This would be great if it happens.

"In a unanimous show of support, Football Bowl Subdivision coaches voted Tuesday in favor of a proposal that would reduce college football's transfer windows down to a single 10-day period in January..." via @ADavidHaleJoint from AFCA in Charlotte. https://t.co/iNrEe3VzQf

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 14, 2025

David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterJan 14, 2025, 01:19 PM ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- In a unanimous show of support, Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) coaches voted Tuesday in favor of a proposal that would reduce college football's transfer windows down to a single 10-day period in January in an effort to preserve the integrity of bowl season and put guardrails on a system many coaches lament as entirely broken.

During their meeting at the 2025 American Football Coaches Association convention, coaches supported the move to a single portal window from Jan. 2 through Jan. 12, starting for the 2025-26 academic year. Such a move would eliminate the current portal windows in both December and April with the single, shorter window. The recommendation now moves to the NCAA oversight committee and ultimately the NCAA Division I council for final approval, which is far from guaranteed.

"These recommendations are intended to allow a student-athlete and coaches more opportunity to focus on their season while preserving the opportunities for students who choose to transfer to still be able to do so for a traditional spring semester," AFCA president Craig Bohl said. "We looked at all kinds of information. I'm convinced our coaches care deeply about the student-athletes, so this decision was made through the filter of allowing them more stability and to be able to move forward."

The concerns surrounding the existing portal windows are driven largely by the timeline crunch of early December -- when postseason, high school recruiting and the portal all overlap -- and the impact on bowl season.

This year alone, Penn State played two playoff games without its backup QB, Beau Pribula, after he entered the portal in December, while Marshall was forced to opt out of its bowl bid due to significant personnel attrition after the conclusion of the regular season.

"We want to protect the season and the sanctity of that, but at the same time, you're trying to fit a competitive or an academic calendar to sync up, that's a challenge," said SMU coach Rhett Lashlee. "We're the ones on the ground and we know the problems and probably the best solutions, so to be all on the same page and come to a consensus on what the best path forward is, I think we did that."

The January window would, in theory, allow players to conclude their season with their existing teams while still finding a new home early enough to enroll for a spring semester and go through spring football with their new program.

How effective the proposal would be in curbing December opt-outs and what the lack of a spring transfer window would mean for players remains up for debate, and will likely be a significant sticking point as the proposal moves its way through the NCAA approval process.

"It was important as coaches to express some of the challenges the student-athletes have encountered," Bohl said. "When we rolled out the windows there were good intentions but there were unintended consequences. As a result, we spent a significant amount of time discussing those challenges and how we can make a decision for the betterment of football."

Why not wait until February when everything is done?

Seems like they want to blackmail football players so they can't opt out of bowls or playoffs?

Man,
The NCAA keeps inventing new ways for student athletes to sue them.

BellCountyBear said:

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Why not wait until February when everything is done?

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I think it has something to do with being able to enroll in Spring classes. Guess they are still pretending there is a school aspect to this.

Killing Floor said:

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Seems like they want to blackmail football players so they can't opt out of bowls or playoffs?

Man,
The NCAA keeps inventing new ways for student athletes to sue them.

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This has nothing to do with the NCAA. This was just a vote by the coaches. It's not even expected to be adopted by whoever it is that makes these decisions.

I can't imagine one ten-day window is enough. Players need to visit schools, negotiate, talk to coaches/family, etc. If the window is ten days, look for a ton of negotiation and behind the scenes activities prior to the 10 day window.

While I understand the purpose is to protect the bowl system, players going to the NFL or those sure they are entering the portal will still sit out.

I think the "continuity" piece of this isn't just to play for bowl games. Coaches are spending way too much time trying to recruit their own players. They want less of it so they can focus on coaching football.

What about players that are encouraged to leave the program after spring? Would need another 10-day window in May I think.

BellCountyBear said:

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Why not wait until February when everything is done?

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Great point

And it should be longer than 10 days

Like all of Feb. to decide on it

29 days or so

Redbrickbear said:

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BellCountyBear said:

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Why not wait until February when everything is done?

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Great point

And it should be longer than 10 days

Like all of Feb. to decide on it

29 days or so

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They need to get enrolled for the spring and to be a part of spring football. Late Feb is way to late for the spring semester and thus spring football.

Booboo Bear said:

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Married A Horn said:

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Redbrickbear said:

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BellCountyBear said:

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Why not wait until February when everything is done?

