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The transfer portal has made life much tougher for college football programs. The constant roster turnover and having to re-recruit your whole roster every year is an added element for everyone.
And, that is most challenging for Group of Five programs. These smaller programs can sometimes feel like feeder teams for the Blue Bloods in the transfer portal era.
One of those smaller programs that have succeeded recently is the University Of Texas-San Antonio. The upstart program has reached new heights under coach Jeff Traylor. And, they have an NFL star now in rookie corner Tariq Woolen of the Seattle Seahwaks.
Traylor got to UTSA before the pandemic-ridden 2020 season and has turned that program around in a big way. He went 7-5 his first year. Then, the program took off, and the Roadrunners have had back-to-back 11-win seasons as it moves up in the G5 pecking order.
But, that means they have some good players, and teams are going to be after them. Of course, teams aren’t supposed to talk to players who aren’t in the portal. But, there are ways about that and apparently, Jeff Traylor has had enough.
Jeff Traylor wants to know how he can report other programs for tampering.
On Monday evening, the coach of the UTSA Roadrunners must have been pretty fired up. He had a message for other programs.
Dear @NCAAFootball How does @UTSAFTBL report Power 5 Schools who are trying to poach our young talent? How much evidence do we really need to make this not be a part of our game?
— Jeff Traylor (@CoachTraylor) December 20, 2022
Naturally, people started throwing out who they thought the offenders were.
Well first we should probably look at Jimbo. Second on my list would be @CoachHughFreeze messaging players after Leach passed, third I’d look into @Lane_Kiffin, lastly I’d look into @AlabamaFTBL but Saban is off limits
— PittDaddy (@PittDaddyWPS) December 20, 2022
Others made a great argument, though. Someday, Traylor will likely go to a bigger school. How is this any different?
Let's remember this when one of the big-time schools comes to you with an offer to become their head coach.
I assume you've instructed your agent to ignore those offers, right?
— Cleanup Hitter (@CleanupHitter1) December 20, 2022
This is the truth at the end of the day. After the Alston ruling by the Supreme Court last year, there is not much the NCAA can do.
Lol you think the NCAA can do anything? It’s a free market now, Coach
— Josh Power (@gigem97) December 20, 2022
Tough luck, Coach Traylor. Still, it is sad to see programs decimated like this.