UConn 2025 Outbound Transfers (Dec. 9th > 28th 2024 & April 16th > 25th 2025 Cycle) *No Speculation*

[JohnFSilver]

If Making it to the NFL is his top concern, I think Skyler Bell leaving could be a huge mistake on his part. He is the #1 guy here, he knows he can produce in our system. If he builds on what he did last year he would definitely either get drafted or have a top tier undrafted free agent offer guarantee. If he switches to a P4 school, he could easily just fade into the background.

If he isnt good enough to play at a p4, then he isn't going to nfl anyway.

There are no Mistakes anymore. You are a free agent every year and you fit is no longer a major issue, it is salary.

In the past, all scholarships were equally. Now? Go get your bag that gives you best combo of cash and fit.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Just get rid of the bowl system and expand the playoffs to 24 like FCS.

That sucks. Bowl games are more fun. The 12 team Playoff is gonna suck.

 

[KryHavok]

When players quit because they want to retain eligibility mid season, they don't pay back NIL and they should be removed from the team immediately.

Second part, yes, absolutely. First part I respectfully disagree. NIL shouldn't be guaranteed money. They should be payed in disbursements, either weekly, biweekly, or monthly rather than lump sum. This may incentivize to finish the season with the team to get the money that was promised, otherwise they get payed for not showing up, the hell is that all about. Real world, you want the money, you show up for work... you don't show up for work, no money. They want to be paid like employees, they should be treated like employees.

 

[uconndogs]

The whole system is broken and it's a shame because I used to love bowl season.

Totally agree.

NIL will be the back breaker in my opinion. For the life of me I can't get my head around contributing to collectives so they can pay professional athletes. Yeah, I know.....that makes me not a true fan......

 

[Jetskies]

does anyone know who are the exact powers-that-be, that have set up this modern portal/NIL system and the seemingly nonsensical portal windows?
is it ncaa + B1G + SEC? anyone else specific (human being)?

asking because I want to know who to direct my anger toward. Thanks for ruining everything!

 

[How Sway?!]

does anyone know who are the exact powers-that-be, that have set up this modern portal/NIL system and the seemingly nonsensical portal windows?
is it ncaa + B1G + SEC? anyone else specific (human being)?

asking because I want to know who to direct my anger toward. Thanks for ruining everything!

The NCAA for stubbornly holding on to an antiquated notion of amateurism. They backed themselves into a corner and now that they want to set some guardrails, their power has been diluted by the courts.

 

[uconnbill]

Just get rid of the bowl system and expand the playoffs to 24 like FCS.

You do realize many teams will be left out if that happens, including UConn.

I want UConn to have that chance to be in a bowl game which would become almost impossible unless UConn gets into the Big 12 or ACC

 

[uconnbill]

Totally agree.

NIL will be the back breaker in my opinion. For the life of me I can't get my head around contributing to collectives so they can pay professional athletes. Yeah, I know.....that makes me not a true fan......

You either get with the program, or you get left behind. UConn cannot be left behind. You are thinking 1950's and that is never coming back.

 

[Jetskies]

The NCAA for stubbornly holding on to an antiquated notion of amateurism. They backed themselves into a corner and now that they want to set some guardrails, their power has been diluted by the courts.

understood - but does that explain the portal windows? who thought it was a good idea to allow kids to leave before a bowl.... the incentives are all wrong here - of course the kids are opting out more than ever. NCAA/ESPN/the schools, all stand to lose in this portal rhythm.

It just feels like the whole system is shooting itself in the foot right now, and many of us are mad at the kids, who are not the masterminds of it. Players need schools to play for, schools and conferences need bowl money, bowls need sponsors, sponsors need eyeballs, eyeballs (fans) need a good game. No players, no good game.

 

[DoctorWho85]

You do realize many teams will be left out if that happens, including UConn.

I want UConn to have that chance to be in a bowl game which would become almost impossible unless UConn gets into the Big 12 or ACC

Yes I do realize that. My grad school gets left out of the playoffs in FCS all the time. But playing NDSU, SDSU and USD every year doesn't help

 

[Rondogg]

Seems like, unless you are an elite program in the Playoffs, "Bowl Season" is just a bunch of scrimmages between half-teams.

 

[Bubba1957]

I think an unintended consequence of NIL/Transfer Portal has been parity. Non Cartel schools have bee able to pull a lot of the depth that the Cartel schools have. Almost every team Uconn played this year had lots of Cartel guys who transferred in (look at Mass).
So as this gets fixed, I'm concerned that the Cartel will take steps to keep that from happening. Even some of the bowl games are more interesting because non Cartel team have real shots of beating the Cartel.
Of course if we are ever admitted to the Cartel, then as Rosane Rosanadana would say, "never mind".

 

[uconndogs]

You either get with the program, or you get left behind. UConn cannot be left behind. You are thinking 1950's and that is never coming back.

I understand the current system and what it will take to be competitive. My point is that it holds little interest to me and that I struggle with the conept of making "contributions" to a collective so it can pay professional athletes.

There are a lot of folks on this board who believe our path to success lies in getting into a P4 conference. I'm not so sure. It's going to take a lot more than conference revenue sharing to be competitive at the highest levels of college athletics.....and that will include hoops by the way. There are maybe 20-30 programs that will have those types of resources on a consistent basis and I highly doubt UCONN will be one of them.

 

[JohnFSilver]

I understand the current system and what it will take to be competitive. My point is that it holds little interest to me and that I struggle with the conept of making "contributions" to a collective so it can pay professional athletes.

