College football is changing in many ways, but none more so than the advent of the transfer portal with immediate eligibility and the new NIL landscape.
Transfers and NIL have created a tidal wave of problems for programs and coaches, including recruitment efforts now virtually extend to their own roster each year in addition to attracting outside talent through the portal and recruiting pathway.
One of the problems faced by coaches is the prevalence of tampering allegations. Georgia Football coach Kirby Smart talked about this practice while speaking with Paul Finebaum.
Kirby speaks out
Kirby Smart Addresses CFB’s Modern Transfer Portal Tampering Issue pic.twitter.com/7HeGFLGNZs
-Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) May 13, 2022
“I don’t believe there are as many falsifications as people think,” Smart told Finebaum.
“There are kids who grow up thinking, ‘If it doesn’t work here, I should go somewhere else.’ The tampering comes from the player looking elsewhere, not a coach reaching out.
“Look, I’ve had kids from other programs reach out to me and call me and say things, and you can’t talk to them. I know it happens from home and other places.
“I’m not as worried about tampering as I am about: Are we doing the right thing for kids when they face adversity or things are hard?”
Georgia and Kirby Smart were on both sides of the transfer portal. Smart added old Clemson defensive back Derion Kendrick last offseason, but also lost No. 1 receiver Jermaine Burton to Alabama this year after winning the College football National playoff championship.
Tampering has become a major problem this offseason in at least two significant cases.
One, when Louisville coach Scott Satterfield alleged that Alabama may have falsified recruitment transfer receiver Tyler Harrell. And another, when reports emerged that Pitt officials complained about USC intervention inappropriately to lure Biletnikoff’s reigning wide receiver, Jordan Addison, into the transfer portal.
Last offseason, the NCAA announced that players will be able to transfer to another school and retain immediate eligibility if they enter before May 1.
The new rule led to a wave of thousands of college football players choosing to transfer elsewhere, including several high profile players, often in hopes of landing more lucrative NIL contracts for themselves.
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