GoMiddle - Arizona Transfer OL Jamari Williams Commits to Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee has picked up a commitment from Arizona transfer offensive lineman Jamari Williams.

The problem coaches when over utilizing the transfer portal is its used against them in High School recruiting. Coaches from other programs will talk about your JuCo and Transfer portal usage as a way to indicate that your program doesn't invest and develop talent on their roster AND/OR allowing those transfer to jump players on the depth chart. Both JuCo and transfer portal need to be used judiciously or else you do even worse in High School recruiting and you're left with unproven JuCo and Transfer Portal talent.LOTS of players hitting the portal from bigger programs. They don't want to just sit, they want to play. MT gives them that opportunity.
I'm telling you - the transfer portal is the future of recruiting for a program like us. It's a game changer if handled well. BUT - this staff has to actually embrace it as a way to upgrade talent we missed out on the first go around. Not sure they know how to do that.
Athletes want to play the game, regardless of the future, so I don't blame people for seeking better opportunities for playing time.The transfer portal doesn’t help a player build allegiance to an alma mater. It’s become nothing more than coaches selling kids on getting playing time to get to “the league” which we all know what that real percentage is
I'm way more concerned with getting better talent and a good product on the field than I am about how they help build allegiance. Those things will come with more success.The transfer portal doesn’t help a player build allegiance to an alma mater. It’s become nothing more than coaches selling kids on getting playing time to get to “the league” which we all know what that real percentage is.
I’m more concerned for the other 98% who are fed this NFL crap, then pushed out the door after 4-5 years with a watered down interdisciplinary studies degree that leaves many of them unemployable without a skill set or a trade. That degree won’t even qualify them for a high school coaching position. It only looks good for college position openings which are pretty scarce.I'm way more concerned with getting better talent and a good product on the field than I am about how they help build allegiance. Those things will come with more success.
What's wrong with selling playing time? I would think every kid aspires to either keep playing in the NFL or to earn a degree and play at a high level on the field. If not, why even play?
Giving kids a "chance" to show what they can do is what the portal is all about in my eyes. If they are buried 3 deep on the depth chart at Georgia, there is virtually NO way they will get a shot to play at the next level and maybe only a handful of snaps in college. Transfer to MT and you can plan now! It's a great scenario for schools like MT to potentially upgrade talent.
If not for sports, most of these kids wouldn't be in college.... I would like to see trades (mechanic, electrical, culinary etc.) offered so that more kids would benefit after their college careers are over.I’m more concerned for the other 98% who are fed this NFL crap, then pushed out the door after 4-5 years with a watered down interdisciplinary studies degree that leaves many of them unemployable without a skill set or a trade. That degree won’t even qualify them for a high school coaching position. It only looks good for college position openings which are pretty scarce.