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Saint Francis community reflects on transition to Division III from Division I

Published

7 months ago

May 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Saint Francis community reflects on transition to Division III from Division I

On March 25, Saint Francis announced it was transitioning its athletics program from Division I to Division III.

The decision jarred the campus and surrounding community.

Over the past few weeks, the Mirror’s Neil Rudel reached out to a number of past Saint Francis administrators, coaches and players, inviting their reaction, and more than a dozen submitted their thoughts.

Following is a compilation:

Hoping Saint Francis

spirit will live on

With the landscape of college athletics changing so rapidly, it’s unfortunate that Saint Francis felt it needed to make the transition away from Division I athletics.

The Red Flash have always been a light to its alumni and fans as a small school that quite often accomplished things much bigger than those outside the SFU community imagined it could.

With the players I had the privilege to coach from 2007-2012, we dreamed about going to the Big Dance.

We worked hard to be a model program for the entire school and local community.

When we did make it there in two of those years, it provided an opportunity for not just our team, but for the entire campus and local community to celebrate because, quite honestly, we felt we were all one team.

Everyone played a part in helping us be successful, and I am very thankful for the support. Our team had a saying that was carried down from previous teams … “We’re Flash, We’re One.”

My hope is this spirit will continue to be lived out at SFU. The transition will be challenging because it stirs many emotions from current student-athletes, alumni and fans of an institution that means so much.

I am rooting for them as I still have many great Red Flash family relationships and hope that they do become a dominant athletics program in their new landscape.

Susan Robinson Fruchtl

Boalsburg

(Susan Robinson Fruchtl served as Saint Francis women’s basketball coach from 2007-2012 and then as its athletic director from 2016-2020).

‘Proud and honored’

to be part of tradition

Most of the guys from the 1991 team — Coach Baron included — are still in touch through a group chat. We were all stunned when the news broke about SFU moving to Division III.

My time as a student-athlete at SFU was incredibly meaningful. Being part of the basketball program opened doors for me to travel and experience the world after graduation. I’ve always felt a strong connection to the program. SFU is a special place.

I still laugh when I think about how many guys we played against would complain about making the trek up the mountain to face us. It’s tough to see things change like this, but the memories made in Loretto will last a lifetime.

Big shoutout to all the athletes — across all sports — who helped build SFU into a competitive and respected program.

I’m proud and honored to have been part of such a rich tradition.

Joe Anderson

Uniontown, Ohio

(Joe Anderson played for the Flash from 1988-91. He is SFU’s all-time leading scorer in men’s basketball with 2,301 points, having broken the record set by Maurice Stokes.)

NIL, transfer portal

accelerated decision

My initial reaction to the decision made by the university was surprise and sadness. I sympathized with the current athletes and coaches and the difficult decisions they were forced to make so abruptly.

So many of my great personal memories involved Saint Francis athletics, and that association led to a 47-year career coaching at the NCAA Division I level at four different institutions.

My daughter, who was a Division I coach at Holy Cross, offers a perspective all small colleges are facing. She recently left coaching after a successful career as a head coach at two Division I institutions.

The impact of NIL money and the transfer portal on recruiting and team continuity clearly played a part in her decision.

Unfortunately for Saint Francis, the combination of finances, timing and location in regard to the NCAA’s dramatic changes and conference affiliation are at the heart of it.

I have to believe the leadership at the university factored in all relevant data available before the final decision was made.

As a proud alum, my sincere hope is the university finds success moving forward.

Dave Magarity

Fenwick Island, Delaware

(Dave Magarity was the head men’s basketball coach at Saint Francis from 1978-83 and Marist from 1986-2004. He concluded his career as the head women’s coach at Army from 2006-2021).

Secrecy prevailed

as plan was in works

When I opened the email from The Office of the President on March 25, I never anticipated the devastating news it contained for the Saint Francis University family.

I always viewed Saint Francis as the place where miracles happened and faith overcame challenges.

On March 25, it became the place where secrecy prevailed over honesty and truth. Certain individuals in leadership positions failed the people they were called to serve, the members of the Saint Francis community, especially the student-athletes, coaches, faculty and alumni.

More than 600 students, coaches and staff came to Saint Francis believing they would have a Division I experience.

They were misled as this plan to transition SFU athletics to DIII had obviously been in the planning for several years.

This action by the president and trustees certainly does not follow the Franciscan values that are at the heart of the university and the student-athlete experience.

The student-athletes and coaches have embraced these values for years and have represented the university throughout the community and beyond.

