2026 Transfer Portal - General

[IrishinSyria]

I'm confused
I thought Cignetti was being praised for getting a bunch out of JMU level recruits

How is going full portal year after year going to be sustainable? How does that create program identity longevity?

This will be more like an NFL team cleaning house and starting over year after year. I don't see how you become a blue blood that way.

The JMU way with transfers mixed in? Sure, but at some point you have to have 4 year players

I mean I don’t think there is a roadmap for becoming a blue blood in the transfer/nil era yet, but if anyone’s working on one it’s him.

 

[MacIrish75]

If it wasn't IU (or Texas Tech, for that matter) doing this, nobody would care.

We blue bloods hate an upstart--especially one who pilfers dudes we covet.

 

[Free Manera]

Players are worth what schools will pay them. He was Tech's guy and they went and got him. This environment could be perfect for ND to get back to the top of college football if they were to embrace it.

 

[WildMan1]

$5 mil is nothing to that guy. $30-$40 mil annually is nothing.

Still have to do it on the field, tho.

Oh I know.. thats why I think it’s only going to get crazier if all these billionaires get desperate for a natty.

I don’t want to say “congress needs to step in” but man it feels like we need an adult in the room here 😂

I’m sure ND is about to over pay for our DL too..

Just feels like the entirety of college football is now a farm system for the top 15 brands to make a run every year.

Why even coach an Iowa St team when you know all your hard work developing a kid will only help a blue blood or “big money” team next year?

Whats the point for these small market teams if you can’t set an expectation to develop a class for 2 or 3 years & make a real run once in a while?

I don’t know.. it’s strange. But on the flip side, I’d do almost anything to experience ND winning a national championship in this day & age.

 

[Chino Cherokee]

Oh I know.. thats why I think it’s only going to get crazier if all these billionaires get desperate for a natty.

I don’t want to say “congress needs to step in” but man it feels like we need an adult in the room here 😂

I’m sure ND is about to over pay for our DL too..

Just feels like the entirety of college football is now a farm system for the top 15 brands to make a run every year.

Why even coach an Iowa St team when you know all your hard work developing a kid will only help a blue blood or “big money” team next year?

Whats the point for these small market teams if you can’t set an expectation to develop a class for 2 or 3 years & make a real run once in a while?

I don’t know.. it’s strange. But on the flip side, I’d do almost anything to experience ND winning a national championship in this day & age.

I was just about to post these same thoughts.

All this money talk makes me sad that soon, real soon, the Natty is simply going to be a matter of who has the richest backers.

And where the hell is Indiana coming up with all this money? Do they have a sugar daddy like Oregon?

 

[PolishDomer]

In what universe does it behoove anyone in the United States for American colleges to e filling up their soccer teams with rent-a-player 22 year olds from South America and Europe? It is becoming virtually impossible for American high school players to get scholarships because schools do not want to "waste" spots on 17 year olds when they can grab proven foreign players. Basketball is not much better.

What is the purpose of collegiate sports? It is not to be a minor league semi-pro system. It's supposed to be students competing for their schools.

That's something I am discovering with my junior twin boys who are getting recruited for college soccer...eye opening

 

[Huntr]

 

[MacIrish75]

I was just about to post these same thoughts.

All this money talk makes me sad that soon, real soon, the Natty is simply going to be a matter of who has the richest backers.

And where the hell is Indiana coming up with all this money? Do they have a sugar daddy like Oregon?

Mark Cuban, for one--probably the most notable who gives a crap about sports. David Solomon, CEO of Goldman-Sachs is another.

 

[Chino Cherokee]

Mark Cuban, for one--probably the most notable who gives a crap about sports. David Solomon, CEO of Goldman-Sachs is another.

They both give to Indiana? Why???

 

[indianamouse]

They both give to Indiana? Why???

I believe Cuban graduated from there

 

[JerseyIrishMan]

Mark Cuban, for one--probably the most notable who gives a crap about sports. David Solomon, CEO of Goldman-Sachs is another.

Source for the David Solomon claim?

 

[FU BK]

They both give to Indiana? Why???

