Tennessee football still has trouble using the transfer portal for recruiting.

Tennessee Football Still Has Trouble Using the Transfer Portal for Recruiting

As college football enters an era dominated by the transfer portal, programs around the country are adjusting their recruiting strategies to keep pace with the changing landscape. For many, the transfer portal has become a critical tool for acquiring immediate talent—whether it’s filling roster gaps, upgrading positions of need, or adding depth to areas of weakness. However, for the Tennessee Volunteers, despite the program’s momentum under Head Coach Josh Heupel, the transfer portal has proven to be a double-edged sword, as the Vols have continued to struggle in fully harnessing its potential as part of their recruiting strategy.

While Tennessee’s success in the 2023 season, including a high-profile Orange Bowl victory, raised expectations for the program’s trajectory, there remains an underlying challenge: Tennessee has been unable to maximize the potential of the transfer portal the way other elite teams have. Despite the ability to attract top-tier recruits out of high school, the Vols’ struggles in navigating the transfer portal have become a critical focal point heading into 2024 and beyond.

In this article, we will examine why Tennessee football continues to face challenges in effectively utilizing the transfer portal, explore the factors that have hindered their success, and discuss what steps the program can take to improve in this crucial area as the sport continues to evolve.

The Rise of the Transfer Portal: A New Recruiting Reality

The NCAA Transfer Portal was officially introduced in 2018, revolutionizing how college football teams recruit and manage their rosters. Unlike traditional recruiting, where high school athletes are scouted and signed years in advance, the transfer portal allows players already enrolled at one school to enter their name into a system where they can be recruited by other programs, typically as a way to find better opportunities for playing time or a better overall fit.

The advent of the transfer portal has created a seismic shift in the way college football programs manage their rosters. Previously, teams relied heavily on high school recruiting to build their programs, while the transfer market was primarily reserved for filling specific holes. Today, the portal has become an integral part of roster construction, with many elite programs, particularly those in the SEC, using it as a tool to enhance their depth and immediately impact their teams.

The portal’s success has been most evident in programs like Alabama, Georgia, and LSU, all of which have found great success in supplementing their rosters with players from the portal. These teams have added starting-caliber talent at key positions, from quarterbacks to offensive linemen to defensive backs. For them, the portal has proven to be an efficient way to fill gaps that high school recruiting may not have addressed, while also giving players an opportunity to compete for championships and improve their future NFL prospects.

In contrast, Tennessee football has found itself struggling to replicate this success. While Josh Heupel has redefined the Vols’ offensive identity and has attracted impressive high school talent, the transfer portal has been a more challenging endeavor for the program.

Tennessee’s Transfer Portal Troubles: A Multi-Faceted Issue

Tennessee football’s lack of consistent success in the transfer portal can be attributed to several key factors that hinder the program’s ability to compete for top talent. These challenges include:

1. Program Stability and Culture

One of the most important aspects of any successful transfer portal recruitment strategy is establishing a culture that players are willing to buy into. While Tennessee has made considerable strides under Josh Heupel, including turning the offense into one of the most high-powered units in college football, the program’s recent history has been marred by inconsistency, coaching turnover, and the aftermath of NCAA sanctions related to recruiting violations under former coach Jeremy Pruitt.

For many players entering the transfer portal, they are seeking stability, a program with a clear direction and leadership that will offer them an opportunity for both playing time and development. For Tennessee, recruiting from the portal is still affected by the lingering questions around long-term stability. While the coaching staff under Heupel has demonstrated growth, it still requires more sustained success on the field to convince top-tier transfers that Tennessee is the right place to spend the final years of their college careers.

Moreover, Tennessee football is still navigating a culture shift after the tumultuous years following the departure of Butch Jones and the brief tenure of Jeremy Pruitt. The Vols were caught in a cycle of mediocrity that left them struggling to maintain a competitive edge in both high school recruiting and transfer portal recruitment. In order to attract top transfers, Tennessee needs to demonstrate that it is a stable program capable of competing at the highest level consistently. This sense of program stability is key in convincing high-profile portal players to take a chance on Rocky Top.

