By Zachary Howell

Copyright clutchpoints

The college football world is one of the fastest changing landscapes in all of sports. Name, image, and likeness deals have taken over as players make millions of dollars across the country. However, the NCAA is still adjusting to the new era that has seen players change universities every year. Former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban is a fan of the new transfer portal rules.

Saban lost talented players like Jalen Hurts to the transfer portal during his career as a coach. However, he and other older coaches had a tough time adjusting to the new rules. One of the biggest problems was the fact that there used to be two windows of time in which players could transfer. It gave players more freedom, but introduced chaos all over the sport.

The NCAA acknowledged complaints and made the decision to have just one transfer window. Players can still move schools for more opportunities, both NIL and otherwise. However, coaches and programs have a better idea of who they need to replace and recruit for the next season. Saban appeared on the Pat McAfee Show to voice his support for the rule change to the transfer portal.

“I think one transfer portal is probably a good thing,” Saban said. “I think when you have your team in the spring, you go through spring practice, you go through the program and then guys leave, it’s probably not great for them in terms of the next place they go, and its not great for you trying to manage a roster. We’re forcing people in college to move more to the NFL model in terms of organization….You’re expanding operations to be able to manage this kind of circumstance.”

Saban did not have those rules in place when he lost Hurts to the University of Oklahoma. However, the NCAA has made it easier for programs to handle the transfer portal each season moving forward. At the end of the day, one transfer portal window serves players and coaches equally well.