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Great point

And it should be longer than 10 days

Like all of Feb. to decide on it

29 days or so

---

They need to get enrolled for the spring and to be a part of spring football. Late Feb is way to late for the spring semester and thus spring football.

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The obvious answer is to start the spring semester in March. We gotta get our priorities right in higher education.

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This is not too far fetched of an idea. The college I work at offers eight week classes. The first eight weeks starts in January and the second eight weeks starts after spring break. Students can take a max of three classes each eight weeks.

In other words, keep the portal open all of February and athletes start classes the week after spring break. They still get nine hours in, so there may need to be a little finagling of things, but this absolutely can be done.

El Oso said:

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Booboo Bear said:

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Married A Horn said:

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Redbrickbear said:

---

BellCountyBear said:

---

Why not wait until February when everything is done?

---

Great point

And it should be longer than 10 days

Like all of Feb. to decide on it

29 days or so

---

They need to get enrolled for the spring and to be a part of spring football. Late Feb is way to late for the spring semester and thus spring football.

---

The obvious answer is to start the spring semester in March. We gotta get our priorities right in higher education.

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This is not too far fetched of an idea. The college I work at offers eight week classes. The first eight weeks starts in January and the second eight weeks starts after spring break. Students can take a max of three classes each eight weeks.

In other words, keep the portal open all of February and athletes start classes the week after spring break. They still get nine hours in, so there may need to be a little finagling of things, but this absolutely can be done.

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Pretty sure it was sarcasm.

Redbrickbear said:

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BellCountyBear said:

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Why not wait until February when everything is done?

---

Great point

And it should be longer than 10 days

Like all of Feb. to decide on it

29 days or so

---

Enrollment issue to start the Spring semester / training. I think if this passes, you will see the players formalize because Coaches aren't held to the same "portal" window when leaving a program.

Like I said,
Looks like a great way for the NCAA to lose lawsuits.

Killing Floor said:

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Like I said,
Looks like a great way for the NCAA to lose lawsuits.

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Agreed if its ever adopted, but that seems unlikely as it would not withstand legal scrutiny. It's more/less a nothing burger.

I would love for the transfer window to happen after bowl season and then again in late May.

However I know it won't happen because of the farce that these guys are still "students."

I know a ton of them still are and take their grades seriously but there is also that large block that never has (hence why they are working on outdoor recreation majors or other worthless degree) and are more focused on the NIL money now.

Killing Floor said:

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Seems like they want to blackmail football players so they can't opt out of bowls or playoffs?

Man,
The NCAA keeps inventing new ways for student athletes to sue them.

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Yea…like making them take 12 hours of classes per semester and pass a few courses to be academically eligible.

You mean like Brice Petty or Terrel Bernard or Tyquan Thornton or Matt Bryant?

Baylor has ALWAYS done exactly the same academic shenanigans as ANY OTHER university to usher football players through the system. Baylor has NEVER held football players to the high academic standards that a typical college student meets in Waco. Not in your lifetime anyway.

All NIL and the portal changed is that it's more out in the open and the athletes have options instead of consolidating the power with a coach.

Sure, there are and always will be high performing academic athletes here and everywhere.

But there is nothing new under the sun.
Baylor graduates a lot of Leisure Studies majors who also happen to play basketball and football.

One thing I'll say we do right is emphasize graduating.

Mechanical Engineering or leisure studies communications?

Those aren't the same thing.

Killing Floor said:

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Baylor graduates a lot of Leisure Studies majors who also happen to play basketball and football.

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Still better than all the kids from South Oak Cliff and the Fourth Ward majoring in Poultry Science at Aggy.

Killing Floor said:

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You mean like Brice Petty or Terrel Bernard or Tyquan Thornton or Matt Bryant?

Baylor has ALWAYS done exactly the same academic shenanigans as ANY OTHER university to usher football players through the system. Baylor has NEVER held football players to the high academic standards that a typical college student meets in Waco. Not in your lifetime anyway.

All NIL and the portal changed is that it's more out in the open and the athletes have options instead of consolidating the power with a coach.

Sure, there are and always will be high performing academic athletes here and everywhere.

But there is nothing new under the sun.
Baylor graduates a lot of Leisure Studies majors who also happen to play basketball and football.

One thing I'll say we do right is emphasize graduating.

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Yes like them. I wasn't pretending Baylor hasn't done it. I know they do. All schools do with very few exceptions. And those schools usually are at the lower levels of classification or if they are FBS not usually major football program (or sports).

Easiest solution is to just have transfer window open in May after Spring ball. Time to end this notion that these kids must immediately enroll for spring semester,