There are individuals who feel the current state of the NCAA makes things impossible for SFU. However, the athletic world has been in a state of chaos, within the NCAA, for years.

There are 364 Division I institutions (and the number is growing) striving to meet the challenges in different ways that coincide with their conferences and institutions.

SFU has always met the challenges and provided a vibrant program for the students and university community.

SFU needs Division I athletics, and Division I athletics needs SFU.

The president and the trustees should re-examine and engage in an open review, involving diverse representation from within the Red Flash family.

Alumni, students (past and present) faculty, coaches and staff deserve this from their Division I institution among the pines.

Bob Krimmel

Hollidaysburg

(Bob Krimmel served as SFU’s athletic director from 2005-2017 after a 30-year career as a coach and administrator at Penn State.)

Thankful for fond

memories in Loretto

I have to say the news came as a surprise and is a great example of how quickly things can change.

The excitement and exposure of the NCAA play-in game followed by the dropping of Division I athletics illustrates the extremes in college athletics today.

I understand. It is hard to compete today, but the majority of people understand that.

I am not familiar enough with the long-term burden today’s athletic commitment placed on the institution’s future to judge it.

I can only say I am thankful for the memories growing up watching the program and then being a small part of it.

Those memories and special moments are what set Saint Francis apart from all the others. Change is always hard, but growth can lead to new experiences and opportunities.

I’m hoping the future creates that “One Shining Moment” that might be hard to see right now.

Jeff Bower

Auburn Hills, Michigan

(Jeff Bower is a Hollidaysburg native, former Saint Francis and Penn State assistant coach and Marist head coach. He is a past head coach of NBA teams in New Orleans and Charlotte as well as the general manager in Detroit and Phoenix. He is currently a scout for the Brooklyn Nets.)

Feeling empathy for those

tasked with the decision

The announcement that our athletics program will transition to Division III was a gut punch to almost all those connected to Saint Francis sports, past and present.

Most of us were still riding the high of our men’s basketball team’s Northeast Conference title and March Madness appearance when we received the news.

Only time will tell if this move makes financial sense for the institution.

Our Board of Trustees believes that it will. I empathize with the members of our board — no one wants to be the bearer of bad news. Especially when it’s telling a group of good people that they will be losing something they deeply cherish.

I empathize with our coaches, alumni, boosters and fans. There is a something magical about SFU that binds people together. That’s why we celebrated Norm Van Lier’s legacy last season and Kevin Porter’s career back in February.

That’s why people still talk about Mack the Cop, Art Martynuska and Father Vince and make it a priority to seek out Maureen Malloy when they return for a game.

I empathize with our current student-athletes. Most of them dreamed of competing at the DI level and worked hard to make this dream a reality. Much of their identity is tied to their athletic talent.

Through no fault of their own, they are forced to choose between staying at SFU and eventually competing at the DIII level, or transferring to another school to continue competing at the highest level.

Saint Francis is a special place. That is not going to change when we move to DIII. But that doesn’t take away the pain of losing something you cherish.

Pat Farabaugh

Loretto

(Pat Farabaugh is a professor of communications at Saint Francis and the Red Flash men’s basketball and football team’s play-by-play announcer.)

Impact on women’s

program significant

As a former women’s basketball player and coach, I’m deeply disappointed by Saint Francis University’s decision to move from Division I to Division III — especially so soon after the men’s team’s incredible NCAA tournament appearance.

That moment reminded us all of the magic small programs can create. Unfortunately, this may be the new reality for many smaller Division I schools.

The current NCAA landscape — with the transfer portal and NIL deals — has made it increasingly difficult for schools like Saint Francis to compete.

This decision affects all sports, but what’s especially heartbreaking for me is the impact on our women’s basketball program, which has a long-standing tradition of competing in the NEC Conference and NCAA tournaments.

Coach Jenny Przekwas laid the foundation, Myndi Hill continued the greatness and Susan Robinson Fruchtl and Joe Haigh carried it forward with pride and passion.

As someone who has worn the jersey and stood on the sidelines, this decision hurts. But I’ll always support Saint Francis and hope this change brings stability — even if it’s bittersweet.

Deanna Jubeck

Hollidaysburg

(Deanna Jubeck played at Saint Francis from 1997-2001 and coached there from 2001-04. She’s currently the head girls coach at Hollidaysburg.)

Sadly, prediction came true on SFU future

Over a decade ago, I had the honor of serving on the Saint Francis President’s Athletics Advisory Committee alongside experienced, passionate coaches and administrators.

