UConn Transfer Portal

[Duncan Idaho]

Houston has a nice film of highlights from last year to market himself with. Just losing a year of eligibility and risking injury playing here for a bad team now.

 

[DoctorWho85]

So Texas might finally become relevant?

They did beat Bama this year. So maybe?

 

[uconnfan68]

They did beat Bama this year. So maybe?

Not a huge accomplishment this year it seems.

 

[arch]

…..Schools have gotten rich off student athletes for decades, …

hmmmmmmm, no.

 

[Nostical]

Do we have any sense at all what the going rates are for various positions and skill levels? Do we have a sense of what the current UConn players are making?

It will be interesting to see where Houston lands. That will give us an idea of the $$. As for the going rates, the big NIL money goes to the star players—they’re the ones who garner the attention from major corporations—not just the local laundromat. The Collectives are the Wild West.
$300K was given to a HS senior QB in New England by an SEC school to commit. They also landed two other QB’s. That’s some hefty cash. Think UConn would ever pay that?

 

[Purple Stein]

Anyone think, or is this already implied in this discussion, that some other school has called Houston and offered him a lot more money to play for them next year if he saved a year of eligibility? Is that the undercurrent floating around not explicitly expressed?

This is the simplest explanation and probably the correct one. P5 school with NIL says “Redshirt, don’t get hurt, and we’ll pay you for two years.”

The losing and god-awful offense sweetened the deal.

Will be interesting to see where he lands and how long the signing takes once the portal opens.

 

[JohnFSilver]

It will be interesting to see where Houston lands. That will give us an idea of the $$. As for the going rates, the big NIL money goes to the star players—they’re the ones who garner the attention from major corporations—not just the local laundromat. The Collectives are the Wild West.
$300K was given to a HS senior QB in New England by an SEC school to commit. They also landed two other QB’s. That’s some hefty cash. Think UConn would ever pay that?

I don’t think Houston is getting a P5 money or a school. Just no way.

 

[KryHavok]

hmmmmmmm, no.

You sure about that? Tourny, bowl, and TV payouts…that money surely didn’t go to the students.

 

[Bomber36]

It’s probably already been said a bunch of times, but the college football game that we knew all of our lives is dead and gone.

 

[Woof 101]

Time to change the red shirt rule to documented serious injury only. Players who abandon a team for no known / stated reason should not be given a free pass. JMHO.
Most times I would wish the young man well down the road if it were for playing time. This case simply sucks as he is nothing close to being a team player.

 

[Tdaley]

I don’t think Houston is getting a P5 money or a school. Just no way.

Are your sure about that? I have heard that more than one player on our roster was offer NIL money in the offseason by Power 5 schools. Power 5 schools includes a large group of schools, many of which aren't necessarily major players in world of college football but are still recruiting players with NIL money to improve their rosters. There are definitely some Power 5 schools who could improve their roster with the addition of Houston.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Probably makes for a backup plan

 

[UConnJim]

Disagree. UConn doesn't have receivers who can get free this year because UConn's collectives do not have enough money to pay the going rate for them from the portal. That was stated openly in HCJM's last presser.

Mora is trying to get more funding for football including NIL as he should. That is his job as head coach. Of course more NIL money could potentially bring in better players, but there is talent everywhere and you have to identify it.

 

[UConnJim]

I don't know how accurate this is, but from Front Office Sports:

The top half of Power 5 starters earn an average of $45,000, data released at the 2023 NIL Summit shows, while the bottom makes an average of $15,000. The top three players on Power 5 and Big East basketball teams earn an average of $75,000.

This doesn’t necessarily suggest that basketball players are earning more than football players overall — but rather that NIL collectives have to divide their resources more among football players, given their extensive rosters.

NIL Collectives Pay Five Figures to Top College Athletes.

 

[UConnJim]

As for WRs who I don't think NIL was an issue, here are 2 who were available this cycle:

Anthony Simpson went from Arizona to UMass. From Bloomfield, CT. 19 receptions 393 yards 2 TDs
Jacari Carter went from Merrimac (MA) to Georgia State. From NJ. 14 receptions 124 yards 0 TDs

And what about this kid:

Naiem Simmons went from Wagner to USF. From Staten Island. 15 catches 357 yards 2 TDs

 

[huskymedic]

As for WRs who I don't think NIL was an issue, here are 2 who were available this cycle:

Anthony Simpson went from Arizona to UMass. From Bloomfield, CT. 19 receptions 393 yards 2 TDs

Simpson would have been nice but he followed Don Brown from Arizona to UMass. Brown got him to Arizona coming out of Trinity-Pawling.

 

[UConnJim]

Simpson would have been nice but he followed Don Brown from Arizona to UMass. Brown got him to Arizona coming out of Trinity-Pawling.

True, but there are WRs out there in the portal.

 

[RSTuthill]

I don't know how accurate this is, but from Front Office Sports:

The top half of Power 5 starters earn an average of $45,000, data released at the 2023 NIL Summit shows, while the bottom makes an average of $15,000. The top three players on Power 5 and Big East basketball teams earn an average of $75,000.

This doesn’t necessarily suggest that basketball players are earning more than football players overall — but rather that NIL collectives have to divide their resources more among football players, given their extensive rosters.

NIL Collectives Pay Five Figures to Top College Athletes.

These numbers are recurring salary costs, not one time costs of acquisition?

And can the institution's own funds be allocated to these payments?

 

[UConnJim]

These numbers are recurring salary costs, not one time costs of acquisition?

And can the institution's own funds be allocated to these payments?

I would believe they are recurring costs, but I would assume players can move up or down the NIL value with performance. And, no the money is not coming for the school.

 

[HCCForever]

We need to get used to players leaving during the season like Houston and others. Different thought process from people way younger than me. I just read about a CU recruit four star receiver Aaron Butler from CA. He is leaving his HS team to focus on taking classes and on-line classes so he can enter CU in the spring. People just don't seem to honor commitments to the team and teammates any more.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Going to need LBs next year too.

 

[zls44]

People just don't seem to honor commitments to the team and teammates any more.

Two-way street.

 

[UConnJim]

Going to need LBs next year too.

We have 13 scholarship LBs on the roster who have eligibility for next year and have 1 LB commit. Lose only Mitchell and Plack to graduation.

 

[Slick]

They have not been elite for 15 to 20 years

my mistake . I thoought you were talking about Nebraska !

 

[Duncan Idaho]

We have 13 scholarship LBs on the roster who have eligibility for next year and have 1 LB commit. Lose only Mitchell and Plack to graduation.

I remember last year when Swenson went down a couple of times last year that we replaced him with our current LS. I guess I'm a little concerned about who is behind Jackson and Plack as I do not see the starting position group as strong as last year and having it trending this way in the future.