UConn Outbound Transfers for 8/1/23>7/31/24 Cycle

[How Sway?!]

So you think by recognizing the players as employees that is gonna change anything? I doubt it. More likely outside contractors subject to non-compete clauses. Or gig workers like they are now.

Well the non compete clauses would solve the issue zoo was complaining about, so yeah it would change the situation.

Though non competes are illegal in most states so I doubt they would do that. More likely they sign contracts that give the school some compensation for when a player transfers

 

[How Sway?!]

We won't know this for a number of years, but does it make more financial sense for a college athlete to focus on their academic career and build contacts or take money and move around colleges for athletics? Look at someone like Joly. Say he gets a large NIL payment for his last 2 years of his football career. Would it make more sense financially to have stuck at UConn, maybe make less in NIL but still make some, develop contacts in the NY/CT area, and set himself up for a career? Maybe his new college will help him, but it was clear he was getting a lot of attention at UConn. And, I am sure it is more important to get a college degree than to make some NIL cash with the exception of the very top players, but will the degree and future earnings potential motivate athletes?

Some of the best networking done in college is done within sports teams. The same connections a player could have made at their old school they'll make at their new school, if not better at top programs.

 

[mikedog10]

I apologize. I shouldn't have used Joly as an example as it obscured the point I was trying to make. The vast majority of college athletes, including football players, will not play their sport professionally. What is more important over the long run, a modest NIL payment or a college degree? Payments for college athletes is not new (weren't legal before) and there are many tales of athletes that didn't take advantage of their opportunities going to school.

And, I dismiss your claim that you need to go to a P4 to get noticed by the NFL. Last year, Old Dominion had as many players drafted as Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Miami, Utah, Wisconsin, and more than Arkansas, Florida St., Nebraska, Miss. St., West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Baylor, Arizona St., Missouri,...

If a student like Joly is able to secure and save/invest NIL money while getting his degree at another school, it’s probably a good move regardless whether they have NFL-aspirations or not.

Of course, if they transfer and then have a bunch of fun wasting the NIL money… it was probably a mistake. I guess we will just have to give a bunch of 20 years olds a bunch of money and see how it plays out!

 

[UConnJim]

If a student like Joly is able to secure and save/invest NIL money while getting his degree at another school, it’s probably a good move regardless whether they have NFL-aspirations or not.

Of course, if they transfer and then have a bunch of fun wasting the NIL money… it was probably a mistake. I guess we will just have to give a bunch of 20 years olds a bunch of money and see how it plays out!

If you are getting hundreds of thousands of dollars of NIL, and not many are, sure, take the money. But, how many college athletes are going to even get $50k? And, that is before taxes so take home is significantly less. A solid career is like a 40 year growing annuity which is way more valuable.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[ZooCougar]

I apologize. I shouldn't have used Joly as an example as it obscured the point I was trying to make. The vast majority of college athletes, including football players, will not play their sport professionally. What is more important over the long run, a modest NIL payment or a college degree? Payments for college athletes is not new (weren't legal before) and there are many tales of athletes that didn't take advantage of their opportunities going to school.

And, I dismiss your claim that you need to go to a P4 to get noticed by the NFL. Last year, Old Dominion had as many players drafted as Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Miami, Utah, Wisconsin, and more than Arkansas, Florida St., Nebraska, Miss. St., West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Baylor, Arizona St., Missouri,...

NIL is important. The NFL is important.

But Joly seems to have a healthy chip on his shoulder. He was ignored by almost everyone coming out of High School. Even UMass wasn't interested. Credit to Mora's team for seeing the immense value.

I think he wants to play for a bigger program on a bigger stage. And I get that even if I am disappointed. He played his tail off for us this season when we had two or three players bail on the team in season.

I still believe that UConn would be the best place for him because the program would be really invested in him and he would be our showpiece on offense. At a bigger program he will just be another toy to play with.

 

[uconnfan68]

Mixed feelings here... he was great 2 years ago, then hurt and Ruelas played even better last year. Not sure why Ruelas lost out to him this year, and even worse, now both are gone.

 

[ZooCougar]

Well the non compete clauses would solve the issue zoo was complaining about, so yeah it would change the situation.

Though non competes are illegal in most states so I doubt they would do that. More likely they sign contracts that give the school some compensation for when a player transfers

Yes! A transfer fee paid to the losing school. This could actually be really healthy for college football.

 

[Stinger92860]

can we get Ruelas back? Why does this staff consistently back the wrong horse?

 

[huskymedic]

Mixed feelings here... he was great 2 years ago, then hurt and Ruelas played even better last year. Not sure why Ruelas lost out to him this year, and even worse, now both are gone.

Would appear there is a quick fix available to staff (w/ a vig) if this was about future playing time

 

[ZooCougar]

Mixed feelings here... he was great 2 years ago, then hurt and Ruelas played even better last year. Not sure why Ruelas lost out to him this year, and even worse, now both are gone.

