The NCAA recently announced its decision for a single 10-day transfer window, starting from January 2. “The 10-day notification-of-transfer window would replace the current structure, in which football student-athletes may initiate notification during a 20-day period in December and a 10-day period in April,” the NCAA said in its statement. On the surface, it was backed by a unanimous vote by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and had widespread support from every conference. But little did anyone know that the rumblings were always there under the surface, especially in the Big 10. Now, to make matters more interesting, Lincoln Riley has cleared his stance on the NCAA’s single transfer window decision.

Apart from the proposed 10-day period in January, the transfer window is proposed to always open after the CFP quarterfinals. Moreover, December, when the window earlier opened, will become a “dead period” for recruiting. Coaches can still contact their recruits through calls or emails, etc, but in-person visits will be prohibited. For now, the proposed decision isn’t final and needs the Division I Administrative Committee’s approval before October 1st. That has opened wide the room for debate and disagreements amongst coaches, and Lincoln Riley has become one of them.

USC head coach Lincoln Riley appeared on the ‘CBS Sports College Football’ podcast and expressed his support for the NCAA’s proposed transfer window decision. When the podcast’s host, Danny Kannell, asked Riley, “There’s been some coaches that have pushed back; some said it’s good. What do you think is the perfect spot on the calendar to put that transfer portal window?” Lincoln Riley’s stance was clear: “I don’t know where you put it. I’m glad that we just have one. There’s gonna be some sacrifice one way or another.” With that declaration, Riley still accepted the reasoning why some coaches are opposing the idea.

For one, the window comes when big teams would probably be readying for their semifinal playoff game. At this time, affording to lose players to an open transfer portal would mean widespread ramifications. We saw last year how Marshall snubbed its Bowl game against Army after losing 37 players, along with all three QBs, to the portal. This is something Lincoln Riley understands perfectly.

“You hear the arguments, guys have come out vocally and said, ‘Well, hey, this shouldn’t be during the playoffs,’ which I mean, I agree. I mean, to think that the NFL would be having the NFL playoffs and then just free agency right in the middle of it, like that would never happen,” said Riley. However, despite that agreement, the USC head coach explored the “flip side” of that argument.

Due to the hectic CFB schedule, there’s not an ideal time to put the transfer window. Also, there would be teams like Marshall, who would feel the brunt of the window if it stays in December, losing players to the portal. “I just think the system, honestly, right now doesn’t make for a good place to put it,” said Riley. Despite that, he still supported the idea.

Is Lincoln Riley’s support of the new transfer window a mirror of his recent struggles to qualify for the playoffs? Or doesn’t USC consider itself a national title contender now under Riley? No one knows. But, according to the head coach, ‘when to put the window’ is a “debate” that would rage on for some time now, and currently, Ryan Day is fueling the debate in his favor.

Ryan Day seeks the help of the Big 10 commissioner to oppose the proposed ‘transfer portal’ decision

Ryan Day is rightly concerned regarding the transfer portal decision. Last season, the Buckeyes played their semifinal game on Jan 10th, a period that would come under the proposed transfer window. This year, too, the semifinals will take place from Jan 9th to Jan 10th, making teams susceptible to the consequences the portal brings. Ohio State, a perennial natty contender, is thus looking for the best for themselves, and for that, Ryan Day is willing to take the help of the B1G’s commissioner, Tony Petitti.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea at all… In the conversations we had with the Big Ten coaches, I think the majority of them agree—I just don’t quite understand how teams that are playing in the playoffs are expected to make the decisions and sign their upcoming players while they’re still getting ready to play games. I know the calendar is funky, but I know that the Big Ten and Tony Petitti have been working hard, because he doesn’t believe it either. The coaches in the Big Ten had a lot of long discussions about that and tried to work through the different windows, but I don’t agree with it being in January,” said Ryan Day in a statement. The verdict?

Ryan Day, notably, isn’t pushing back on the idea of a single transfer portal window, but the timing of it. Other coaches like James Franklin and Kirby Smart, however, have already backed the proposed portal window in January. “It’s hard to find a spot in the calendar that makes sense for everybody,” said Franklin. That said, Ryan Day does have support; coaches like Pitt’s Narduzzi have called the proposed window “selfish” and “benefiting some teams more than others.” So, for now, the debate seems to be raging on, and with Ryan Day opposing the idea vehemently, it is bound to get more intense.