The NCAA transfer portal giveth and the NCAA transfer portal taketh away.
In between, in the gray areas afforded by recently-instituted NIL compensation and the one-time transfer waiver, are actions that rate as accelerated rather than unprecedented — back-channel communications by players, agents, handlers, boosters, and other assorted actors attempting to lure talented players into the portal with offers of massive NIL payments.
The saga of Biletnikoff Award-winning Pittsburgh wide receiver Jordan Addison made the new reality apparent over the weekend, with accusations of tampering leveled by the Panther side and reports of angry phone calls from Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi to USC head coach Lincoln Riley.