James Franklin and the Penn State Nittany Lions are looking to extend the impressive run that they had in their first 12-team College Football Playoffs showing. Penn State went all the way to the Orange Bowl before losing to Notre Dame in a classic Orange Bowl.
With Drew Allar returning as quarterback, head coach Franklin joined On3 Sports, Andy Staples, and Ari Wasserman to discuss everything from the college football calendar to the transfer portal window. Spoiler alert: Franklin had some choice words for the transfer portal window.
James Franklin Calls Out Transfer Portal Loopholes, Cites Culture and Compliance Concerns
When speaking with On3 Sports, Franklin discussed a number of serious topics regarding the transfer portal process and how it’s very difficult to do things the right way under the NCAA rules.
“In terms of the process, it’s difficult, let’s be honest,” says Franklin. “If you’re going to try and do it under the rules and how we’re supposed to be operating, the best players in the transfer portal, most of them have made the decision before they’ve ever gone into the transfer portal. People call it tampering or whatever it may be, but that’s happening.”
Franklin went on to discuss how it can be an issue financially for teams, too. However, Franklin mentioned that Penn State’s best success is in continuing to recruit high school players.
“So, it is very difficult to go into the transfer portal and get the players you want to get, if you’re doing it by the rules. Either that or the price tag is through the roof. So, it is challenging. Where we’ve had success is guys who we’ve recruited out of high school who we already have a really good relationship with. That we knew them and their families.
“Here’s the other issue. How do you get to know a kid well enough in a week or two, and a lot of these decisions are happening in a week. So, either they’ve been talking to people for multiple weeks before that, illegally. Or, you’re making a decision to bring a guy into your locker room that you don’t know very well, and we work very hard to create a culture in our locker room, and I’m sensitive to that.”
KEEP READING: James Franklin: Penn State Does What 99% of Teams Can’t, Praises Their Updated Alignment
Overall, while the transfer portal is a great way to give college players new opportunities, it can also have its issues. Franklin might be right, too; maybe the NCAA should examine and amend some rules.
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