NCAA Drops Hammer On ‘Ghost Transfers’: Coaches Risk Suspensions, Millions In Buyout Money

INDIANAPOLIS — If college football coaches decide to bring in a transfer this spring, the NCAA will likely be watching closely, and substantial penalties could follow.

In what has been an ongoing conversation across the sport, the NCAA recently eliminated the spring transfer portal window. At the time, many believed there would be a simple workaround: have a player unenroll from one school and enroll at another, effectively bypassing the transfer portal altogether.

While that approach may have worked in a few cases—such as former Wisconsin defensive back Xavier Lucas—it won’t be an option moving forward unless the school is prepared to face harsh penalties if caught. 

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On Wednesday, just down the street from where the Final Four will be played, the NCAA Division I Council voted to implement new penalties for programs and coaches caught accepting what’s being called a "blind transfer" following spring football.

Previously, some coaches planned to keep roster spots open after the January transfer portal window, which followed the national championship game. But concerns quickly grew across conferences and programs that teams could lose key contributors during this unofficial spring movement period.

"This change addresses gaps in the transfer and tampering policies that have allowed for abuse, but we acknowledge that there is more work to do," said Josh Whitman, chair of the Cabinet and athletics director at Illinois. We believe closing this loophole simplifies things for student-athletes and holds schools accountable for their actions." 

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Coaches Risking More Than Just Suspension Or Program Budget

Now, with the NCAA Cabinet approving new penalties for any school caught using this tactic now in place immediately, there will be plenty of coaches not willing to take the risk. 

So, what are the new penalties?

• The head coach would be suspended from all team activities for 50% of the season.
• The program that took a ‘blind-transfer’ would also be penalized 20% of its football budget that year.

There’s an additional layer of risk tied directly to coaching contracts. Every coach in college athletics has an ethics clause, meaning violations could impact guaranteed buyout money. In some cases, a school could fire a coach for ‘cause’ and avoid paying millions.

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I don't think there are coaches out there willing to risk losing their buyouts, which sometimes could garner them millions with their firing. 

While the NCAA has often taken years to implement meaningful changes, this time it moved quickly. Over the next few months, it will be worth watching which programs—if any—are willing to test the limits for a player who could make an immediate impact.

Let's see who's ready to take a gamble, and how many lawsuits stem from this new set of penalties in college athletics.