Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule expects that as many as 40% of his players could enter the transfer portal in the coming weeks, as the new NCAA rule on roster size will significantly impact his program.
This challenge will affect all 134 FBS teams, making it a widespread issue.
After the House vs. NCAA settlement in October, the NCAA has transitioned from restricting scholarships to enforcing roster limits. While teams previously had 85 scholarships, the new guideline allows for 105 players on the roster. This change means that 15 to 20 players per team may lose their spots.
Consequently, these players will need to enter the transfer portal as they find themselves without a place on their teams. This will coincide with athletes transferring for various other reasons. Last offseason saw around 4,000 players enter the portal, and this number could increase by over 50% due to the new roster restrictions, potentially bringing around 6,000 players into the transfer market.
Head coaches are preparing for an unprecedented wave of player departures. Rhule anticipates that at least twice the number of players he is required to cut—15—will leave.
“I think this year we could see 30 to 50 guys in the portal with the new roster limit… I don’t want any of them to go into the portal. I want all of them to stay here and develop, but this is the reality we’re facing. It’s going to be different.” — Matt Rhule
Such a significant turnover typically happens in programs dealing with major losses or undergoing a coaching change. Some coaches, like Deion Sanders, regularly choose to overhaul a large portion of their rosters each offseason, which may insulate them from the effects of this new rule.
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