Purdue's Barry Odom Weighs in on Proposed College Football Transfer Portal Window

If there are two words Purdue coach Barry Odom could apply to the NCAA's proposed change to college football's transfer portal window, they would be "adapt" and "adjust." That's his outlook as alterations could be coming in the near future.

Last week, the NCAA FBS Oversight Committee voted for to have a single window for the transfer portal moving forward. The plan is to move the winter portal window to January and eliminate the spring window.

Odom said he had no problem with the NCAA eliminating one of those portal windows.

"I'm in favor of one. Most guys who get in the portal, they know where they're going before they get in," he said during his media availability on Monday. "We'll be very aggressive in building our roster for 2026 during that time."

The proposed change would provide student-athletes with 10 days to enter the transfer portal, beginning on Jan. 2, 2026. It would still coincide with the College Football Playoff, as Jan. 1 is the last day of the quarterfinals.

The final day to enter would then be Jan. 11, 2026. Players would not have to commit to a new team at that time, but they will have to enter their name into the portal within that timeframe.

Odom said there are some positives about eliminating the spring window and allowing coaches to recruit through the portal in the winter.

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Barry Odom walks | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"The advantages are that you get the guys here that you add to your roster in that timeframe, you get a chance for them to go through the winter conditioning phase, the Winning Edge program, and spring practice," Odom said. "So, you've got them for a little bit longer if you can get them into school during that time."

Purdue was one of the programs that benefited most from the NCAA transfer portal during the offseason. Odom and his staff brought in 54 new players during the offseason, the highest total in college football.

Odom acknowledged that it will be bit of a change, but Purdue won't be alone in the journey. Everyone will be dealing with the single transfer portal window.

"It's new for everyone, just like the last couple of years have been new," Odom said. "You have to adjust, have to adapt, have to make it work, and we will. We'll have a really good plan for it."

Before any changes are put into place, it must be approved by the NCAA's Division I Administrative Committee. That group is expected to vote on the proposed change before Oct. 1, 2025.

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