Dan Mullen Names Two Biggest Problems In Today’s Age Of College Football

NIL became part of college football in 2021, with the transfer portal starting in 2018, forever changing the landscape of college football. Multiple schools, like the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners, have also moved conferences in the last two seasons.

On a recent edition of " The Cube Show ," former Mississippi State Bulldogs and Florida Gators head coach Dan Mullen appeared to discuss the sport. Mullen last coached at Florida in 2021 and now works for ESPN.

Cole Cubelic asked Mullen if NIL and the transfer portal are the biggest problems in college football today. Mullen stated that both are the most significant problems the sport is currently facing.

"I think it's the combo of both," Mullen said. "...What's gone on with the portal and NIL is create more problems, if you will, for the coaches. That they have to navigate and find solutions for. I think the biggest issue as they brought it up, is the combination of both. I don't think you'll find a coach that is anti-NIL, I don't think you'll find a coach that is anti-portal."

There have been changes since NIL and the transfer portal became part of college football. For example, the NCAA allowed transfers to have immediate eligibility at their new school starting in 2021.

One of the recent changes to the portal was the introduction of transfer windows, which allow players to transfer. Players can enter the portal after championship teams are selected, and it closes 45 days later. A spring transfer window also takes place from May 1-15.

A recent change to how NIL works included the NCAA allowing schools to assist student-athletes with NIL deals.

Mullen later compared the portal to the NFL's free agency process. The NFL has the offseason, free agency, and the draft in April. After mini-camps and OTAs, there is no other free agency period, whereas, in college football, there is a transfer window after spring camp.

"...If you compare it to the offseason, there's free agency, then there's a draft, then they go," Mullen said. "There's not after mini camps and OTAs, right before training camp starts, there's not another free agent market in the NFL. If you look at the equivalency in college right now, after spring ball, there's another free agency period."

It will be interesting to see how college football changes further in the future.

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