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Capers to the portal?

Bardman

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Just read that it is expected he is entering. Either he never regained his form following his injury or he is a tweener who can’t find a spot. Too slow to cover guys as a LB and maybe not string enough to play edge. Who knows.
 
Another example of how challenging it is for these kids to make decisions about their future. I wonder if anyone will conduct a meaningful survey that could reflect the percentage of winners and losers who enter the Portal. While I understand “how the grass always looks greener”, I suspect the majority discover it doesn’t always turnout well.
 
That’s good. Too many (of the wrong people) get in these guys’ ears and tell them what they want to hear and what is best for themselves (not the player).
 
Grass can look greener when a player is told it will be if he chooses to make the change. Problem is that could change and the player ends up not seeing any grass at all.

Have no idea if this was happening to Capers, but he may have been told he had one last chance here to change his mind. Was he sure the grass was guaranteed to be greener?

I think we all believe there's tampering going on with all of this, especially football with 90 roster positions available. Players are getting caught in the NIL traps and from the looks of it, Capers avoided being trapped this time.
 
Maybe sometimes a kid enters the portal with the idea of moving to a specific team. Then they reach out to that team and are told “thanks for calling but we don’t have space for another player at your position.” So they just stay home. Doesn’t necessarily mean tampering.
 
In this environment, if you’re a very good player and unhappy with your current NIL deal or playing time, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t go into the portal to learn what’s out there.

And here’s the thing about Capers … I don’t think this tweet means it’s done with him. He can say he’s not looking, but he is, because he’s in the portal and now his agent can enter into serious negotiations with anyone who wants to offer him a deal. If he gets a better (or even close to equal) deal from some team or coach he’d like to play for, he’ll sign it and be gone.

I’m sure Brohm and company know this and are treating it exactly as I describe above. We are actively recruiting his replacement as we speak, and if we sign someone, his NIL that he was going to get here will be gone.
 
This is not “college” sports.

It’s a professional meat market.

Every day I’m more glad I’m not putting money in it. Guess I’m a bad fan today, but I support college athletics.

Or did.
 
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I had stated a couple weeks ago that I thought our linebacking corps looked very deep with the implication being it was too stacked for a modern day ACC program and were going to lose somebody to the Portal. We lost Perry because Watts had supplanted him. We have veteran multiyear starters returning in Quinn and Clark. We brought in a veteran Kentuckian from Tennessee in Kalib Perry and subsequently lost Darius Thomas to Ok State. There are limited reps to be had this coming season. And that doesn't even cover Trent Carter who I like long term if they can keep him.

...and I agree and endorse everything Pushup said; that's the world we live in in College Football in 2025. EVERYONE is essentially on the market, even if they aren't officially.
 
I had stated a couple weeks ago that I thought our linebacking corps looked very deep with the implication being it was too stacked for a modern day ACC program and were going to lose somebody to the Portal. We lost Perry because Watts had supplanted him. We have veteran multiyear starters returning in Quinn and Clark. We brought in a veteran Kentuckian from Tennessee in Kalib Perry and subsequently lost Darius Thomas to Ok State. There are limited reps to be had this coming season. And that doesn't even cover Trent Carter who I like long term if they can keep him.

...and I agree and endorse everything Pushup said; that's the world we live in in College Football in 2025. EVERYONE is essentially on the market, even if they aren't officially.
True, and it won’t improve until there are contracts between players and universities.
 
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Jeff and this staff have done a masterful job in collecting the pieces (regrettably this NIL and Portal Process has me referring to players “as pieces”); at least in light of the circumstances this environment where all of these coaches and schools are faced with the same challenges.

If there is any redeeming aspect to attracting an LB Corp onto our roster, it’s that most every school is struggling with the exact same limitations and obstacles that UL is navigating.

I happened to venture over to a UK website that showed their “loss and gains” via the transfer portal, and while they have been successful attracting kids from some of the post impressive D1 schools, it appears they are struggling in obtaining the required balance in positions that so many other schools are experiencing.
 
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