REPORT: NCAA Set To Approve One-Time Transfer Rule
Free agency within college athletics is about to take a big step this week, as the NCAA is on the verge of passing historic legislation that will allow all Division I athletes a one-time transfer without having to sit out for a season.
According to a report published by The Athletic, the Division I Council will meet on Wednesday and Thursday of this week - and is expected to pass the new legislation. The report indicates that that the transfer decision will be divided into two votes.
"The first is the base part of the one-time transfer proposal, which will allow all college athletes, including football and men’s basketball players, to transfer one time and receive immediate eligibility. Currently, all but five sports operate under such a system. This would likely take effect immediately, sources said."
"The second part of the vote is whether or not there will be notification dates for those transferring and, if so, when they will be. The proposal includes a May 1 notification date for fall/winter athletes to tell their school they are leaving and a July 1 deadline for spring athletes."
Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic highlighted why this new transfer policy is a big deal for college athletics and, in particular, college athletes.
"Power continues to shift in the direction of college athletes — and away from their coaches. It became harder and harder for the NCAA to justify allowing multi-millionaire coaches the ability to change jobs freely while forcing athletes to sit out a year when they move around. The NCAA had been moving in this athlete-friendly direction for a few years, first when it introduced the transfer portal, which removed a school’s ability to block other schools from contacting a player, and also when it started approving the vast majority of immediate-eligibility waivers. This paved the way for a full-on rule change."
Michigan is no stranger to the benefits and the difficulties of the transfer portal. Back in 2017, quarterback Shea Patterson announced that he would be transferring from Ole Miss to play for the Michigan Wolverines. Due to the current rules in place, Patterson needed a waiver for immediate eligibility to compete for the 2018 season. Though Ole Miss would object to Patterson's initial request, an NCAA rule change would ultimately allow Patterson to resubmit his waiver request and receive approval for immediate eligibility.
Most recently, Michigan saw former starting quarterback Joe Milton and offensive weapon Giles Jackson entire their names into the portal. Though Milton has yet to announce his destination, Jackson recently announced that he would be transferring to the University of Washington. Interestingly enough, the Wolverines and the Huskies will meet in Ann Arbor during week two of the 2021 season. With the new transfer rule all but complete, it's likely that Jackson will be on the field to face his former team in the Big House on September 11th.
While the new rule change is likely to spark a heated debate among college sports fans, one thing is certain - it's certainly going to make things more interesting.
