...In the Pocket...

"Transfer U'"

Throughout the years, the NCAA has established rules that by which student-athletes may transfer from one institution to another … specifically after signing an NLI (or National Letter of Intent). An NLI is an agreement between a specific collegiate institution and a prospective player, to provide academic financial assistance to said player … in exchange for him/her competing in NCAA-sanctioned athletics for said institution. Simply put, the current rules (as they relate to football at the DI, or DII level) are as follows:

* … in exchange for athletics financial aid for one full academic year, a prospective student-athlete who signs an NLI makes a commitment to attend the signing institution for one full academic year. If you do not attend the signing institution or if you attend that institution for less than one academic year, and you subsequently enroll in another NLI institution, you may not represent the second institution until you have completed two academic seasons in residence at the latter institution. Additionally, the student-athlete will lose those two years of competition in all sports.

What does the term “Red-Shirt” mean?

The term “red shirt” is used to describe a student-athlete who does not compete against outside competition in a given sport for an entire academic year, even though the student is eligible. If you do not compete in a sport the entire academic year, you have not used a season of competition. For example, if you are a qualifier, you attend a Division I four-year college your freshman year and you practice but do not compete, you still would have the next four years to play four seasons (or 10 semesters) of competition.

Of course, what is a rule without exceptions? One would think it was still a rule, but we should know better.

A player may be eligible to use the one-time transfer exception and be immediately able to participate if (1) you do not want to transfer to a school for Division I football, basketball or men’s ice hockey, (2) you have never transferred before from a four-year institution, (3) you are both academically and athletically eligible, and (4) you receive a “release agreement” from the school from which you are transferring. Also, you may be eligible for this exception if you are transferring from a Division IA football program to a Division I-AA football program OR from a Division I-AA football program that offers athletics aid in football to a Division I-AA football program that does not offer athletics aid in football.

Of course, there are many more rules and exceptions, that space will not allow us to address. However, what has become of increasing concern to many; is the increasing number of IA to I-AA transfers. The rate of transfer, especially over the last couple of years, has become almost out of control. I understand that there are many reasons that a player transfers, and just as many opinions on the issue. So, just how deep has the need for IA transfers gone? Here is a section from an article in the Tribune-Star (July 26, 2004), that discuses the outlook for the 2004 Indiana State Sycamores football program. Keep in mind that ISU has been at the forefront of collegiate basketball for years, but ISU football has only seen 3 winning seasons the past 20 years:

"... The elements for this struggling program's best season in years seem to be in place. Coach Tim McGuire has, after six seasons, the NCAA-maximum of six assistants for the first time ever and an expanded recruiting budget. And the most promising change could be the influx of players transferring from larger Division I-A programs to I-AA ISU. As of Friday, the Sycamores had 10 new I-A transfers since last season, and at least two more could be added by the time practices begin on Aug. 4 at Memorial Stadium.

Now all they've got to do is win.

It's been a while since that happened. ISU ended 2003 by losing all seven of its Gateway Conference games, finishing with a 3-9 record. That gave ISU its 17th losing record in the past 19 seasons.

But since then McGuire, who is in the final year of his current contract, has been given the green light by outgoing Athletic Director Andi Myers and the administration to fill out his staff and find some experienced players from a resource ISU tapped only sporadically in the past -- I-A transfers.

So far, that new group includes two from Michigan State (wide receiver Ben Steckler and defensive back-turned-quarterback Bradley "Griff" Howard), two from Central Michigan (defensive back Scooter Archie and wide receiver Markus Naves), offensive lineman Fred Staugh from Colorado, linebacker Antipati Mailo (Hawaii), defensive lineman Joel Stubblefield (Indiana), linebacker Orlando Gooden (Missouri), wide receiver Drew Evans (Western Michigan) and running back Therrall Hatfield (Louisiana-Lafayette). ..."

So, today coach McGuires "I-AA" Sycamores begin camp with literally 1/2 of a IA squad. Why not bring on another 12 and go for a full roster? Believe me, the fact that the 'Trees' are still predicted to finish at the bottom of the GFC in 2004 just demonstrates that they are not the only team with an abundance of IA transfers.

