Mark Stoops embracing midseason transfer portal entries

The transfer portal has changed the way college football teams build rosters. Mark Stoops has been on the cutting edge since its inception. As more and more players enter the transfer portal earlier than ever, Kentucky’s head coach is making sure the Wildcats do not fall behind in the rat race.

Since Monday 16 Power Five football players have entered the transfer portal. Kentucky has eyeballs on the portal constantly to monitor who is going in and who is going out.

“We all have to look at it. We have some support staff that looks at it everyday to make sure that we know who’s in there, start grabbing film, putting all the film together and then putting it in front of our coaches. It’s definitely very different and so we gotta stay up with it,” said Stoops. “Like every team in the country, we’re going to actively participate, that’s for sure.”

Not every team has benefitted from transfers as much as Kentucky. The Wildcats pulled four starters from the portal in the offseason. The only one that did not make 247 Sports’ Midseason All-Transfer Team was QB Will Levis.

The Wildcats will certainly bring in more from the portal this offseason and they could do it with athletes currently looking for a new home. Former Syracuse wide receiver Taj Harris received an offer from UK. This weekend he’s officially visiting Ole Miss for the LSU game. Kentucky has developed a good reputation with LSU transfers and this week former four-star wide receiver Koy Moore threw his name into the portal.

Stoops Understands Transfer Opportunties

The transfer portal door does not just swing one way. Stoops is receptive to receiving transfers. He cannot deter players from leaving his program too. That would make him a hypocrite.

“There’s guys here that are probably (entering the portal) — anymore, that’s no disrespect. We’ve got some really good players in front of you. Maybe you go somewhere else and they have a need for you at a certain position, so I understand,” said Kentucky’s head coach.

“Guys that maybe feel like they have a better opportunity somewhere else, we understand it and want what’s best for that person. You have to have difficult talks with some of these guys because not everybody (can play.) We got a lot of guys out here. Not everybody’s getting what they want as far as playing time, but we’re here to do a job. I think they understand that and we try to give everybody an opportunity they can to help us.”