HOOVER, Ala. — Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman drew a line in the sand Thursday when it comes to his players entering the transfer portal.
“Once you go to the transfer portal at the University of Arkansas, you sure ain’t transferring back in,” he said.
Speaking at SEC media days, Pittman compared the transfer portal to his relationship with his wife.
“If I asked Jamie if I go to transfer for a week and figure it out, would she let me come back? I’m pretty sure the answer would be no,” Pittman said. “That’s the way we feel about that too.”
NCAA rules allow for players who enter the portal to withdraw their names and stay at their current school.
However, it’s up to the school whether it will continue to offer a player his or her scholarship in the next term.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said on Monday that of the 1,600 FBS scholarship recipients who have entered the portal this year, 1,100 are still listed as active in the portal, having not found a new school.
Pittman said it’s a “shame” how many players have entered the portal and haven’t found a new school and no longer have a scholarship.
“Unfortunately,” he said, “the kids aren’t doing their homework.”