Here we go. An article on GJ Kinne and his use of the portal both at Incarnate Word and Texas State. At IW they literally didn’t have the money to subscribe to multiple transfer portal research platforms so had to use their friends at other schools and use their logins lol. Did some pot of gold suddenly emerge at Texas State lol. I doubt it. Might not be as strapped as that but more likely they just did their research and found fits for their scheme.I think NIL gets overplayed. Yes it is used for some of the top ends players but for most others I think there is a balance of playing time/opportunity/fit etc..if there’s money it isnt at some astronomical level.
It’s likely the same at other schools too. Some of the movement is NIL and some of it is just playing time, fit and opportunity.
From the article:
Such is life as a new head coach in modern football. The old days of turning over a roster in three or four recruiting cycles are disappearing in the rear-view mirror.
It is a game within a game,” Kinne said of roster building on the fly. “It is scary. That’s why you must do a lot of research.”
Programs can subscribe to websites that track transfers and help sift through data and tape to identify potential fits. One of the big ones is ran by PFF. The problem for Kinne at UIW was cost. They couldn’t afford multiple subscriptions to multiple platforms, so Kinne did what coaches do in times of adversity – rely on their network.
“We had UTSA’s log in and UCF’s log in and even something from Hawaii,” Kinne chuckled. “Anyone can look good on a highlight from practice or something. PFF tells the truth. It helps us get a better idea of how much someone has played and to view actual footage.”
Of the 51 new signees, 37 are transfers. Seven more are from the JUCO ranks, and the other seven are straight out of high school – a welcomed change in San Marcos. Eighteen of the 37 transfers came from Power Five programs, which is tied for the most in FBS. Twelve signed from the FCS level, including nine from UIW. Most of them had the same thing in common – production.
Winning at the FBS level requires risk. Some coaches see the transfer portal as a way to exchange each other’s waste. Kinne views it as an opportunity. Not one without a downside, but one with plenty of upside for those with the right eye – and approach. The goal isn’t to bat 1.000. The goal is lead the league in hitting percentage.