The transfer portal: College sports’ version of free agency is in full swing.
It’s a little chaotic, a lot of moving bodies, confusion for some and clarity for others.
It is expected that more than 3,000 athletes will put their names in for a new home to play football during the next 40 days.

This is unprecedented in the history of the game. It can be a boon for players who seek more playing time and greener pastures. It can also be a disappointment if they don’t land a spot. This can also be a game of poachers.
It works both ways.
Plenty of coaches want players to move on because they’ve evaluated their abilities firsthand and believe their future is elsewhere. That way, they can fill that spot with deemed better talent.
Rose Bowl-bound Penn State will face Utah, and the Nittany Lions had a retention program in place more than 10 years ago under Michael Mauti. He now helps with NIL programs to help keep and recruit players. He says folks don’t fully understand the impact this new NCAA rule has had on the game.
“I’m not sure our fan base really appreciates the gravity of what’s going on,” Mauti said. “We are at risk of losing players. It is code red for us. That’s why I think it’s important to understand what we’re doing.”
Locally, BYU has had at least six players announce they are entering the portal, including QB Jacob Conover, who announced Wednesday he is transferring to Arizona State. Others include OL Campbell Barrington, DL Logan Fano, WR Terence Fall, TE Dallin Holker and LB Tate Romney. More are expected.
On Monday, Sitake said none of the BYU transfers came as a surprise.
“I had really good conversations with Conover especially, so that, it was good moments,” Sitake said. “I am happy and I hope those guys get what they are looking for. I want to be one that is always going to mentor the young men and sometimes leaving is the best option.”
A key in much of this, at least at some Power Five level, is NIL money. There could be as much as $250 million to be made by players in this cycle, according to Mauti.
We’ve seen this firsthand with USC and Caleb Williams in the transfer from Oklahoma with half a dozen teammates. Coaches making moves like Deion Sanders from Jackson State to Colorado will do exactly what Lincoln Riley did when he left Norman for Los Angeles and the Trojans — they’ll take players with them.
There are a dozen or more programs with NIL collectives in place to pay free agent-type money to recruits. This is the future. Unlike pro sports, there is no ceiling set for free agency at this time.
It’s the Wild, Wild West.
Clemson, Virginia, Oregon, Boston College and just about every Division I program in the country has lost a player to the transfer portal.
The quarterback position is a glut of transfers, some 85 as of Tuesday morning. They included BYU’s Conover, former Ute Jack Tuttle (Indiana), Boise State’s Hank Bachmeier and Cammon Cooper, from Lehi by way of Washington State.
Movement is high in some brand programs. Alabama lists 13 players entering the portal, Texas A&M 13, Arizona 10 and Stanford has had a whopping 16 according to On3 Transfer Portal.com.
Want a running back? Both the Cougars and Utes need RB help.
There were 88 RBs listed in the transfer portal as of Tuesday.
According to 247Sports’ Brad Crawford, the top players to enter the transfer portal the first 48 hours were QBs. They include Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State), Hudson Card (Texas) and DJ Uiagalelei (Clemson).
This will be one of the most interesting stories of 2022-23 as the December and February signing dates approach.