There are a lot of folks on this board who believe our path to success lies in getting into a P4 conference. I'm not so sure. It's going to take a lot more than conference revenue sharing to be competitive at the highest levels of college athletics.....and that will include hoops by the way. There are maybe 20-30 programs that will have those types of resources on a consistent basis and I highly doubt UCONN will be one of them.

The NIL will find its level and after many mistakes, overpayments, and things we will get a true market of players.

College coaches are too quick to go after too recruits and are paying to get them. That's dumb jmo. Why pay $1 million for a guy to sit on the bench?

I think we will see a better dispersion of tablet out if high school. Like, why go stay 3-4 years at Michigan to get a starting role for one year?

That's dumb now. To tk UConn, develop, get paid and when your time comes cash in .

 

[AllHusky]

I agree about the strengths and improvement opportunities concerning Skyler Bell. Although he had too many drops, I am assuming that good coaching could have decreased that drop rate. Of course we'll never know at UConn. That assumption may be incorrect, but we expect guys like Ball, Ross and Stewart to improve year over year in MBB. Why don't we have the same approach for the football coaching staff?

We do. If a guy stays he should improve

 

[huskymedic]

 

[KryHavok]

When you see it broken down like that, there's an average of almost 14 athletes/school in Division I that entered the portal, which doesn't seem terrible. Sucks that 2 of that 14 average were our top offensive players.

 

[UConnJim]

When you see it broken down like that, there's an average of almost 14 athletes/school in Division I that entered the portal, which doesn't seem terrible. Sucks that 2 of that 14 average were our top offensive players.

Football is a team sport. I think the OL, Cam Edwards (#1 in rushing yards), Mel Brown, Louis Hansen, TJ Sheffield (#1 in receptions),... are just as valuable.

 

[UCFBfan]

Football is a team sport. I think the OL, Cam Edwards (#1 in rushing yards), Mel Brown, Louis Hansen, TJ Sheffield (#1 in receptions),... are just as valuable.

The receivers are even more valuable if we can get a QB who can get them the dang ball accurately and more often

 

[Zonepress]

Second part, yes, absolutely. First part I respectfully disagree. NIL shouldn't be guaranteed money. They should be payed in disbursements, either weekly, biweekly, or monthly rather than lump sum. This may incentivize to finish the season with the team to get the money that was promised, otherwise they get payed for not showing up, the hell is that all about. Real world, you want the money, you show up for work... you don't show up for work, no money. They want to be paid like employees, they should be treated like employees.

How about the players negotiate what ever they want with the folks paying them
If the college wants to pay them then they can
Negotiate whatever terms they can agree on
Your argument makes no sense you’re indicating that they are employees which they are not
They have a private arrangement with the people who are paying them
Just don’t understand how people don’t get
That NIl is not a contract with the University

 

[KryHavok]

Your argument makes no sense you’re indicating that they are employees which they are not
They have a private arrangement with the people who are paying them
Just don’t understand how people don’t get
That NIl is not a contract with the University

Different paradigm is coming. Athletes can be considered employees per a recent court decision:
Third Circuit holds that NCAA athletes can be considered employees under FLSA | Perspectives | Reed Smith LLP
So while NIL collectives are independent and not formally part of the university per se, the athletes still shouldn't be getting a full disbursement from the NIL in order to keep the athlete playing for the school, otherwise the kind of nonsense that happened with UNLV's QB this season may become more common.

 

[Rich]

Different paradigm is coming. Athletes can be considered employees per a recent court decision:
Third Circuit holds that NCAA athletes can be considered employees under FLSA | Perspectives | Reed Smith LLP
So while NIL collectives are independent and not formally part of the university per se, the athletes still shouldn't be getting a full disbursement from the NIL in order to keep the athlete playing for the school, otherwise the kind of nonsense that happened with UNLV's QB this season may become more common.

Yes but even if they're classified as employees that simply means they get a paycheck from the university. The collective is entirely separate and distinct stream of cash. Most likely the collective would compensate them for NIL as a paid endorser of a product, service, etc., similar to for example an NBA player with a sneaker deal. That player is not a statutory employee of, say, Nike Inc.

Bottom line is this proposal wouldn't change anything.

 

[ktuck911]

The receivers are even more valuable if we can get a QB who can get them the dang ball accurately and more often

Here's hoping the WRs we have coming back ( the ones we originally recruited at the HS/Prep level ) are now ready to contribute... We were optimistic about them before NIL kicked off full blast, so, hopefully, we'll see them ( at least one ) stand up and stand out and develops the way we need them to. Time to see what Drawdy, Harper, Smith, maybe Hicks (does he possibly get moved back to WR?), Smith, and Jones, along with my sleeper walk on Neider, can bring...

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Here's hoping the WRs we have coming back ( the ones we originally recruited at the HS/Prep level ) are now ready to contribute... We were optimistic about them before NIL kicked off full blast, so, hopefully, we'll see them ( at least one ) stand up and stand out and develops the way we need them to. Time to see what Drawdy, Harper, Smith, maybe Hicks (does he possibly get moved back to WR?), Smith, and Jones, along with my sleeper walk on Neider, can bring...

Hoping to see something out of Smith in the near. Thought he looked to have playmaking capabilities.

 

[Samoo]

Happy every time I open this thread and don't see a link to Twitter. The ratio of comments to actual new outbound transfer posts pleases me.