Texas OC Kyle Flood Issues Grim Outlook on College Football Turning Into NFL

Texas Longhorns offensive coordinator Kyle Flood did not hold back on how the transfer portal has turned college football into the NFL.

Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns offensive coordinator Kyle Flood during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

College football is constantly evolving, and the sport is nearly unrecognizable in just a short five-year span. From NIL fiascos to the evolving door created by the transfer portal, the sport is less of a fun hobby and has turned into more of a business-like approach.

As time continues, coaches have shifted from letting the sport run its course to speaking out about the new reality that has become their job. While not all of them agree, they do believe that the transfer portal has become one of the more complex changes to fully grasp.

That includes Texas Longhorns offensive coordinator Kyle Flood, who spoke about the new calendar process during a press conference before the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against the Michigan Wolverines, where he acknowledged the changes to the NFL's calendar, for good or for worse.

Different Levels to the Game

Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Kobe Black (6) and teammates react after making an interception during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

No one is safe from the transfer portal. Whether it is because players are looking for better deals or because the program recruits at a high level, leaving players without the playing time they desire, everyone is a victim of the portal. That includes the Longhorns, who have seen their running back room and defense become gutted before their bowl game against the Wolverines.

While the portal has created continuity problems, one of the bigger talking points this off-season has become the calendar. After the NCAA created a one-time transfer portal window, from January 2 to January 16, it leaves programs like the Longhorns dealing with opt-outs from their bowl game, prepping for the bowl game, and scouting players in the portal, all within a short window.

"You gotta meet these guys," Flood said during his press conference before the Citrus Bowl. "Meeting them now when they're in the portal is not like meeting them in high school when they come on an official visit, and they're there for a weekend. It's really much more like your NFL top-30 visits, where I have to get this guy in a room and find out does this guy want to be coached."

With the Longhorns balancing the need to find replacements for their departures after the 2025 season, and the SEC increasing its scholarship count from 85 to 105 total, they will have to vet a large number of potential incoming players. With the shortened window, though, time is of the essence to ensure that not only is the NIL deal negotiated correctly, but that the players' lines up with the culture of the team.

The transfer portal will open on Jan. 2 and will remain open for two weeks until closing on Jan. 16.