Kirby Smart points out issue with proposed April transfer window

As the challenges dealing with the transfer portal rock the sport, solutions-oriented folk are meeting to determine what can be done. Georgia coach Kirby Smart certainly has his opinions.

In fact, he’s pretty open about them, too. Starting with how it’s virtually impossible to manage the transfer portal as it currently exists — with the bulk of the transfers done in mid-December, when teams are readying and playing for conference championships, finishing up their semesters and getting ready to welcome a new class of freshmen via the signing class. The only way to handle it?

“A big staff. I mean, having a large staff,” Smart said. “You can’t manage it. But we’re not here to complain about that. Like that’s become the norm.”

Instead, what Kirby Smart wanted to discuss at the SEC spring meetings was the potential for a more palatable alternative. The current setup isn’t to anyone’s liking, so change is only a matter of time.

The right change? Figuring that out could make all the difference.

“Every time we come in here we talk about December is absolutely crazy,” Smart said, before outlining when he thinks would be best. “Now let’s call it January, because hypothetically the portal opened in December, we’re leaning toward that thing opening in January and you get a little more stability in December in terms of let’s sign our high school recruits first, then let’s figure out in January where the semester break ends who’s staying and who’s going. So we compartmentalize. Let’s deal with this issue now. Let’s deal with this (other) issue now.”

That’s not what all the solutions have focused on. There’s another out there that Kirby Smart believes would be pretty close to an abject disaster.

“We’re talking about taking this issue this January and moving it out all the way to April,” Smart said. “You think tampering’s a problem? Put that portal in April and see what teams do in January, February and March.”

Kirby Smart made a plea to anyone listening. Think long and hard about the move before making it.

“Just think about it now, because we’re getting ready to make a big decision and a lot of people believe, ‘Well the kids won’t be able to leave if we put it in April, they’ll have to stay the next semester,'” Smart said. “Oh no. They’ll be on your campus getting tampered with, collecting 33% of your cap before they leave with it. Not for that.”