Five Reasons Why College Football Players Enter Transfer Portal

A deep dive into why college football players transfer, from George Wrighster on the Unafraid Show

Bri Amaranthus | May 3, 2024

Oregon football players gather for a group photo after the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium / Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA

When college football players decide to hop into the transfer portal, we hear fans and coaches insinuate they are selfish, entitled, disloyal, money-hungry kids who don’t want to work.

The reality is, for most student athletes the decision to enter the transfer portal is complex and influenced by a mix of personal, academic, and athletic factors. It is not a simple lack of commitment or competitiveness.

Oregon football players gather for a group photo after the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium / Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA

Today on The Unafraid Show, I dive into the top five reasons student athletes enter the portal.

The reasons will challenge the narrative that the transfer portal is detrimental to the spirit of college sports. The reality is that the portal it offers necessary flexibility, and often relief for athletes navigating their unique circumstances that are often not their choice.

The staggering number of entries into the college football transfer portal is enough to make your head spin. From August 1, 2022, to May 1, 2023, 8,699 NCAA football players stepped into the portal from all levels D1- NAIA, according to ESPN. That’s up 5.5 percent from last year's record of 8,242 and more than double the number from the first cycle back in 2018-19, which was just a little over 4,000.

Zooming in on just the Football Bowl Subdivision, the FBS, we've seen a record-shattering 3,284 players dive into the portal. That’s a 6.5 percent jump from last year's 3,083, and about double the 1,717 from the 2018-19 season, per the stats gurus over at 247 Sports.

That 3,284 number means over 20 percent of all FBS players will be looking to make a move this offseason, whether by force, choice, or necessity. the game is changing, and these players are not just sitting around, and I’m sharing the top five reasons why.

George Wrighster hosts the Unafraid Show, featuring interviews of top athletes, coaches, and celebrities with a daily dose of sports content. A former Oregon football tight end, Wrightster was drafted in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Published May 3, 2024|Modified May 3, 2024

BRI AMARANTHUS

Bri Amaranthus is an Emmy-winning sports reporter with over 12 years of experience in television, radio, podcasting, and digital sports journalism. She has been with Sports Illustrated for four years, providing breaking news, exclusive interviews, and analysis on the NFL, college sports, and the NBA. Prior to joining SI, Bri hosted NBC Sports Northwest's prime-time television show, where she also served as the Oregon beat reporter and created content covering both the NBA and college sports. Throughout her career, Bri has achieved significant milestones, including covering major events like the NBA Finals, NFL playoffs, College Football Playoff, NCAA Basketball Tournament, NFL Draft, and the NFL Combine. She earned a D1 scholarship to play softball at the University of San Diego and won two state softball titles in high school in Oregon. In addition to her Emmy win for NBC's All-Star Coach special, she has received multiple Emmy nominations, highlighting her dedication and talent in sports journalism.