Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh details thoughts on the transfer portal

Last Thursday, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh took to the podium in front of the media for Big Ten Media Day. Among other topics, one of the main subjects Harbaugh was asked about is the college football transfer portal, which has proven quite beneficial for the Wolverines thus far, effectively bolstering this year’s roster in their pursuit of a national title.

Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh details his thoughts on the college football transfer portal

Here is what Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh said when asked about his thoughts on the college football transfer portal. It’s worth noting that the Wolverines have utilized the transfer portal to acquire All-Americans, such as center Olu Oluwatimi, and have added a number of players poised to earn starting roles this fall, including AJ Barner, Drake Nugent, Josh Wallace, and more.

“So three years ago, four years ago when I talked about that, the main reason was — I mean, the only sports that you could not transfer without penalty were football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and I believe hockey was the fourth,” Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh said of the college football transfer portal on Thursday. “I remember there were four. And every other sport could choose what was best for them and best for their families.

“So now we have that in football. A young man can choose what’s best for him and his family. However many years we’re in on that now, I would say so far so good, and no need to change. Surely we need more data.

“Of all the players that I’ve talked to — so the ones that were on our team that went into the portal, a good thing. Those that came from the portal to our team, they categorized it as a good thing. And at least it was their decision — their decision and their family’s decision. Even when I talk to our own players who haven’t gone into the portal, I ask them — ‘What do you think of the portal?’ And they say does more good than it is negative.

“I think that’s a tremendous way to categorize it at least from my view (and) from the players’ view of who I’ve talked to,” Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh concluded. “And (it is) certainly too soon to change it (the transfer portal).”

In 2023, a number of new additions from the college football transfer portal will be taking the field for the Maize and Blue. In the years to come, expect Harbaugh and his Wolverines to continue this trend of transfer portal use in search of future Big Ten titles and more.

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