New NCAA Rules Clarify Transfer Portal Windows Following Coaching Changes
Recent decisions by the NCAA Division I Administrative Committee regarding the college football transfer portal are being further clarified, impacting player movement following coaching changes. While a 15-day transfer window – running from January 2nd too January 16th – has been established for the 2025-26 season, new guidance details specific timelines for players considering a transfer after a head coach is hired or departs.
The committee recently reduced the window for players to enter the portal following a coaching change from 30 days to 15 days. crucially, a five-day waiting period will now be implemented after a new coach is hired or publicly announced before players can enter their names into the portal.
According to guidance sent to schools, this five-day clock begins when a coaching change is finalized between January 2nd and June 30th. Such as, a coaching hire made on November 25th will not trigger the portal opening until January 2nd. However, a coaching change occurring in the spring, before june 30th, will have a shorter waiting period.
These changes are expected to significantly influence portal activity. Despite the formalized timelines, sources indicate players are likely to announce their intentions to transfer throughout november and December. Industry observers are also anticipating ”silent commitments” - agreements made before the official portal opening.
The new rules maintain existing exceptions. Athletes previously at Virginia Tech, UCLA, Oklahoma State, and Arkansas are “grandfathered” under the previous 30-day rule. Additionally, graduate transfers will not be eligible to enter the portal until January 2nd, aligning with the new one-time-only portal window.
These adjustments follow discussions at the american Football Coaches Association convention in Charlotte earlier this year, where coaches initially proposed a 10-day window in January following bowl games and advocated for the elimination of the spring window.The NCAA ultimately eliminated the spring window this fall after a surge of over 1,100 FBS scholarship players entered the portal in April 2025 alone.
