SEC Eliminates Intra-Conference Transfer Rule
On Thursday, the Southeastern Conference presidents and chancellors voted to eliminate an intra-conference transfer rule that forced players to sit out a year after transferring inside the conference.
The NCAA already approved a one-time transfer rule for any student-athlete back in April but the SEC was the final Power 5 conference to not allow players to transfer to another school within the league without sitting out a year.
“This is an important measure to further support student-athletes throughout the Southeastern Conference," SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a press release. "While maintaining the expectation that coaches and others avoid improper recruiting, this change will ensure that student-athletes who enroll at an SEC member institution will enjoy the flexibility afforded to other student-athletes across the nation."
Alabama football will directly benefit from this by way of landing former Tennessee linebacker Henry To'oTo'o, who committed to the Crimson Tide last month.
“It is what it is, you just have to adapt to whatever it is. I don’t know what will happen today when they vote on. I know that all the other conferences you can intra-conference transfer,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said before his Nick's Kids charity golf tournament Thursday morning. "But I have no idea what the outcome of that would be. So, we will just have to wait and see."
In order to gain immediate eligibility, a student-athlete will need to declare his or her intent to transfer by February 1 for Fall sports, May 1 for Winter sports and July 1 for Spring sports. NCAA rules include similar deadlines except the NCAA deadline for Fall sports is May 1.
"The SEC has established a deadline for declaring an intention to transfer in Fall sports as February 1 in order to create time windows that are more consistent across Fall, Winter and Spring sports," Sankey said.
In other action, the SEC Presidents and Chancellors approved the following proposals:
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives - To encourage, facilitate and assist member institutions in attracting and hiring historically underrepresented minorities in the leadership of their athletics departments, particularly in the roles of athletics director, head coach, and senior woman administrator (SWA) and in positions that typically lead to employment in the positions of athletics director, head coach, and SWA. (Establishes SEC Bylaw 23)
Restriction Against Participating in Distribution of Conference Funds due to Postseason Ban in Basketball or Football - To clarify and simplify an existing bylaw to specify that an institution receiving a postseason ban in basketball or football from the NCAA or the Conference shall be limited to only 50% of the Conference's revenue distribution derived from postseason revenue in the affected sport. Further, to establish that if the institution receives a second postseason ban in either basketball or football during the ensuing five-year period that the institution shall forfeit 100% of the Conference's revenue distribution derived from postseason revenue in the affected sport during the period of the ban. (Amends SEC Bylaw 31.26)
Extended Training Trips During Christmas Break - Sports other than Football, Basketball, and Women's Rowing - To eliminate the Conference prohibition on extended training trips during an institution's Christmas holiday break in sports other than football, basketball, and women's rowing. (Amends SEC Bylaw 17.1.9)
Nontraditional Courses from Another Institution - To specify that a current student-athlete may not use more than nine semester hours of nontraditional course work from another institution within an academic year to fulfill academic progress eligibility requirements. (Amends SEC Bylaw 14.4.10)
Two-Year Eligibility - To eliminate all provisions of the two-year eligibility rule. (Eliminates SEC Bylaw 14.1.15)
Two-Year College Transfers - Nonqualifiers - To specify that a nonqualifier who initially enrolls at a two-year college prior to transferring to a member institution (i.e., 2-4 transfer) who does not meet Conference transfer requirements may be eligible for practice and athletically related financial aid, but may not be eligible for competition, during the individual's initial academic year in residence. (Amends SEC Bylaw 14.5.4.2)
Four-Year College Transfers - Nonqualifiers - To specify that a nonqualifier who initially enrolls at another four-year institution prior to transferring to a member institution (i.e., 4-4 transfer) who does not meet Conference transfer requirements may be eligible for practice and athletically related financial aid, but may not be eligible for competition, during the individual's initial academic year in residence. (Amends SEC Bylaw 14.5.5.6)
