule of having to sit out a year at your new school discourages athletes who have already taken their red-shirt season and would lose one full year of eligibility. It gives pause to anyone who may be thinking about leaving.
This new amendment would take that and other deterrents off the table and make recruiting kids from other schools much more tempting for coaches and programs looking for immediate help.
Luring transfers could become another part of the game.
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