Reasons for allowing IA to I-AA transfers:

· Many IA players are not going to play at the IA level and see I-AA as means to gain playing time and an education.
· Many I-AA institutions have much higher academic reputations than their IA counterparts. Seeing as though only a small percentage of athletes will see the professional ranks … the decision to attend a more prestigious academic institution is quite valid.
· Many upper-tier I-AA schools are regularly scouted by NFL teams and players may feel that the odds of getting a chance at the pro-level are greatly enhanced by a transfer to one of these I-AA schools.

Reasons for not allowing IA to I-AA transfers:

· Most of the quality IA transfers are going to attend upper-tier I-AA schools. Thus creating an even larger gap between the current upper and lower tiered I-AA programs.
· Most quality IA players are more concerned with their prospects for an NFL contract … thus less concerned with the concept of a “team”. Therefore many coaches have found (and many more will find) challenges with efforts and attitudes in their transfers.
· Not all players are leaving IA institutions to seek more playing time. Instead they leave for academic and disciplinary reasons. Reasons that generally do not stay with the IA school, but instead transfer to the I-AA institution.

Here is our take:

· The majority of IA to I-AA transfers, that seem to be problem players, are upper-classmen (sophomore and above). Or at least have player more than 1 year of IA ball.
· Most quality potential I-AA high-school recruits, that are “marginal” IA material, will choose to attempt IA ball … making recruiting these players (at the I-AA level) almost an impossibility until they (marginal players) have discovered they will not make it in IA ball. After all, what do they have to lose … if they do not make it at the IA level, there is always I-AA? Thus, the status of I-AA will be diminished, as the division becomes nothing but recipients … and IA becomes nothing but a feeding ground for I-AA.
· Allowing unrestricted transfers will create nothing more than a “free-agency”, which has already proven to be the downfall of the NFL. Fans will soon find out that the various I-AA athletic departments are holding scholarships for the “potential big time IA transfer”. In addition, there will be a noticeable decrease the recruiting of quality high-school players and the parallel decrease in the amount of high-school recruits willing to commit to these same I-AA institutions … seeing them as a last resort.
· The high-end players, that have NFL potential, will not be as willing to submit themselves to a system that includes a grueling 4-week play-off that greatly increases the risk of serious career-ending injuries. Thus a decrease in performance.
· The idea of allowing upper-classmen to come in and ‘take-over’ a position will always steer quality 4-year potential recruits away from teams that have developed a reputation as “transfer U”.
· Fans will look at these lower-end prospects as more reason to doubt the legitimacy of I-AA, as a result of this “feeding” reputation.

Here are potential solutions:

Although we would certainly not like to see the practice become common, we find certain limited transfers (from IA to I-AA) acceptable:
· If a player has, at least 3 years of eligibility remaining. This means freshman, or red-shirt freshman only.
· If the player meets all academic and other standards required by the receiving institution.
· The player obtains a proper release from the current institution.

Players that have less than 3 years of eligibility should have to follow the same guidelines, as if they we making a lateral or upward transfer. This mean they will lose at least one year of athletic eligibility.

Here are some additional guidelines we would expect to see put into practice by the NCAA:

· Limit the quantity of transfers to each I-AA institution, and the scholarship quantities accordingly. Furthermore, scholarships from a failed transfer (IA to I-AA only) may not be used to fund another inter-divisional (IA to I-AA) transfer, in the same season.
· Limit the period of time that these players have in which to make the decision to transfer. It is unfair for IA programs to think they are going to have a set roster & then have it altered with an untimely transfer. It is equally unfair to I-AA recruiting coordinators not to know how many scholarships will be available for incoming freshman, or existing players that have proven worthy of aide. Again, with the proper timing each year, both of these issues can be eliminated.
· The scholarship of an existing player, or promised scholarship to be made to an existing player … may not be revoked, reduced, or altered in any way to provide for a IA to I-AA transfer. If a scholarship is lost due to academic and/or team violations, these funds will be eligible for use. Furthermore, willful, and unjust alterations of existing scholarships MUST carry a severe punishment … up to an including post-season suspensions.

IA transfers can be a valuable addition to I-AA clubs, but they are a "double-edged sword". Left unregulated, it could do much more harm than good. Simple rules are the answer and we encourage the NCAA think, and act, accordingly. However, the ultimate responsibility lies much closer to home. Coaches need to monitor the successes or failures of IA transfers and determine what is best for their team. Many things separate I-AA from IA ball. Fairness and equity are what I-AA is all about ... from our recruiting practices to determining our champion ... let's not lose site of the long-term for a quick fix. As always, this is one man's opinion ... from the pocket.