Sweeping changes could be coming to college athletics, ones that could possibly allow athletes to transfer schools without restrictions if their coach was fired or left to take a new job.
The proposal, first reported by Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com Tuesday, is just an early recommendation and not in any way the final opinion of the Division I Transfer Working Group; which has been working since last fall to come up with a suitable way to modify the current NCAA transfer model.
The current version of the transfer rules forces a player to sit out an academic year if they chose to transfer schools. Not to mention, players must also receive permission from their current school and even if permission is granted a coach can establish restrictions on where they can continue their careers.
It's a controversial piece of legislation that's been scrutinized over and over again, especially lately with the increased turnover among coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Twenty schools made coaching changes in 2017 with 15 of those moves made after Nov. 12.
Critics question the validity of punishing an athlete for a change of heart while coaches have the ability to move around basically without impunity.
"The NCAA bylaws governing student-athlete transfer are in need of reform. The present system favors the original institution over student-athletes in a number of ways. The original institution has control over the schools with which student-athletes may discuss athletically-related financial aid and those at which they might be eligible for competition immediately," the proposal reads. "Head coaches move from institution to institution freely, while student-athletes cannot, even when sanctions unrelated to the student-athletes' conduct prevent them from competing for a championship. The present system treats student-athletes differently depending on their sport."
This recommendation, which was submitted by the Big 12, would be tied to academics.
Here is a quick look at the proposed bylaws:
_ The student-athlete earned a baccalaureate degree at the original institution;
_ The student-athlete's head coach at the original institution resigned or was fired during or after the most recent season of competition, except that the student-athlete is not immediately eligible at another institution at which the head coach is employed;
_ Sanctions have been imposed on the original institution that limit postseason competition in the student-athlete's sport;
_ The student-athlete did not receive athletically-related financial aid at the original institution; or an exception in bylaw 14.5.5.2 or 14.5.6 is satisfied.
The Division I Transfer Working Group is expected to push its recommendations in June, possibly making it available for the 2018-19 season or later.
