The landscape of college sports has changed dramatically since the introduction of unlimited annual transfers. This shift has stirred up a storm of debate and, honestly, a fair amount of confusion.
Tennessee’s Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti played a key role in the legal fight that led to this new system. Now, he calls the unrestricted transfer portal a train wreck.
Let’s look at the chaos that followed, the reasons behind the lawsuit, and why there’s a pressing need for a better system to steady college sports.
The Legal Battle Against NCAA Transfer Restrictions
Back in December 2023, Skrmetti and attorneys general from several other states filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA. Their goal? To get rid of rules that stopped undergraduate players from transferring to a new school more than once during their college careers.
The federal justice department joined in later, and by 2024, a settlement gave Division I athletes more freedom to move than ever before.
The Rationale Behind the Lawsuit
Skrmetti and his team argued that NCAA transfer restrictions unfairly limited athletes’ earning potential—especially now that players can profit from their names, images, and likenesses (NIL). He felt the old system held players back from making the most of their opportunities.
He was blunt: The NCAA was behaving illegally. The litigation was meant to get a clear ruling that the old ways just weren’t working anymore.
The Chaos of the Unrestricted Transfer Portal
Unlimited annual transfers have created a level of instability that’s hard to ignore. Skrmetti himself has described the current system as just awful.
There are some wild examples that really drive home how chaotic things have gotten.
Examples of the Chaos
- Frequent Transfers: Quarterback TJ Finley is about to play for his seventh school since 2020. His journey? LSU, Auburn, Texas State, Tulane, Western Kentucky, Georgia State, and now Incarnate Word. That’s a lot of jerseys.
- Massive Player Movement: ESPN reported that more than 6,500 Division I football players entered the transfer portal in just two weeks—Jan. 2 to Jan. 16, 2026. Across all divisions, the number topped 10,500.
- Roster Overhauls: Colorado football coach Deion Sanders brought in 47 new transfer players. Meanwhile, over 35 Colorado players left the team after a rough 3-9 season in 2025.
- Coaching Resignations: Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman resigned at 58, blaming the upheaval from unlimited transfers for his decision.
- Legal Disputes: Duke University actually sued its own quarterback, Darian Mensah, to stop him from transferring, citing a contract that ran through the end of 2026. That’s not something you see every day.
The Need for a New System
Skrmetti admits that tearing down the old system was necessary, but the move to something better is taking longer than anyone hoped. He says it’s up to college sports leaders—and maybe Congress—to build a new, legally sound system.
Potential Solutions
There’s a lot of talk about finding a balanced approach that gives athletes freedom but also brings some accountability. Adam Breneman, a former Penn State tight end and co-founder of The College Sports Company, put it plainly: A player moving to seven schools is not healthy for college football, roster building, locker rooms, or player development.
Breneman wants a middle ground—something that doesn’t swing too far in either direction. Attorney Mit Winter, who specializes in NIL issues, says the frequent movement of players is just what college athletics has become at the highest level: basically, pro sports. He thinks the schools, not the players, are the ones who turned sports teams into marketing and entertainment machines.
Conclusion: A Call for Collaborative Action
Skrmetti says building a new system can’t be done in isolation. Coaches, student-athletes, conferences, universities, and NCAA leaders all need a seat at the table.
He’s not convinced state politicians should be the ones steering the future of college sports through lawsuits. Honestly, isn’t a more holistic approach overdue? A system that actually holds up in court and brings some much-needed stability sounds pretty good right now.
The debate isn’t slowing down. The unrestricted transfer portal has kicked up a mess that can’t be ignored any longer.
If you want to dig deeper, the full article’s over at USA Today.
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