At each meeting, Father Gabe Zeis would begin with a prayer, reminding us to consider the university’s greater good.

After one session, I asked him what kept him awake at night. Without hesitation, he said, and I paraphrase, “Within 10 years, several private colleges in our region will no longer exist. The demographics just don’t work. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure Saint Francis survives and thrives.”

Sadly, his prediction has largely come true.

Since arriving on campus in 1972, I’ve been deeply involved in the business of college athletics. It’s a passionate, high-stakes world, often led by emotion rather than strategy. I believe SFU’s Board of Trustees made its recent decision with great care, prayer and consideration — not just for athletics, but for the university’s overall future.

No president wants a decision like this on their legacy, but sometimes leadership means doing what’s best for all.

For years, I heard, “How does Saint Francis do it?”

My response was always: Strong leadership, dedicated coaches, committed faculty and a special sense of community.

But the challenges — financial, demographic, and now, structural changes like the transfer portal and NIL — have made Division I sustainability nearly impossible.

In my opinion, while certainly difficult, the move to Division III was inevitable. SFU remains a strong option for student-athletes, with excellent academics, facilities, and a welcoming campus.

My wife Cheryl (SFU ’79) and I still visit often, and I serve on the Athletics Hall of Fame Committee. With luck, we’ll be back for my 50th reunion in 2026. Though things change, the memories — and the Red Flash spirit — remain.

SFU Athletics will be just fine. It’s about the memories you make.

Ron Bertovich

Buffalo, N.Y.

(Ron Bertovich was the sports information director at Saint Francis and Iona before becoming commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference from 1986-94 and the deputy commissioner of the Colonial Athletic Conference from 2005-17 and later an executive vice president for the Buffalo Sabres).

Money, changing times

made move inevitable

As a graduate of Saint Francis in the ’60s, I know what it meant to my fellow students to have a basketball program the quality of the one the school was turning out in the 1950s up through the 1970s.

We all felt pride and had a connection to the players, too, who were our classmates.

But the image many people still carry in their heads of that time is a far cry from the one the program knows today. Still, I understand that we are inclined to think with our hearts and not our heads.

Money, the size of the school, the state of the Northeast Conference, collegiate sports and the university’s location (which isn’t talked about enough) all conspired to make this move inevitable.

Maurice Stokes, Norm Van Lier, Kevin Porter and any number of forgotten and accomplished players coming to Loretto again has been fiction for some time.

But then Tom Gola and Kenny Durrett aren’t going to LaSalle anymore; Calvin Murphy isn’t going to Niagara either, or Bob Cousy and Tom Heinsohn to Holy Cross.

The days of the small to mid-sized Catholic colleges with a prominent basketball program are going and in some cases gone.

My involvement with the university and its basketball program represents more than 50 years, and while I’m sad, I understand and still have my memories.

Bob Moore

Long Branch, New Jersey

(Bob Moore was a former sports information director of Saint Francis before becoming public relations director and historian of the Kansas City Chiefs. He also founded the Golden Era of Red Flash basketball wing, which is part of the SFU Athletics Hall of Fame, of which he was inducted in August of 2024.)

Saint Francis will

always be special

I feel the pain for the Saint Francis community with the decision to reclassify the athletic department to Division III.

The current climate in collegiate athletics is disgraceful and clearly off the rails.

Unfortunately, the Red Flash had to face the financial reality of moving forward with an athletic department that better aligns for the future.

I have repeated the following to many people over my 40 years in the NCAA and NBA: My three years spent coaching at Saint Francis were the most enjoyable time in my life, and it was because of the people in the SFU area.

So, no matter what level SFU participates in, I sure hope the hard working, loyal and great fans continue to support the efforts of the student-athletes. The SFU community made me a better person.

Jeff Nix

Oak Bluffs, Mass.

(Jeff Nix was an assistant basketball coach at Saint Francis from 1981-84. He also coached at Loyola Md., Xavier, Notre Dame and the New York Knicks before becoming an assistant general manager with the Knicks and Detroit Pistons.)

NEC was no longer

best fit for Red Flash

As a former director athletics at Saint Francis University, I was sad to hear the news of the planned transition from NCAA Division I to DIII.

We had experienced great success during my time at SFU, but the Division I world today with NIL, revenue sharing and the transfer portal is much different than 20 years ago when I left SFU to become the athletic director at the University of Mount Olive, an NCAA DII institution.

Plus, the Northeast Conference is not as good a fit for SFU as it was back then. Given all that, while it hurts for now, I understand the move and will always support SFU.