2. Recruiting against Elite Programs

When Tennessee does manage to identify potential transfer portal targets, it often finds itself in direct competition with college football’s elite programs, such as Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State. These teams have proven to be transfer portal powerhouses, consistently landing high-profile players who can contribute immediately.

For example, when the Vols identified a potential transfer quarterback or wide receiver, they often found themselves up against much more established programs with a history of success in both player development and winning. Players entering the portal know that they are not only searching for playing time but also seeking the chance to compete for championships and possibly elevate their draft stock for the NFL. Tennessee, as a program with a recent history of mediocrity, is often not viewed on the same level as the top dogs in the SEC, making it difficult to lure top-tier portal talent.

Tennessee’s inability to beat these elite programs for top portal talent is reflected in the numbers. While Georgia may be landing former top-rated recruits with championship pedigree, and Alabama consistently picks up key players from the portal who help them stay near the top of the rankings, Tennessee finds itself left behind in many of these recruitments. It has to work harder to build relationships with players and develop a unique pitch that differentiates it from other programs with more prestige and recent success.

3. Lack of Immediate Needs

Another reason Tennessee has struggled in the transfer portal is due to a relative lack of immediate needs in certain areas. With Heupel’s offense already in full swing and some solid recruiting classes over the past few seasons, Tennessee has not faced as many roster deficiencies that would necessitate heavy reliance on the transfer portal.

For many programs, especially those coming off of a losing season, the transfer portal serves as an essential tool to patch up major holes in the roster. However, Tennessee’s roster, while it has not been perfect, is relatively strong in certain areas, particularly with key positions like quarterback and running back. With the arrival of freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava and a productive backfield, the Vols are not scrambling to bring in transfers to bolster these positions.

For Tennessee, the need for transfers may be more specific, such as bolstering the defensive line or adding depth to the offensive line, rather than urgently filling gaps. This nuance makes it harder for the Vols to prioritize and identify the right transfer portal players who would be immediate contributors, especially when compared to programs in dire need of an influx of talent.

4. Recruiting Philosophy and Strategy

Tennessee has largely focused on developing its own talent through high school recruiting, with Heupel and his staff placing significant emphasis on long-term player development and building for the future. This recruiting philosophy has led the Vols to land highly ranked prospects out of high school, but it has limited their approach to the transfer portal, which often requires a more short-term, aggressive strategy.

While high school recruits represent the future of the program, portal players are typically looking for more immediate roles. To win in the portal, Tennessee may need to adopt a more flexible and aggressive philosophy, one that emphasizes immediate contributions rather than just long-term development. This shift in strategy may require the program to take more risks, targeting players who may not be perfect fits for the future but can provide an immediate impact.

Steps Tennessee Can Take to Improve in the Transfer Portal

To address its struggles with the transfer portal, Tennessee football can make several adjustments to its strategy moving forward:

1. Enhance Player Relationships and NIL Opportunities

The NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) landscape plays a significant role in transfer portal decisions. Tennessee has made strides in this area, but to compete with schools like Alabama and Georgia, the Vols need to leverage their resources to create more appealing NIL deals for portal players. Building relationships with high-profile NIL collectives, donors, and sponsors can be critical in making Tennessee a more attractive destination for portal athletes.

2. Focus on Specific Needs

Instead of trying to land high-profile players at every position, Tennessee can target specific areas where depth is needed. The Vols should identify positions that will allow them to be more competitive in the SEC, such as strengthening the offensive and defensive lines. By focusing on positions of need, Tennessee can streamline its portal efforts, making it easier to identify and secure top talent.

3. Emphasize Stability and Player Development

One of the major selling points for Tennessee should be its recent growth under Josh Heupel, particularly the development of quarterbacks and offensive players. By showcasing their ability to develop talent and build a competitive culture, Tennessee can entice transfers who are looking for a program where they can flourish both on the field and in their careers.

4. Build a Transfer Portal Task Force

Given the ever-changing nature of college football recruiting, Tennessee could benefit from having a dedicated team of coaches, analysts, and recruiters who focus solely on evaluating and securing transfer portal talent. This approach would allow Tennessee to stay on top of portal activity and build a strategy that is tailored to their program’s specific needs.