I’m not so sure...

Posted on: July 7, 2023 at 11:50:29 CT

That players left because they liked the previous coach and didn’t want to play for anyone else. Could that be one potential reason? Sure. Maybe. But there are a lot of other possible reasons. Since players seldom talk publicly about their transfer decisions we won’t know from player to player why they left. What I do know is every transfer is personal and individualized. Coaches, playing time, academics, being closer to family and boyfriends/girlfriends, and many other factors. And in this specific situation, playing on teams that go 2-16 in consecutive SEC seasons has to be a drag. Maybe some of them want to play for better programs for the rest of their brief college careers, nothing wrong with that.

The current situation, as frustrating as it can be for fans, is far better than before. There was, and still is, no loyalty with coaches, who are and always have been free to leave a team at the drop of a hat with no notice and break contracts and go wherever they want. And coach somewhere else immediately, without the BS players had to often face with sitting out competing for a year. Is that ok? Giving the athletes the same ability as coaches, expanding their movement rights, still within some limitations (that coaches still do not face), is a good thing, and a big step forward. Is it perfect? Of course not. Is it out of control to some extent? Sure. I’m curious if there is a database somewhere that tracks transfers over an extended time period to see what the trends are, and how they correlate with policy changes,

And I still share with you how much I appreciate those kids that come here from high school and play all 4 years here. But those days are long gone for many players.