Jeff Eisen

Chapel Hill, N.C.

(Jeff Eisen served as director of athletics at Saint Francis from 1998-2005 before coming AD at Mount Olive in North Carolina.)

Don’t be surprised

if more schools follow

The state of college athletics currently is such that they are forcing mid-majors to try to survive the NIL landscape that leaves them at such a recruiting disadvantage with the money powers.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see other mid-majors make similar decisions that Saint Francis did.

I’m disappointed and saddened for all former SFU athletes, coaches and current students. I can’t imagine how everyone will react and respond to what Division III means to alumni interest and donations, how admissions will be impacted and how the culture will change on campus.

One of the issues that isn’t mentioned as much as NIL and transfer portal is the new criteria for March Madness consideration of allocating more value for Quad 1 wins and losses over all other Quad victories, which will make scheduling mid-majors less valuable for the power conferences to risk.

So these three factors make conducting a Division I program a business decision that many schools are being forced to make at the expense of risking emotional and loyalty ties to their student and alumni bases.

I would like to see the NCAA return to allowing schools to declare for one sport (basketball, hockey) to be Division I and the others Division III, which might give mid-majors a fighting chance at surviving the current landscape.

Pete Lonergan

Buffalo, N.Y.

(Pete Lonergan was the head men’s basketball coach at Saint Francis from 1973-78 and at Niagara from 1980-85. He later coached for many years at the Division III level.)

‘Miracle on Mountain’ memories will last forever

I’ve always thought our trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1991 was like a movie, “The Miracle on the Mountain.”

It was magical, and the whole campus was part of it. We had players, like Joe Anderson, John Hilvert and Tom Bennetch, and Mike (Iuzzolino) was the missing piece.

On moving to Division III, I think the decision was made way before it happened.

It’s a big decision, and I don’t want to hurt Saint Francis. It probably had to be done because of the finances.

My concern is for all the smaller schools, the mid-majors that have men’s and women’s sports. I’m still on a couple NCAA committees, and we’ve got to get this thing figured out.

Saint Francis has to do what they have to do to survive.

But our 1991 team gave Saint Francis notoriety, and we woke a lot of people up on the tradition that started with Maurice Stokes.

Jim Baron

Pompano Beach, Florida

(Jim Baron was the head men’s basketball coach at Saint Francis from 1987-92. He also was the head coach at St. Bonaventure from 1992-2001, Rhode Island from 2001-12 and Canisius from 2012-2016.)

‘Heartbroken’ over

loss of bygone era

I was heartbroken when I heard that Saint Francis was transitioning its athletics program to Division III.

When I was there (1980-1984) we were by enrollment one of the smallest Division I basketball programs in the country.

Even so, we played a great non-conference schedule over those years — LSU, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Duquesne, West Virginia, Georgetown, Saint Joseph’s, Richmond, Bradley, South Carolina.

We were David up against Goliaths. When I was a senior, we played Georgetown at the Capital Centre. Georgetown would go on to win the NCAA championship that year.

The Washington Post, the day after the game, described how Saint Francis was not intimidated by the mighty Hoyas and was the first team Georgetown played that was allowed to go out at night without their mothers. We loved that.

Those days are apparently over now. Heartbreaking, indeed.

Lou Schmitt

Altoona

(Lou Schmitt is a representative in the Pennsylvania State House. He won the primary election for Blair County judge on May 20.)

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Sieg Named National High School Player of the Year by Maxwell Football Club

Published

51 minutes ago

January 7, 2026

Your Sports Nation

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Maxwell Football Club executive director Mark Wolpert announced that West Virginia University football signee Matt Sieg was named the 2025 National High School Player of the Year by the Maxwell Football Club, marking the 19^th year that this honor will be presented at the Club’s National Awards.

Sieg is the first WVU signee to earn the Maxwell Football Club’s High School Player of the Year Award and it marks the first time a Mountaineer football recruit won a national high school player of the year award since Robert

Alexander was named Parade Magazine Back of the Year in 1976.

Sieg also was named a High School All-American by the Maxwell Football Club. He was a three-time Pennsylvania Football Writers’ Class 1A All-State First Team honoree, the all-time leading rusher in Fort Cherry High School

history and the WPIAL 1A Player of the Year.

Sieg authored one of the most historic careers in WPIAL history, finishing with a 49–7 record, two WPIAL championships (2023, 2024) and league records in total offense (12,592 yards) and touchdowns (139). A generational dual-threat, he became just the second player in WPIAL history to surpass 4,000 rushing and 4,000 passing yards in a career, while also setting league marks as the first player to reach 5,000 rushing yards and 3,000 passing yards and to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons.

As a senior, he totaled 2,259 all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns while adding 45 tackles and four interceptions on defense, leading Fort Cherry to a 12–1 record and a WPIAL 1A semifinal appearance. The four-time Black Hills Conference Offensive MVP ranks No. 2 in WPIAL career rushing (7,941 yards) and stands as Fort Cherry’s all-time leading rusher and passer, earning consensus four-star status and national rankings from ESPN, 247Sports\ and Rivals.

The formal presentation of the National High School Player of the Year Award will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. The Maxwell Football Club will also be presenting its other national awards from college through the professional ranks at the event.

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Longhorns Daily News: Texas has highest NIL transfer portal budget, data says

Published

2 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Your Sports Nation

The website Sports Casting recently published data that pointed to Texas as the program with the nation’s biggest purse strings related to name, image, and likeness incentives for this year’s transfer portal, ahead of in-state juggernauts such as Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and others. Texas has $23 million in NIL funding, in fact, according to a graph Sports Casting published earlier today.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE LONGHORNS

247Sports: With Michael Masunas’ commitment, veteran Texas tight ends are under the spotlight in a crowded room

Inside Texas: Inside Texas Portal Intel: Cam Coleman, RB dominoes, and OL plans

ICYMI IN BURNT ORANGE NATION

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247Sports: HoopHall West: New Year’s resolutions for every top-50 prospect

247Sports: Transfer Portal Intel: Latest updates on top players, led by team to watch for Sam Leavitt, as dominoes fall

247Sports: Arizona State’s Raleek Brown trending to Texas: How does he compare to outgoing RB Tre Wisner?

247Sports: Elite 2027 CB Duvay Williams’ visits come into focus at 2026 Navy All-American Bowl

Inside Texas: Texas Longhorns Portal Recruiting Intel: Latest from numerous Horns targets, coaches on road

Inside Texas: Texas’ early portal additions are creating a firm foundation

Inside Texas: How did Texas’ 2025 portal class fare this past season?

Inside Texas: Transfer Portal Reality Check: It’s okay to be frustrated, just don’t panic

Rocky Top Talk: LSU offensive tackle Ory Williams commits to Tennessee

A Sea Of Blue: Kentucky flips 4-star recruit Andre Clarke Jr. from Michigan

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SB Nation: The Panthers aren’t NFL’s worst playoff team ever, because this team is

SB Nation: TGL: Atlanta Drive GC stays undefeated in title defense with 7-4 win over The Bay

NEWS ACROSS LONGHORN NATION AND BEYOND

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No. 1 college football team soars in transfer portal rankings after ‘swinging wildly’

Published

3 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Indiana posted a major day in the early January transfer portal window, adding multiple experienced transfers on Sunday, including TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh, and Boston College running back Turbo (Hanovii) Richard.

Hoover is a redshirt junior with a high-volume TCU resume, throwing for 9,629 career yards and 71 touchdowns with a 65.2% completion rate.

He set the Horned Frogs’ single-season passing record in 2024 with 3,949 yards (27 TDs, 11 INTs) and followed it up with another productive campaign in 2025, totaling 3,472 yards with 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Hoover is expected to enroll in January and is the projected heir apparent if Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza departs for the NFL.

Marsh is a 6-foot-3 receiver who led Michigan State in receptions and receiving yards in consecutive seasons, posting 41 catches for 649 yards and three touchdowns in 2024, followed by 59 receptions for 662 yards and six scores in 2025.

Richard entered the portal after a breakout 2025 season, rushing for 749 yards and nine touchdowns on 145 carries (5.2 yards per carry) across 11 games, while also contributing in the passing game with 30 catches for 213 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Safeties Preston Zachman (Wisconsin) and Jiquan Sanks (Cincinnati), edge prospects like Tobi Osunsanmi (Kansas State) and Joshua Burnham (Notre Dame), and Chiddi Obiazor (Kansas State) have all reportedly transferred to Indiana as well.

On Sunday, Josh Pate described Indiana’s portal approach as “swinging wildly” and landing most of those swings, a shorthand for the Hoosiers’ aggressive, high-volume pursuit of established starters during the opening days of the transfer window.

“Indiana is swinging wildly, and it will probably shock approximately none of you to learn that they are landing every punch that they swing with,” Pate said.

