College Football is Changing Before Our Eyes

This season brought a rekindled passion for the game. College football is undergoing massive change as it ushers in an era of player and coach mobility.

Change is an inevitable part of life. Some of it is good and some bad. College football, a sport known for its rich history, tradition, and pageantry, is undergoing another set of dramatic changes before our eyes that I’m not sure are totally for the better. 

The transfer portal, passing of the NIL bill, coaching carousel, new early signing period, and free COVID eligibility have entirely rewritten the landscape of the sport in a short period of time. Is the sport that was once a protected class on the verge of losing the integrity that made it so great? 

The transfer portal can take on two viewpoints: limitless opportunities or fractured competitiveness. Not all players entering the portal do so because of playing time and depth chart rank. It’s situationally dependent. However, players are now granted the freedom to enter the portal with their eyes set on a manufactured rise. A commitment to a school does not mean what it used to even a few years ago. 

Rich Tradition and History Do Not Mean Outdated Practice

As a Buckeye, you don’t run out of the tunnel alone. The expectation requires carrying the legacies of Archie, Woody, and so many others are on your back. You come to Ohio State because of the tradition and to uphold the standard of excellence set by those before you. 

Student-athletes pursue their dreams at Michigan because of its storied history. Their goal is to fulfill a promise made by Bo that those who stay will become champions. Or run out of eligibility first, either or. In the same breath, going to Texas and Oklahoma was never about the money, but rather for outstanding coaching and overall experience of playing in one of the sport’s biggest rivalries. 

Recruiting was about tradition, culture, and opportunity, not a bidding war to see which school has the deepest pockets. The dominos toward a more progressive college football have been lining up and falling for some time now. But if Wednesday’s early signing day was any indication, these changes and enhanced mobility are the future – one that’s rapidly changing. 

College football will remain the greatest sport the world has to offer as all sports and leagues evolve, but it will take some getting used to this time as it continues to change right before our eyes. 

Photo courtesy of Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports