Impact of free year of eligibility ?

[EL CAPO]

I'm reading through the ole phil steele and he says everyone is coming back and more experienced and all starters return. (I feel like steele counts a returning starter though if he was a backup and started 1 game due to injury , not sure I like that metric but point remains)

Is this going to make betting easier this upcoming year ? .....more predictability with less turnover, not guessing what teams will be or waiting and see 4 games in etc.

Is this going to be what brings more parity back to the game ? The teams with the most turnover are the big powers to the nfl draft and the smaller schools could potentially have 6 year double redshirt seniors. I think dogs could be barking this year if it levels the playing field for everyone. Either plug in with a transfer or bring back a veteran , should be less holes across the board.

 

[B.A.R.]

Different content than I was expecting opening this thread... But I like it...

The position I'd look at most here is the O Line.

Then QB depth, then the DL.

Great starting points.


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Thought this would be about how many portal guys potentially get shut out of a spot. I like your discussion better though.


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I don't believe it brings parity, but it makes the middle class stronger one would think.

 

[s--k]

Phil is not very consistent with how he counts returning starters and has bothered me for a few years now, but no big deal. As a returning starter is important, but a key reserve can be just as impactful even if they had zero starts if they are ready to step into a starting role.

Coaches have expressed concerns about not knowing how many of these guys actually stick in the program. Just because they have X amount of eligibility left doesn't mean that they will use all of that eligibility at the same school. For this year, the guys are where they are, but for forecasting out it potentially makes things less certain as players will continually move for various reasons.

I am seeing that the typical powerhouse schools didn't retain as many players as their NFL talent largely still moved on, but some of the smaller schools or up and comers did have a lot of their players take advantage of the extra season and came back either for team goals or to improve their own stock.

I'm not sure you could make any kind of blanket statement that it helps underdogs, instead I think it is more team-by-team; analyzing as we typically do, but we will find that some teams are better positioned to compete and surprise in certain spots as underdogs.

Heard something about the number of players in the transfer portal who never got picked up and it was a huge number like 470 players who at one time had a scholarship but left for greener pastures and greener pastures never came calling. Those guys, I don't know the long term ramifications of that. People, especially young people don't always make good decisions, so alot of life changing outcomes now with the lure of immediate eligibility and the transfer portal.

More to your point, there are more "free agents" out there for the bad teams to try and improve their teams from. How it fits and if it works out is never easy to figure. Same as Junior College guys, they don't always pan out or fit the system or culture the way it was hoped and they end up not mattering. Probably see it more like that, just because now players can move freely and have immediate eligibility, it doesn't mean that it is going to make all the teams who pick them up better.

Edit - I counted I think 470 players still unsigned who entered the portal since January 1st to current.

 

[EL CAPO]

Different content than I was expecting opening this thread... But I like it...

The position I'd look at most here is the O Line.

Then QB depth, then the DL.

Great starting points.


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Thought this would be about how many portal guys potentially get shut out of a spot. I like your discussion better though.


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I don't believe it brings parity, but it makes the middle class stronger one would think.

definitely the lines. which always is the biggest difference between bad teams and average teams. sometimes those positions can take a long time to develop 2 and 3 stars and can get decimated to graduation.

The continuity I just think is the biggest - how many teams rate to get worse this year ? Very few. They all bring back everyone. When is the last time that has happened. I don't think it's going to cause parity at the top with bama's clemsons but overall better football , less bad teams and in time it may cause closer games at the top too one could hope or at least less blowouts that are hard to watch.

 

[s--k]

Oregon's DL appears in worse shape. Cal's DL appears worse off. This is without knowing the young guys can do. Iowa arguably lost 3 of their top 4 DL. Northwestern is significantly worse off at LB.

Lots of teams are better off, some are not. I don't think any broad judgements can be made.

 

[s--k]

Charlotte lost their 3 best DL. WKU lost 3 LBs who were honorable mention. San Jose lost both stud WRs San Diego St lost their two best DBs. Not everyone came back.