“Josh Hoover, TCU quarterback, that’s who Curt Cignetti has circled, and so he is next in line to be a future Heisman finalist in Indiana… Nick Marsh, who I was really high on this past year, and then Michigan State was terrible, he’s headed to Indiana too… So Indiana is making some big moves here.”

TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover. — TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover (10) | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Indiana completed a historic run in 2025, winning the Big Ten and advancing through the College Football Playoff, including a 38–3 win over No. 9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl (CFP quarterfinal) to enter the CFP semifinals as the No. 1 seed (14–0 at that point).

Head coach Curt Cignetti’s roster rebuild has relied heavily on the portal since his arrival, bringing in high-impact portal QBs such as Kurtis Rourke (Ohio) and then Fernando Mendoza (Cal), both of whom started and helped accelerate the program’s turnaround.

By landing established contributors, especially a high-volume quarterback and proven skill-position players, Indiana changes the odds for 2026 by signaling to recruits and opponents that the program is built to last rather than flash.

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$2 million transfer portal QB strongly linked with two major college football programs

Published

4 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Your Sports Nation

The NCAA’s two-week January portal window (Jan. 2–16) opened with heavy quarterback movement, highlighted by North Texas standout Drew Mestemaker committing to Oklahoma State and top portal name Brendan Sorsby landing at Texas Tech.

Meanwhile, Sam Leavitt remains uncommitted while visiting multiple Power-5 programs, and both Byrum Brown and DJ Lagway have entered the portal and are in the process of scheduling visits.

Former Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has also entered the transfer portal and is reportedly a priority target for several Power-5 programs.

On Friday, January 2, CBS Sports analysts Cooper Petagna and Chris Hummer flagged Raiola as a quarterback who becomes materially more effective when surrounded by a strong supporting cast, pointing to two specific college football programs as logical fits.

“If you put him in an environment like Miami or an environment like Oregon where you surround him with the type of playmakers and the type of offensive line and the type of running game that those programs provide, then Dylan Raiola becomes a lot more of a net positive, rather than being the guy,” said Petagna.

Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola. — Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) looks to throw a pass behind offensive lineman Turner Corcoran (69) | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Raiola started Nebraska’s first nine games in 2025 before suffering a broken right fibula against USC on November 1, an injury that ended his season.

At the time, he had completed 181 of 250 passes (72.4%) for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions, posting a 158.6 passer rating while ranking among the national leaders in completion percentage.

A consensus five-star recruit from Buford, Georgia, Raiola started as a true freshman in 2024, completing 275 of 410 passes (67.1%) for 2,819 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions across 13 games.

He is also one of the more marketable athletes in college football, with On3’s public player profile listing an estimated NIL valuation of $2 million, driven by partnerships with adidas, Campus Ink, EA Sports and Panini America.

Each is currently a College Football Playoff (CFP) team with a deep receiving corps, strong offensive lines and reliable running games that would help mask pocket limitations and accelerate his development.

Oregon’s fast-paced, high-efficiency offense and established receiver pipeline would amplify his strengths, while Miami’s pro-style balance, elite NIL market and recent success developing transfer quarterbacks provide immediate resources and exposure.

Together, both programs offer elite coaching, medical and strength staffs, playoff-level competition and consistent NFL scouting attention, a combination that maximizes Raiola’s long-term upside while boosting national title aspirations.

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How the Biggest NIL Deal in College Football History Went Down

Published

4 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Brendan Sorsby landed a record NIL deal with Texas Tech, so Boardroom caught up with his agent to learn about the transfer portal process, why he chose college over the NFL, and more.

Brendan Sorsby has reset the NIL market.

The former University of Cincinnati quarterback and ESPN’s top-ranked player in this year’s college football transfer portal signed an NIL contract with Texas Tech for his final year of eligibility worth close to $6 million, his agent Ron Slavin of Lift Sports Management told Boardroom. It’s believed to be the largest ever NIL deal in college football; here’s how the historic deal went down.

<em>Dylan Buell / Getty Images</em> — *Dylan Buell / Getty Images*

After Cincinnati finished its regular season after Thanksgiving, Sorsby signaled to his representatives that he wanted a change of scenery, whether that was the transfer portal or the NFL, Slavin said. He then submitted a request to the NFL’s College Advisory Committee, which evaluates and advises underclassmen of their draft prospects and where they realistically might be selected. While Sorsby got a graded projection of anywhere between the first and third rounds of the 2026 draft, that didn’t sway him from wanting to play a final year of college football and submit his name into the NCAA transfer portal.

