American Conference commissioner calls for NCAA transfer reforms

The final bowl bids for the 2024 postseason had barely made the rounds last December, and Army was faced with having no foe to complete its historic football season.

The American Conference champion Black Knights were slated to face Sun Belt champion Marshall in the Independence Bowl. But the Thundering Herd underwent a head coaching change on the same day as the announcement and suddenly dozens of players entered the NCAA transfer portal. Citing insufficient numbers to field a bowl team, Marshall withdrew ― the Sun Belt later fined Marshall $100,000 for withdrawing.

Fortunately for Army, days later the Independence Bowl turned to local favorite Louisiana Tech for the Dec. 28 game in Shreveport, the committee settling for a sub-.500 team to fill the ledger. The Black Knights went on to prevail 27-6.

Eight months later, several parties are still seething over the fiasco, the product of an ill-timed transfer portal schedule. For 2024-25, the winter filing window was Dec. 9-28 and spring window was April 16-25 ― the first period landed right between the end of the regular season and bowl games, and the latter came right after most college spring games were held.

“A transfer portal window between the end of the season and bowl games?’’ a question posed by American Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti. “What are we doing?”

“The current structure is a threat to the game, to team culture, to coaches building programs and student-athletes as constant motion de-emphasizes commitment and the true benefits of collegiate athletics.

“We need one portal window at the appropriate time of the year,’’ he added.

Ironically, Army lost star running back Kanye Udoh to the portal (he signed with Arizona State) less than two weeks after the bowl announcement and a week before the I-Bowl.

Earlier this year, the Football Bowl…

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Publish date : 2025-07-25 23:57:00

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