Former Georgia football star David Pollack is all about student-athletes rights, but he’s no fan of the current application of the NCAA transfer portal.
“I think the people at the NCAA need to have some more consistency,” Pollack, the most decorated defensive player in Bulldogs history, said. “The transfer thing drives me nuts.
“I’m more about stay and fight, so Justin Fields, I don’t get that,” Pollack said. “I get that Jake Fromm is really good, but I’m the type of person, I never thought about running from competition. I always thought about comping and getting better, so I think it’s kind of a strange situation.”
Fields, the 5-star prospect who transferred to Ohio State after backing up Fromm at quarterback last season, was granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA.
Pollack, a three-time All-American and two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, isn’t clear on how some players are gaining immediately eligibility after transfers, and others aren’t.
“Some people get waivers, some people don’t, and it makes absolutely no sense,” said Pollack, a member of ESPN’s College GameDay crew.
Tight end Luke Ford transferred to Illinois and applied to play this season. Ford listed wanting to closer to his ailing grandfather as reason for transfer. His request and appeal for immediate eligibility were denied.
The NCAA transfer portal and the issues surrounding it were the subject of discussion during the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Fla.
Pollack said he believes the NCAA should standardize its transfer policy.
“The rules of the transfer portal are either concrete or they’re not, they are X, or they are Y,” Pollack said. “There’s always going to be a stipulation, there’s always going to be a reason, so I would love to see more consistency from the NCAA.
“Or,” Pollack suggested, “make it judiciary, where it could be voted upon. It just seems they pick and choose who they want to help.”
Pollack, who is on the 2020 College Football Hall of Fame ballot, said he's fine with graduate transfers gaining immediately eligibility.
“Graduate transfers don’t bother me at all, because it means that person stayed and got their degree and they fought for a little while, they fought for their team for years, they worked hard, and they tried,” Pollack said.
“Maybe they’re in a situation where they need to go somewhere else, like Jalen Hurts. Is that not a perfect situation to be in the transfer portal? I think it’s a perfect one.
About the Author
