Nebraska Football: What are the NCAA transfer portal rules

Nebraska football fans have been big beneficiaries of the NCAA transfer portal. However, there are some fans out there who might still be confused about the rules surrounding the mechanism.

Part of the reason is that the rules have kept changing since the NCAA transfer portal was first created. It can be hard to keep up for Nebraska football fans who are looking to know exactly when a player will be officially in the portal or out of it and how.

What Are The NCAA Transfer Portal Dates Nebraska Football Fans Should Know?

This summer, there was a big change to the rules of the transfer portal that actually created “windows” when players could enter and when they can no longer change schools. The rules for fall sports is 45 days after championship selections. For Nebraska football fans this past year, that meant the window opened on December 5 and closed on January 18. There will be another window from May 1 to May 15. This will basically allow any player that realized after spring practice that they don’t want to be with their current school, can leave.

Winter sports, like Nebraska basketball, will have a 60-day window after championship selections are made. Spring sports, like Nebraska baseball and softball, had a two-week window from December 1-15 and will have another 45-day spring window the day after championship selections are made.

If “championships selections” confuses you, it basically means when conference champions are crowned. So for Nebraska basketball, the NCAA transfer portal window will open the day after the Big Ten Tournament crowns the Huskers the biggest upset champion in its history.

Do Grad Transfers Have To Follow NCAA Transfer Portal Rules?

There are a couple of rule exceptions carved out for specific categories of players. Chief among them are grad transfers. Players who have actually graduated from their schools but still have playing eligibility can transfer anytime before May 1 for fall and winter sports. For spring sports they can enter the portal any time before July 1.

How Many Times Can A Player Transfer?

A player can transfer once without penalty, but if a player transfers to a second school, they will have to sit out a year. That’s if all both schools offered the sport a player was in. In other words, if a school got rid of their football program, leaving that school for a third school would not penalize the athlete. There is another exception that changes all of these rules.

What if Nebraska Football Fired Its Coach?

If a school fires its head coach, the NCAA transfer portal window rules basically get turned on their head. In that case, the window opens the day the coach is fired and athletes then have a 30-day window to enter the portal and communicate with other teams.