Mel Tucker's coaching career began in 1997 at Michigan State, where he was a graduate assistant under Nick Saban for two seasons. It was the first of 10 coaching stops for Tucker, who's now whining about student-athletes changing schools.
"There's no transfer portal in the real world," Tucker said this week, echoing a similarly stupid sentiment from other college football coaches, all of whom have changed jobs (i.e. transferred) during their career. Tucker himself is a Georgia transfer, as is his offensive coordinator Jay Johnson. Most of Tucker's Colorado staff coached elsewhere last season, and Tucker landed several FBS transfers over the offseason. His current 113-man roster wouldn't exist without transfers.
But that damn transfer portal. It doesn't exist in the real world!
Yes, Mel, it very much exists in the real world. Adults are allowed to pursue other employment and educational opportunities. While contracts, qualifications, and other restrictions may prevent them from doing so or limit the options, the transfer portal is alive and well in the real world.
Unquestionably, the transfer portal is a challenge for coaches. Constructing an 85-scholarship roster (plus walk-ons) was already a difficult task before the transfer portal increased player movement. It's a good thing Tucker has a base salary of $2.4 million to ease that pain.
