The following is part one of a four-part series examining the effects of the transfer portal from a Non-FBS perspective. Part two will be published on July 10.

It's a journey fraught with challenges. Since 2021, a staggering 5,436 FCS and Division II undergraduate athletes receiving athletic scholarship money to play football have entered the transfer portal. Of these, only 1,621, or 29.8 percent, have managed to navigate the complexities and successfully transferred to another NCAA institution.

More alarming is the number of athletes receiving aid in FCS or DII before entering the portal who had yet to land at another NCAA institution at any level. The NCAA refers to these student-athletes portal status as “active entrants,” defined as athletes who may still be exploring their options, transferred to a non-NCAA school (such as NAIA or NJCAA), or left the sport.

According to statistics provided by the NCAA, a whopping 3,171 (58.3 percent) undergraduate athletes receiving athletic aid to play football at an FCS or DII university who have entered the transfer portal since 2021 remain on active status. 

“The truth is a lot of them can’t afford to go to school without an athletic scholarship, so there’s been some bad tragedies from the portal,” one FCS head coach said. “The portal is a hot stove, and you must be careful. There are guys who have jumped into the portal with high hopes, but it didn’t work out. The percentages show there’s a better chance that you won’t find a new school.”

Indeed, some of the athletes who remain on active status landed at NAIA or NJCAA institutions. However, of the 12,756 undergraduate athletes who played football in FCS or DII while receiving athletics aid to enter the portal since 2021, a mere 185 (1.5 percent) landed at a Division III school. It’s difficult to believe the percentage of these athletes playing in NAIA or NJCAA is much higher.

“I was raised to understand that college football is meant to educate these guys, get them a degree, and grow them into men. They’re young men from 18 to 22, but you watch them work out in the weight room, and there ain’t any boys,” another FCS head coach said. “Our responsibility is to grow them into men, and I think the dynamics of college football dilutes what we’re trying to do here.”

While the complaints from coaches at all levels regarding the transfer portal are numerous, the urgent need for better support systems to ensure academic success is a common thread. Every coach I spoke with for this piece immediately echoed similar comments to those expressed in the previous paragraph when initially asked for their thoughts on the portal. Coaches are concerned about what happens to their players who don’t earn their degrees.

“What happens to these guys that enter the portal and don’t find another home? Some of them are beating the streets and are uneducated, and that’s where we’re losing because I believe winning in college football is getting your degree,” one FCS head coach said. “Winning championships, making it to the NFL, or making some NIL money - that’s all gravy and a cherry on top of the icing.”

When you look solely at Division II, the statistics paint a more dire picture for undergraduate student-athletes who receive aid at their current school before entering the portal. Since 2021, 3,267 DII athletes receiving athletics aid at their current school entered the transfer portal. An eye-opening 2,197 (67.2 percent) of those athletes remain in active status. 

“It’s a big problem, and it’s really sad. We’ll check in on guys who have been sitting at home for two years and working at McDonald’s because they finally realized they weren’t the hot shit they thought they were,” one Division II head coach said. “They didn’t get that FBS offer they were hoping for when they entered the portal, so they’re sitting at home feeling sorry for themselves.” 

Another DII head coach said he occasionally uses one of the exceptions allowed by the NCAA transfer rules regarding athletes who failed to maintain their grades at their previous school. According to athleticscholarships.net, “A student-athlete may transfer and play immediately if for a two-year period prior to starting any practice or competition at the new school, the student-athlete did not participate at all in intercollegiate athletics for two years, except for one 14-day period (i.e., a tryout).”

However, that coach quickly noted that two years away from the game is a significant challenge for the athlete to overcome when returning to college football.

“We try to bring some of these guys back, but they aren’t what they used to be because they’ve been out of the game for two years,” he said. “It’s sad because it does affect their education and we know getting a degree is important in today’s corporate world.”

Another issue facing transfers earning their degree when they transfer is they risk losing hours toward their degree plan at their new institution.

“I’ve had Division I transfers come here that lost anywhere between 12 to 18 hours because the courses they took toward their degree plan at the DI school don’t count toward their degree plan here,” one DII head coach said.

These student-athletes face the prospect of completing their NCAA eligibility without earning the credits necessary to graduate, which can have financial implications for those who choose to earn their diploma.

“One problem some Division II players face when they transfer late in their career is they usually end up losing hours,” a different DII head coach said. “Then they’re out of eligibility before they get their degree. Now, they’re forced to pay for schooling on their own or use financial aid, and that’s one area where guys get into a bind.”

Finishing their education is only one challenge facing athletes who enter the transfer portal. Part two of this series will focus on aspects unknown to most athletes when deciding to transfer.