Western Illinois head coach Joe Davis shared his thoughts on the newly approved college football transfer portal dates for 2026. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Dan Verdun
Since its inception in October 2018, the transfer portal has continued to reshape college football. It has also continued to evolve, which has continued to draw a range of emotions and reactions.
The latest change occurred two weeks ago when the NCAA Division I Administrative Committee voted to adopt the proposed dates of Jan. 2-16 as the new transfer portal window for all FBS and FCS players in 2026.
Thus, players – including graduate transfers – must wait until Jan. 2 to officially enter their names in the portal and initiate contact with other schools. That has a direct effect on the FCS playoffs, which begin Nov. 29 and run through the championship game Jan. 5, 2026.
Prairie State Pigskin asked the four Illinois FCS head coaches, who have both added and lost players via the portal, for their thoughts on the latest change.
The matter-of-fact view
Chris Wilkerson, in his fourth season at Eastern Illinois, took a pragmatic approach.
“We can control what we can as coaches and again that’s our attitude, approach and response to everything,” he said. “This is certainly, as we’ve said before, unprecedented times with the NCAA and intercollegiate athletics.
“I don’t think this will be the last change made to the portal. So right now, it is what it is, so as a coach you evolve and you work within the system as they provide or you perish. We will continue to utilize it to the best of our ability to try to find the guys who fit and to represent Eastern Illinois University.”
Like Wilkerson, Nick Hill of Southern Illinois coaches at his alma mater.
“If we get some consistency, I don’t spend a lot of time (worrying about it),” the 10th-year SIU head coach said. “Tell me what the rules are and that’s the way that we’ll roll. Everybody’s got to do it, so one portal window or two portal windows, it seems like every year you’ve got to adjust.
If you spend any time complaining on what the dates are or anything like that, they’re not going to change.”
In favor, but with a caveat
Second-year Western Illinois head coach Joe Davis openly stated that he likes having one transfer window. Yet, he also has some reservations.
“I’m not a fan of those particular dates,” Davis said. “We have been asked as FCS head coaches a lot about this particular topic from national committees. I don’t know that the FCS head coaches have much of a strong voice when it comes to these decisions. I think it goes higher up the food chain, so to speak, with the FBS coaches and the Power 4 leagues.”
Davis, who has been in college coaching for more than two decades, expanded on his dislike of the January 2026 window.
“That one window helps you solidify the team. To have that one window in January when you’re first starting school, knowing that you may have to sign 20- or 30-plus players, is very unrealistic for teams at our level,” Davis said. “There’s no playbook for this. I’m making an assumption as we go into 2026, but the majority of teams at the FCS level will go into spring ball with very incomplete rosters. You just will not be able to fill your roster out in that time frame as it relates to when school starts.”
According to Davis, the change may be creating a different issue while trying to rectify another.
“You’ll sort of be backlogging the transfer portal through the spring, certainly relying on junior college recruiting and things like that,” he said. “It will be interesting to play out. I don’t believe it’s advantageous for FCS. But just like every other rule that comes across our desks, we’re going to make the best of it and figure out a way to maximize it.”
In favor, but different rationale
Brock Spack is in his 17th season as Illinois State head coach. The former Wyoming and Purdue defensive coordinator spent four seasons as an Eastern Illinois assistant in the late 1980s.
Spack approves of the change in the portal window, but for a much different reason than others.
“It’s really good,” Spack said. “I watched our coaches during December. We were still playing since we were in the playoffs, but the coaches were calling (transfer) recruits to get them lined up for visits. They were on the phone all through Christmas and New Years Day. Then they’re having to do that at the end of spring (practice). Eliminating that (spring window) really helps.”
Spack reemphasized his excitement of the change.
“It’s ridiculous the amount of recruiting we do. It’s every day. Something had to give,” he said. “I know it’s a players’ world, but we have to help these young coaches, many of them have families. They’re on the phone at spring break, Easter, Christmas, New Years, all summer. It’s incredible. There’s no break from it. I’m glad that’s going into effect. That will help us a lot.”
Spack also believes the lone January window also benefits the student-athletes.
“It’s really good for players because they can set up when they leave mid-year. You can complete your roster mid-year, and that’s your team. Then the freshmen come in June for summer school,” he said.
Player perspective
Mason Kaplan is one of Spack’s players obtained through the transfer portal. The former Valparaiso quarterback came to ISU in 2023 and is now starting at inside linebacker.
“From my experience, the transfer portal allowed me to go from Valparaiso, a place that didn’t offer scholarships to a place that I could receive one,” Kaplan said. “I’m not a portal expert, but the portal gave me an opportunity, but it can get out of hand without restrictions. It has its pros and cons.”
Linebacker Tylan Foster transferred from FCS Incarnate Word to Eastern Illinois this past winter. The senior said the portal can “certainly be a sticky situation.”
“For some players who transfer, something may seem like the right fit and then it turns out that it isn’t,” Foster said. “So, maybe if there is a second (transfer window) date, they can find a better fit.
“The way it will be now, you’d better hit on your choice.”
It’s certainly not a perfect solution, if that’s even possible.
“I can’t speak for everyone because people are going through different things, but I feel sometimes that roster management can be difficult when there are so many windows when people could leave, (especially) right before the season starts,” Foster said.
New Year’s focus
What happens in the future with the transfer portal remains up in the air at this point. Therefore, coaching staffs will deal with the here and now, which means January.
“They’re (the dates) not going to change. We know what they are for this year. You’ve got to have a detailed, focused plan on how you want to go about those things. After the season, those 15 days will be pretty active in college football,” Hill said.
+Barry Bottino also contributed to this story.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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