No bueno.

 

[CCSUblue]

That's not fun. Here's hoping we can bring in more quality. Are all of our legs from this season gone to graduation or the portal now?

 

[businesslawyer]

We are moving farther and farther from the O'Bannon lawsuit. I am interested to see a deep dive into the effects of all this change on the individual student athletes when enough data is available. Right now, all I can see is that kids have money that didn't have money, so that is good. Will the overall "health" of the whole College athletic system suffer to the point that it negatively impacts a segment of the student-athletes, or will it in fact be stronger, and provide equal or better opportunity for all of the student-athletes.

LIke anything that is money driven, you can bet your house that it will help those at the top of the pyramid -- not just the top top athletes but the administrators of the top power schools -- and hurt those at the bottom. How? Once you're no longer playing for a national championship, why pour so much money into football? Why not see if partial scholarships can keep you competitive at your level instead of full scholarships.

 

[businesslawyer]

Would appear there is a quick fix available to staff (w/ a vig) if this was about future playing time

Ruelas should also be given a scholarship, if he hadn't already.

 

[CL82]

Yes! A transfer fee paid to the losing school. This could actually be really healthy for college football.

Agree. I like this idea a lot, particularly if that transfer fee could be used for NIL compensation. Devils in the details, though. How effective it would be will be based upon what the dollar amount is.

 

[KryHavok]

Ruelas should also be given a scholarship, if he hadn't already.

Maybe Ruelas changes his mind and gets some $$$ his way.

I wonder what the over/under will be for our portal losses.

 

[Dizzy21]

Mixed feelings here... he was great 2 years ago, then hurt and Ruelas played even better last year. Not sure why Ruelas lost out to him this year, and even worse, now both are gone.

Yeah, this one was such an odd situation. Why did they not play Ruelas?

 

[Windham4th]

Kicker is the least of our worries.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Managed to alienate both kickers. More bummed to see Ruelas go because he was the better kicker.

So long McFadden.

 

[BigTenFan]

This one is definitely on the coaching staff.
Ruelas has a lot more opportunities at another school.

 

[kibblesnbits]

Good for him. That’s definitely more eyeballs on him than with us. Can’t hate that move

Not when Deion recruits over him. More than any other position group, backup offensive linemen are invisible. The goal is to get 5 cohesive starters and play them as close to 100% as possible. Subs generally get significant playing time only when the starter is hurt or the lead is large. Linemen that start at "lower" schools should, and hopefully do, consider that when thinking about a transfer.

 

[king conn]

Kicker is the least of our worries.

Are you serious

They are the only way we score

 

[RSTuthill]

Though non competes are illegal in most states so I doubt they would do that.

I do not get that impression. Do you have data? I know that things were moving in that direction for regular employees but I didn't realize they had got that far. And I am not sure if there is a difference between At Will states and Just Cause states. Anyway, a moot point if the players are independent suppliers doing gig work under contract. The contracts can say anything that the parties agree to.

 

[Windham4th]

Are you serious

They are the only way we score

If we tank the season we get a better draft pick

 

[UCMB88]

Although nothing should surprise us about college football anymore, a little surprised at McFadden. Clearly, he was not the same after the ACL injury, yet the staff stuck with him this season. Ruelas goes in the portal, leaving McFadden as the only kicker on the roster, meaning he certainly had the inside track on the starting job next year, but he opted out. Odd. Who knows - maybe he wants to be closer to home in Texas Maybe HCJM had a convo with him regarding his future?

 

[uconnfan68]

Yeah, this one was such an odd situation. Why did they not play Ruelas?

He did play a few times during the year. Don’t remember if it was all in the same game. At least he could reach the endzone on kickoffs.

 

[RSTuthill]

Although nothing should surprise us about college football anymore, a little surprised at McFadden. Clearly, he was not the same after the ACL injury, yet the staff stuck with him this season. Ruelas goes in the portal, leaving McFadden as the only kicker on the roster, meaning he certainly had the inside track on the starting job next year, but he opted out. Odd. Who knows - maybe he wants to be closer to home in Texas Maybe HCJM had a convo with him regarding his future?

I would not be surprised if he did not opt out.

 

[Dizzy21]

He did play a few times during the year. Don’t remember if it was all in the same game. At least he could reach the endzone on kickoffs.

Yeah, I suppose I should say why did they not play him more. He kicked 4 FGs and 3 XPs too.

 

[BigTenFan]

Probably because they didn't want to admit the non-scholarship kicker was better than the kicker on scholarship

 

[KryHavok]

Somewhat naive question regarding NIL. Is there a possibility that players get their payout contingent on playing in a bowl game should a team qualify for one? All these defections before the bowls, which used to be celebrated as a season's success, are now a bit diminished as kids opt out (to prepare [save themselves] for the NFL draft). I wonder if the boosters/NIL collectives start to put performance expectations on the payouts.