Holgorsen discusses transfers, changes to rules
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West Virginia has become a destination for transfers under head coach Dana Holgorsen.
During his tenure, the program has taken a total of 22 four-year or graduate transfer players including the current crop. Many of which have played major roles with the success of the football team. That doesn’t even include the number of transfers that have come from the junior college ranks.
Starting quarterback and potential Heisman candidate Will Grier falls into that mix as well after coming over from Florida and tossing for 34 touchdowns in just over 11 games before breaking his finger. Others have fallen into the same category as the program has used the transfer market to fill holes.
But one thing each of the transfer candidates have in common is the fact that each paid their dues. That means by either sitting out a season as a four-year option or finishing their degree in order to transfer through the graduate route.
Holgorsen wants to see it stay that way in regards to the transfer process in college football.
Some suggestions have been to allow a one-time transfer without any repercussions when it comes to eligibility meaning that players could transfer without penalty.
That’s a slippery slope according to Holgorsen.
“I worry about our sport, I worry about our game if they grant kids immediate eligibility,” he said.
But why? Well, the answer isn’t all that complicated. Even with the current rules in place West Virginia has seen 15 players elect to leave the program this past off-season and across the college football landscape the number of transfers is reaching all-time highs.
Flipping sports to college basketball, that number is well into the 600’s. Opening up an avenue to allow players to leave programs one-time without any penalty only opens the floodgates further.
“You’re going to make them mad at some point, they’re not going to be happy every single day and it just can’t be that easy to transfer,” Holgorsen said.
While extenuating circumstances would be in play for some such as allowing the opportunity for players to transfer if their coach is fired or leave, as well as any issues with the NCAA, the idea of opening up a free-market for those type of players without cause could only complicate things.
“I think we’re at a crossroads with it,” Holgorsen said.
Much like head coach Bob Huggins’ stance during the course of the basketball season, Holgorsen obviously has exceptions. One of those is a rule that the Mountaineers have taken advantage of.
“Nobody forced those guys to sign the national letter of intent, they made the decision to do that. So to me the only way it works is to get their degree,” he said.
That means players whether they have one or two years of eligibility left, should be allowed to transfer anywhere as long as they are able to obtain their degree.
That is something the Mountaineers head coach is in strong support of because they have handled their main responsibility which is the ultimate goal of being a student athlete at the highest level of college sports.
“I think those kids have that right but to grant guys immediately eligible based on a one-time transfer, I think that’s a disaster waiting to happen,” Holgorsen said.
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