In less than a year, the NCAA’s transfer portal is already beginning to turn against the student-athletes it was supposed to help.
As The Athletic reported Thursday, of the 450 Power Five conference football prospects who have entered the portal, only 210 have committed to other schools. That leaves more than half without a new home. Some will certainly head to junior colleges. Others may dip down to the FCS level.
Either way, players are finding this newfound freedom — simply notifying your current school of your intention to transfer clears you to go anywhere — isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Adulthood is like that.
On the Nebraska front, 12 players have entered the portal, according to the 247Sports database. This includes walk-on quarterback Andrew Bunch, who was welcomed back when he decided to stay.
Of the remaining 11, six have yet to find new schools: Guy Thomas, Quayshon Alexander, Breon Dixon, Justin McGriff, Caleb Lightbourn and walk-on tight end Branden Hohenstein. Excluding the three ex-Huskers who transferred to Oregon State before the portal officially started — Avery Roberts, Tristan Gebbia and Tyjon Lindsey — only Greg Bell (San Diego State) and Cam’ron Jones (SMU) have found new schools. Neither went to Power Five programs, though Thomas recently reported an offer to Colorado.
https://www.omaha.com/huskers/football/mckewon-football-players-get-harsh-lesson-on-ncaa-transfer-portal/article_a1bd1cff-3ffd-507b-a48e-7dda909141d0.htmlPerhaps the reality of the portal will help players understand the grass isn’t always greener elsewhere, too. That may help even more.