“He wants to become a better quarterback, and he wants to be the first pick in the ’27 draft,” Slavin told Boardroom. “Brendan wanted to play college football, compete for a national championship, and continue to develop.”

Sorsby looked at inexperienced quarterbacks drafted in the first round and sent out to play by their teams right away, and wanted more reps to reduce the potential of becoming a draft bust because he was thrown in there before he was ready.

“The NFL doesn’t draft quarterbacks in the first round anymore and let him sit for three years like Aaron Rodgers was able to,” Slavin said. “Brendan wants to know that he’s got enough reps and played enough games like the Bo Nixes of the world, who had 60 college games. That’s the model now, not guys who have had one good season of 12 starts. They seem to fail a lot more often.”

Players can announce they’re going into the transfer portal in December, but the official two-week portal doesn’t open until Jan. 2. And while players can’t contact teams until then, agents and representatives can begin identifying schools in need of a player, in this case, an experienced starting QB like Sorsby. LSU, Miami, and Texas Tech emerged as the three top contenders, and Sorsby visited each school over the weekend.

“All had very solid offers, and they were pretty equal across the board,” Slavin said. “I know people like to say ‘oh, Texas Tech outspends,’ but there wasn’t any difference in the money between Miami, LSU, or Texas Tech.”

Sorsby was impressed by Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and the executive director Dennis Smith. As he controversially moved over from Ole Miss to LSU, Slavin said Lane Kiffin was “all in” on bringing Sorsby to Baton Rouge. The LSU coaches did the best job among the three in terms of putting in the time and preparation on trying to bring in what it hoped would be its next starting quarterback. But as a whole, Texas Tech barely edged both of them out.

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire was able to sell Sorsby on facilities that Slavin said blew him away, a strong offensive line and skill position players, and the Red Raiders’ ability to develop him as a quarterback. It also helped that the Dallas native could play football one last year in his home state.

“We did pros and cons with all of them, and it was pretty much a coin flip,” Slavin said. “In the end, Brennan just went with his gut. It was a really cool process to go through with all of them because they all do it the right way.”

<em>John E. Moore III / Getty Images</em> — *John E. Moore III / Getty Images*

Just as important as the destination was the structure of the deal itself. Sorsby’s camp required that all NIL compensation be fully guaranteed and paid by next Jan. 1, a safeguard amid growing concerns about collectives delaying or withholding funds for reasons such as missed bowl appearances. The agreement — alongside a separate NIL deal for quarterback Josh Hoover, who is transferring from TCU to Indiana — represents a significant milestone for Lift Sports Management. After building a strong NBA roster that includes Paolo Banchero, Jabari Smith Jr., and PJ Washington, Lift expanded into football last summer by hiring Slavin and Jared Fox, adding to an NFL client base that already features David Montgomery and Byron Murphy.

“This deal is a huge step for the agency and also for Brendan individually,” Donnie McGrath, Lift’s CEO, told Boardroom. “It helps put Lift Football on the map, and it shows that these guys are going to make an impact on the industry.”

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NIL

College Football Postseason Shows NIL Has Ended SEC’s Competitive Advantage

Published

5 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Your Sports Nation

The 2025-2026 college football postseason has exposed a glaring truth that should lead to major changes throughout the sport: other conferences have caught up with or surpassed the SEC.

For years, the SEC was the dominant force in the sport, thanks mostly to the success of Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide teams in the 2010’s, and Kirby Smart’s Georgia. But their performance in bowl games and the College Football Playoff the past two seasons has dealt a permanent blow to that reputation. Even if the conference’s fans, media partners, and boosters won’t acknowledge it.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia said about staying in the SEC for 2025, “You want to play with the best — you don’t want to play with the Big Ten.” He wasn’t done, adding, “…the SEC, it’s like week after week. You’re going to get beat on. The Big Ten, you’re not gonna get beat on with the Purdue, Nebraskas.”

Then, before the ReliaQuest Bowl, he said it would only take “7 points” to beat the Iowa Hawkeyes. He lost 34-27. Whoops.

Illinois beat the Tennessee Volunteers in the Music City Bowl, marking the second consecutive season the Illini beat an SEC team in a bowl game. Virginia held Missouri to just seven points, winning 13-7. Houston, literally Houston, beat LSU 38-35. “You want to play with the best,” indeed.

Texas A&M, a team that went 7-1 in the SEC and was hailed by Lane Kiffin in November as the No. 1 team in the country because of their conference success, scored just three points at home against Miami. Then, the pièce de resistance: the Rose Bowl. The Indiana Hoosiers humiliated Alabama in a 38-3 defeat, which undersells just how thoroughly they dominated.

RELATED: Alabama Never Should Have Been In The Playoff; Rose Bowl Loss Hurts ESPN, SEC’s Reputation

Oh, and for good measure, Mississippi State lost to Wake Forest. Nothing like the week in, week out gauntlet of the SEC. All these examples drive home an obvious point: the SEC’s advantage over competitive conferences has evaporated. And a new report may explain how and why.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson throws the ball against Indiana Hoosiers defensive lineman Mario Landino. (© Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Has NIL Changed SEC’s Advantages?

The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman is out this week with a new story, talking to opposing coaches about the SEC’s dismal postseason performance. Right away, one Power 4 offensive coordinator highlighted how the narrative about conference superiority needs to change. And quickly.

“Ultimately,” the coach said, “and this is y’all’s job, not my job, but there needs to be an evaluation of this narrative of the SEC is these big, bad m————, because they’re getting their asses whipped in these games.”

The SEC team in bowl and playoff games is 2-7 against other conferences. One of those wins was Texas over Michigan, a team that saw head coach Sherrone Moore fired in shocking, spectacular fashion just a few weeks ago. The SEC team was the favorite in seven of those nine games.

That same offensive coordinator he quoted earlier said that the explanation for this dramatic about face is that NIL has leveled the playing field, paving the way for other teams to, shall we say, provide financial incentives for players.

“The reality is this, there were some very famous, very successful coaches that were having a lot of success when the NIL was illegal,” he added. “Well, now NIL is legal. I saw what (former LSU head coach Ed) Orgeron said about how now you can walk through the front door with the money. Well, now the players are going everywhere.”

Another Big Ten assistant coach told Feldman over the weekend, “Hard to ignore the fact that when everyone got to pay players, it leveled the playing field immediately. They can deny all they want, but that’s a fact.”

While some defend the SEC by repeating the same “gauntlet” argument, one Group of 5 head coach agreed that the legality of NIL has shifted the balance of power, saying “There’s some truth to that too, I think that’s accurate.”

And there’s more to it than that.

Quality Depth Has Evaporated Thanks To NIL

It’s clear that many top SEC programs were providing some sort of financial benefits to players before NIL. Though that was almost certainly happening at other top programs in different conferences across the country. But it’s not just that the top players were choosing to go where they could benefit the most, it’s the second and third tier players going elsewhere that’s changed the competitive balance.

Now, instead of say, going to be the second string guy for Nick Saban at Alabama because of the likelihood of winning a championship and reaching the NFL eventually, that same recruit from Florida or Texas might go play at Miami or Texas Tech or Indiana, because they can start, make more money, and still compete for a title and reach the NFL.

That’s hollowed out the depth of talent at SEC programs, in much the same way that USC’s ridiculous, monstrous penalty from the NCAA in the early 2010’s destroyed their depth. Now, when the inevitable injuries hit, teams like Bama or Georgia aren’t able to replace their starting players with high-level talent. Those players are starting at Oregon instead of sitting in Athens.

It’s obvious, taking more than a handful of seconds to analyze it, that this makes sense. Every top team was paying players before, but the SEC was better at it. Sitting at Alabama may have had more value than starting at Indiana just a few years ago. Now it doesn’t. Having the legacy and big brand name doesn’t matter much anymore, because the transfer portal has allowed any program to get established talent if they have the money.

What does this all mean? Well, the push to view the SEC differently than other conferences has to stop. Immediately. Allowing Greg Sankey and his ESPN promotional department to repeat the word “gauntlet” because Missouri and Tennessee are ranked despite not winning a single game over a team with a winning record is a farce. Acting as though one conference deserves preferential treatment, like, say, having its championship game be a meaningless exhibition, must end. The relentless demand for more SEC teams in the playoff needs to end.

And the worst part is, Sankey and the SEC booster club at ESPN are only going to get louder in 2026. Why? Because they’re now going to play nine conference games. While this change is, in a way, beneficial by forcing the SEC to finally have the same number of conference games as the Big Ten, it’s also going to make their demands even louder. Fewer opportunities to compare teams across conference. Marquee matchups across conferences have already been canceled. And the insistence on never punishing losses in the SEC will only grow. “How can we leave out four loss Alabama,” the argument will go, “when they played the SEC gauntlet?!”

Those arguments, those boosters, the ESPN propaganda campaigns, all of it…is based on a past that no longer exists. The future is here, and with it, the end of acting as though one league gets a pass because its teams were good a decade ago.

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