Smart, other SEC coaches call for clarity on NCAA transfer portal window

DESTIN, Fla.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has weighed in previously with his views on the multiple transfer portal windows and it's pretty simple He doesn't like it.

Most coaches don't and it's just another example of the NCAA continuing to cling the axle as the train drags it underneath.

Georgia's Kirby Smart has been more vocal on the national stage.

That's not unusual since the media prefers to talk to the coaches of championship-caliber programs.

He's also probably one of the coaches Pittman listens to on a regular basis.

Sam was on his staff for years between stints at Arkansas.

Coaches are united in their call for a more predictable and manageable transfer process.

Presently, athletes can enter the portal either in December (Dec.

928) or after spring practices (April 1625).

Smart argues that this system creates year-round uncertainty for coaches and players alike.

"The biggest decision that has to be made across football right now, by far, is when is the portal window and is there one or two," Smart said during the SEC Spring Meetings that started Tuesday.

While some coaches favor a single transfer window, the debate centers on its timing.

Smart advocates for a January window, aligning with the academic calendar and mid-year high school enrollments.

Theres people saying we cant get our kids in academically," Smart said.

"Theyre getting mid-year high school players in that same academic window.

Its happening everywhere.

Im a big believer in that.

Pittman said back in April the same result for almost the same set of reasons.

A major worry among coaches is the potential for increased tampering if the window is moved to April or May.

"You think tampering is a problem?" Smart asked.

"Put that [one] portal [window] in April and see what teams do in January, February, and March.

Theyll be on your campus getting tampered with, collecting 33 percent of your cap before they leave.

This sentiment is echoed across the league, as the transfer portal has already created what some call a Wild West environment.

That's exactly what college sports has become.

Programs employ staff to monitor potential transfers, and informal communication channels often lead to early contact and tampering, practices that would be penalized in professional leagues.

Smart and other coaches also stress the logistical challenges.

June, for example, is crucial for recruiting camps and official visits.

Moving practices or transfer windows into this period would disrupt both player evaluation and team-building efforts.

The complexity comes with, again, youre dealing with one sport within the context of college athletics and youre dealing with academic calendars that vary from school to school, and youre trying to create as competitive a product as you can with so many variables, Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said.

It's been one of the primary questions for coaches.

They are the ones that have to figure out how to deal with all of the changes.

Roster re-builds are now a yearly chores.

They used to be in three or four-year cycles.

It happens right after the season, before you start practicing," Texas A&M's Mike Elko said.

"That seems to be the landscape for every single professional league across the world.

"Why that wouldnt be how this works [in this sport] is hard to wrap your head around.

Elko and others believe a single, postseason window would simplify roster management and mirror the NFLs free agency model.

The question of who will ultimately set the transfer portal window remains unsettled.

Smart believes the implementation committee formed under the House v.

NCAA settlement composed of Power Five athletic directors should make the decision.

Ultimately, those ADs will have to make a lot of implementation decisions that are not part of the settlement," Smart said.

"The nuggets, lets call it.

With a July 1 deadline coming up fast in the windshield for the House settlements implementation, coaches just want answers.

HOGS FEED:.

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