Uh....Cuban is a grad. Plus the richest man in indiana Carl Cook lives in Bloomington

 

[stlnd01]

They both give to Indiana? Why???

Cuban went there for undergrad and I think Solomon got his MBA there. The advantages of having a great business school.

 

[MacIrish75]

Source for the David Solomon claim?

I just knew that offhand...but here is a link verifying Solomon got his MBA from IU--as stated by @stlnd01 above.

https://www.academicjobs.com/employers/indiana-university-kelley-school-of-business/15591/notable-alumni

 

[CanadalovesND]

I think he was the most productive EDGE in the Portal.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

How many has IU locked up? Extremely impressive operation for them. They’re all in.

A reminder
IU spends next to no money on recruiting
IU spends pennies on player retention salaries relative to ND.

 

[Dale]

How many has IU locked up? Extremely impressive operation for them. They’re all in.

If you roll the ball out today, ND gets zero portal additions, who you taking?

 

[irishff1014]

I didn’t watch any Cincinnati football this year, is he worth 5 million in oil money?

No

 

[RudyVerse]

Good Lord IU is cleaning up.

 

[MacIrish75]

Good Lord IU is cleaning up.

Lol Burnham gonna be DE3 again at IU.

 

[Dale]

Players are worth what schools will pay them. He was Tech's guy and they went and got him. This environment could be perfect for ND to get back to the top of college football if they were to embrace it.

Keyword being schools, plural. Texas Tech reportedly last year at least had to play essentially a “Lubbock tax” to come there. Overpaying by 20% to get kids to sign. So the market for Sorsby was likely not $5 million. That’s what it needed to go to Texas Tech. Wouldn’t be surprised if Leavitt gets notably less.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Tim Prister just said that IU paid more for Marsh than ND paid Love

For a business school that is ridiculous

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

I mean I don’t think there is a roadmap for becoming a blue blood in the transfer/nil era yet, but if anyone’s working on one it’s him.

But its working, right now, with an organized JMU backbone...what happens when thats gone?

 

[arrowryan]

Tim Prister just said that IU paid more for Marsh than ND paid Love

For a business school that is ridiculous

That should never happen in a million years. They’re playing a dangerous game.

 

[RudyVerse]

But its working, right now, with an organized JMU backbone...what happens when thats gone?

Well apparently they reload like they are above everyone else as we speak? Everyone says “how’s this sustainable” but IU, Miami are playing for a title and are reloading again.

It just takes school commitment and a coach to stay in place.

I don’t think losing 5 DTs and not showing you can pair your Heisman level QB with a star receiver is sustainable either (noting this may not be the end result as it’s still early).

 

[Dale]

Well apparently they reload like they are above everyone else? Everyone says “how’s this sustainable” but IU, Miami are playing for a title and are reloading again.

It just takes school commitment and a coach to stay in place.

Miami has a ton of high school talent. It’s mainly just been QB the portal. And then this season specifically the secondary because last years guys stunk. Even then I think by seasons end 2 ended up being HS recruits.

 

[arrowryan]

Well apparently they reload like they are above everyone else as we speak? Everyone says “how’s this sustainable” but IU, Miami are playing for a title and are reloading again.

It just takes school commitment and a coach to stay in place.

I don’t think losing 5 DTs and not showing you can pair your Heisman level QB with a star receiver is sustainable either (noting this may not be the end result as it’s still early).

So you’re under the assumption that every portal addition will hit 100% of the time?

 

[Irish5Saint]

Tim Prister just said that IU paid more for Marsh than ND paid Love

For a business school that is ridiculous

The unspoken part here that for some reason writers and insiders aren’t saying is that Cignetti likely told Marsh that deal expires if he walks out the door. He pressured him to make a decision on the spot.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

The unspoken part here that for some reason writers and insiders aren’t saying is that Cignetti likely told Marsh that deal expires if he walks out the door. He pressured him to make a decision on the spot.

This is being talked about and is a fact.

 

[ab2cmiller]

The unspoken part here that for some reason writers and insiders aren’t saying is that Cignetti likely told Marsh that deal expires if he walks out the door. He pressured him to make a decision on the spot.

They aren't reporting it because it's fairly common practice.