Nick Saban’s alert about turmoil in college football and the transfer portal

Nick Saban Issues a Cautionary Note

Nick Saban is letting everyone know that things are about to get interesting.

With the college football transfer portal set to open on Friday, it’s likely there will be some disruptions in the normal flow of things.

“Tomorrow marks the beginning of the chaos in college football, Portal,” Saban remarked during Thursday’s appearance on ESPN’s “College GameDay,” ahead of the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

“We foresee all 120 starters from major Power Five schools entering the portal.”

The transfer period, scheduled from January 2 to 16, is poised to clarify some significant questions related to the NFL draft. Will Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and Alabama’s Ty Simpson decide to make the leap? And what’s the word on Oregon’s Trinidad Chambliss and his request for a sixth-year redshirt?

In another notable development, Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is expected to announce his intentions to declare, leaving Indiana searching for a new quarterback.

As reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Hoosiers are likely interested in TCU’s Josh Hoover, along with a potential eye on Kentucky.

Brendan Thorsby from Cincinnati seems to be a standout in the portal, linked to LSU, Texas Tech, and Miami, according to Thamel.

The junior completed 207 passes, amassing 2,800 yards, with 27 touchdowns and only five interceptions across 12 games. He played a key role in guiding the Bearcats to a 7-5 record, culminating in a bowl game against Navy on January 2.

Saban is deeply involved in these unfolding possibilities.

“What if Ole Miss wins and Oregon wins?” he posed on Thursday, while discussing the CFP quarterfinals. “Oregon State has two coordinators trying to pull players from their team and attract others, while Ole Miss has six coaches who muscled their way to LSU, trying to bring in players. So, is this chaos now or chaos?”

He believes it’s time for a change in the college football calendar structure.

Oregon’s offensive coordinator Will Stein and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi have been caught in a bind, having accepted head coaching roles at Kentucky and California, respectively.

To reduce confusion during transitions, Saban suggested that the college football calendar should sync with the academic schedule, opening the portal in May. “Look, if we don’t align with the academic calendar, we’ll have to adjust spring practice,” he noted. This way, teams can operate through the summer like NFL teams do.

If college football followed a similar structure, Saban suggests, issues like coaching changes would diminish as players could finish their seasons with their teams—providing what’s best for the players.

Moreover, Saban emphasized the need for the NCAA to have “antitrust law” to effectively enforce its own regulations.

In answer to a query from analyst Kirk Herbstreit, Saban expressed his eagerness to compile his thoughts on these matters and share them with influential figures.