Kyle Whittingham says NIL strategy has shifted dynamic in college football

Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham spoke candidly at this week’s press conference about the impact of NIL and the transfer portal on college football, particularly how it challenges a team’s ability to maintain a consistent identity. Reflecting on the shift in college football dynamics, Whittingham noted, “It’s much harder…where, four, five, six years, before the transfer portal, you might replace 25 guys out of 125. Now, you’re replacing 45-plus.”

He explained that previously, veteran players would teach newcomers how things were done within the program. With such a high turnover, however, that balance is gone, with new players making up nearly half the team each season. He emphasized that this trend isn’t unique to Utah but is affecting programs across the country.