Revealing how college football GMs prepare ahead of wild Spring transfer portal window

The transfer portal has completely changed the game in college football, with player movement more prevalent than ever. Forcing coaches and athletic staffs to adapt accordingly as a result.

The role of a general manager is common in professional sports, but is becoming more and more popular at the collegiate level given the new tasks of roster management through the transfer portal. Not to mention the rise of name, image, and likeness adding money into the fold, with the college football offseason resembling than NFL offseason more than ever before.

There was plenty of transfer portal movement already this offseason, but the transfer window will reopen yet again in the spring between April 15 – April 30. And On3’s Pete Nakos recently discussed with Andy Staples how college general managers are preparing for another round of player movement.

“I think a few things, they’re already starting to look at film because everyone in that role will tell you that they don’t have enough time to look at film during that two-week window,” Nakos said. “And then I think the really crucial thing is really evaluating the entire roster and those 85 scholarship spots these next few weeks and really picking apart who’s gonna leave, who’s not gonna leave?”

The spring transfer portal window will allow eligible players to test the waters of the transfer portal following spring practice for many programs. This in turn will also allow football programs to potentially have more available scholarships and fill positions of need through the transfer portal as well in April.

“This is just the easiest example, but Ohio State has five quarterbacks right now. They’re are not gonna be five quarterbacks in August, I can almost guarantee you that,” Nakos said.

“So then what happens is you’re gonna have some scholarships open and then all of a sudden Mark Pantoni, who has that GM role, is gonna be looking, like do we need another offensive lineman? Scholarship positions will open so yeah, I think that’s what a GM is doing at the moment,” Nakos concluded.

The Buckeyes getting even stronger during the spring transfer portal window is a scary thought for opponents, with Ohio State already landing four players through the transfer portal ranked within the top 20 of On3’s 2024 College Football Transfer Portal Top Player Rankings.

But the spring transfer portal at large will allow teams to potentially take their rosters to the next level or represent some major losses for programs. Which will all largely hinge on how modern general managers at the collegiate level can navigate through these unprecedented times in college recruiting.

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