"Consider Fernando Mendoza, who grew up 2 miles from the campus of the University of Miami, the son of two graduates, and dreamed of playing for the Hurricanes. But the two-star quarterback recruit couldn't get a scholarship from the former coaching staff. He committed to Yale, then signed with Cal. He redshirted his first season, then didn't see the field until midway through his second, when he threw nearly as many interceptions (10) as touchdowns (14). He developed into a promising prospect"
"College football's transfer portal is about as popular as a flooded basement. It's been blamed for nearly every problem in the sport. No loyalty. All about money. Chaos! Confusion! It's not all unfounded. There is room for improvement, although legislating against adults making bad decisions has never really worked in any segment of society. Editor's Picks Yet sometimes, such as Monday in Hard Rock Stadium, the portal also delivers, perfectly in this case."
The transfer portal attracts sharp criticism for fostering disloyalty, money-driven moves, and roster chaos while also creating genuine opportunities for overlooked players. Indiana finished 16-0 and won a national title in part because the portal matched talent with better developmental fits, illustrating meritocratic outcomes. Fernando Mendoza evolved from a two-star recruit to a promising quarterback after redshirting, playing at Cal, and then transferring to Indiana for development. Mikail Kamara rose from a zero-star high school recruit to play at James Madison. The portal provided pathways that enabled players to find situations where they could succeed.
Read at ESPN.com
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