The NCAA transfer portal can be a godsend for new coaches. Forget three-, four- and five-year builds. Having roughly 3,000 players looking for fresh landing spots creates long days, sleepless nights and more video study than any NFL rookie quarterback faces.
Those who navigate it best — like Arizona State, Indiana, Ole Miss and Texas Tech in recent years — have a chance to advance to the College Football Playoff in short order.
Here’s a look at how 12 of the 17 Power Four programs with new coaches — those in the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern conferences — have fared in the portal, which officially closed Friday (No. indicates transfer class ranking as compiled by 247 Sports ).
1. LSU, Lane Kiffin: The Tigers won the Kiffin sweepstakes and promised to spend big to rebuild their roster. They landed Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, arguably the most coveted portal quarterback, along with 27 others in the top-rated class.
Intriguing addition: Wide receiver Eugene “Tre” Wilson, who flashed potential at Florida when healthy.