Just like that, it's open season in collegiate athletics.
The NCAA on Wednesday announced it had formally adopted the much-discussed one-time transfer rule that will allow student-athletes the ability to transfer one time in his or her athletics career and receive immediate eligibility.
“We are thrilled at the passing of the blanket waiver as we believe it is in line with D1 SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee), ensuring that all of our student-athletes have the best opportunity to thrive both academically and athletically,” Caroline Lee, Vice Chair of the NCAA's D1 SAAC and a soccer athlete for Southeastern Louisiana, said in a statement. “In a time of great uncertainty amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we feel it is in our best interest to grant immediate eligibility for those who have transferred in order to best support their mental health and well-being.”
Simply put, the rule change has potentially to dramatically alter everything in the immediate future in college athletics programs. While it's just for the current academic year, the move is seen by coaches as a precursor to a similar vote scheduled next month by the NCAA.
"I feel really bad for the 2021-22 high school kids," said an NCAA Division I football assistant coach. "The COVID-19 impact and extra year of eligibility made it very difficult, and now adding the (expected) first year of NCAA free agency to that as well makes it the hardest time ever to be that 'tweener' kid.
"Extending the scholarship limits sounds great, but there's maybe 20 schools in all of college football that could (financially) carry the burden of 25 extra scholarships for a period reaching possibly up to five years."
It's expected passing earlier in the day on Wednesday already was affecting recruiting decisions across multiple sports, none more so than college football. Multiple Football Bowls Subdivision programs, Power-5 teams and Group of 5 residents alike, opted to not fill up their entire scholarship allotments in order “to comb the (NCAA) Transfer Portal.”
“It widens the recruiting landscape for sure,” said one prominent college football player personnel director. “It creates pressure on both sides, players on current rosters looking for better options and staffs using the transfer portal to supplement their roster.
“This will have also an effect on the recruitment of high school players because spots will be held in a class for potential transfer options, thus limiting opportunities. Right now you’re seeing a big boom in the transfer market, but I think it will settle out over the next couple cycles. Not every player jumping in the portal right now will find the landing spot they were hoping for.”