Roster Formula in College Football

[Steamboat Willie]

Obviously there is no one correct way to construct a national championship roster. Some programs swear by stacking top-ranked freshman classes, others lean heavily on the transfer portal, and plenty try to swing between the two. What Texas is learning this season is that each path has its strengths — and its pitfalls.

Freshman recruits offer long-term upside. They can be developed over multiple seasons into stars who become the backbone of the program. But even five-stars often need time, and the early investment doesn’t always pay off on the field right away.

Portal additions, meanwhile, can fill immediate needs and bring experience. They’re the quick-fix solution that can keep a team in contention. The trade-off is short shelf life and roster churn — it’s hard to build identity around players who might only stay a year.

The reality is that championships are built on a hybrid model. You need the developmental pipeline of multi-year contributors who know the system, plus targeted transfers who can deliver instant impact. Lean too hard on one side, and you risk either growing pains or instability. Strike the balance, and you’ve got the formula for sustained success.

[Bunk Moreland]

I would add that the possible 5-year eligibility rule that they discussed this morning on coffee and football could be a game changer in terms of retention. If Texas can bring back DJ Campbell for a 5th year, it means you don’t have to go into the portal and pay $2 million for an elite interior OL (if that even exists in the portal). It means you potentially have your entire OL back. That could completely alter the portal strategy and the shape of next season.

[GoHorns1]

4 hours ago, Bunk Moreland said:

I would add that the possible 5-year eligibility rule that they discussed this morning on coffee and football could be a game changer in terms of retention. If Texas can bring back DJ Campbell for a 5th year, it means you don’t have to go into the portal and pay $2 million for an elite interior OL (if that even exists in the portal). It means you potentially have your entire OL back. That could completely alter the portal strategy and the shape of next season.

Would have pay 2 million to Campbell. Campbell will be drafted. before the 5th round. Need to start the clock on the money 2nd contract 

[FootLaw]

9 hours ago, Steamboat Willie said:

Obviously there is no one correct way to construct a national championship roster. Some programs swear by stacking top-ranked freshman classes, others lean heavily on the transfer portal, and plenty try to swing between the two. What Texas is learning this season is that each path has its strengths — and its pitfalls.

Freshman recruits offer long-term upside. They can be developed over multiple seasons into stars who become the backbone of the program. But even five-stars often need time, and the early investment doesn’t always pay off on the field right away.

Portal additions, meanwhile, can fill immediate needs and bring experience. They’re the quick-fix solution that can keep a team in contention. The trade-off is short shelf life and roster churn — it’s hard to build identity around players who might only stay a year.

The reality is that championships are built on a hybrid model. You need the developmental pipeline of multi-year contributors who know the system, plus targeted transfers who can deliver instant impact. Lean too hard on one side, and you risk either growing pains or instability. Strike the balance, and you’ve got the formula for sustained success.

An interesting case study is Tech. They will keep throwing money at high school kids now that they have one rich guy. Makes the big media splash. Watch Bryant end up at Tech. It's why you see Cody Campbell all over TV whining about the SCORE Act. These antics fail to address actual development or the terrible Big 12 competition. 

Schools and donors can't keep up this pace forever. Finding value in transfers is extremely important. After early missteps, Sark has done a good job at understanding the portal and the actual value of the entrants.