The NCAA has taken steps in recent years to make it easier for players to transfer schools, and UConn head coach Randy Edsall clearly does not like the direction in which things are headed.
Edsall essentially said on Wednesday that he is swearing off adding players to his team after they enter the NCAA’s transfer portal. In Edsall’s opinion, players who enter the portal are “enabled and entitled.”
Randy Edsall says he doesn't want players from the transfer portal, because they often "think they're enabled and entitled."
"I'd rather go with high-school kids of junior-college guys. Guys going into the portal, they've got issues. That's why they're going into the portal."
— Alex Putterman (@AlexPutterman) February 5, 2020
Edsall said he might make an exception if the coaching staff already knows a player well from having previously recruited him.
But it sounds like in general, UConn will not use the transfer portal.
— Alex Putterman (@AlexPutterman) February 5, 2020
UConn brought in five graduate transfers last season, and apparently none of them impressed Edsall to the point where he was glad they were able to join the Huskies. Edsall went on to say that he believes players who come from junior colleges are more motivated to succeed.
“I think if you get people that come in from junior college … those guys have a little more edge to them because they want to play right now,” Edsall said. “Sometimes these guys from the portal think that they’re enabled and entitled to something. You know, maybe it didn’t work out because you didn’t stay there and finish.”
While some players who enter the portal may feel “entitled,” others have had coaches make promises to them when they were 17 years old only to see the coaches go back on their word. There are a number of different reasons players want to change schools, and that is why one of the Power 5 conferences has looked into letting student athletes switch schools without as much penalty.
Edsall’s opinion on the transfer portal seems narrow-minded. The remarks are also questionable coming from a coach who has won just six games in three seasons since he began his second stint at UConn. If some of the nation’s top talent had interest in transferring to UConn after entering the portal, Edsall would likely change his tune in a hurry. He knows that isn’t going to happen, which is why he can safely rip on transfer players.
