You're living in a fantasy world. The NFL draft list is a snapshot, not a death sentence. Your program is in a better spot now than you were a decade ago, and you're whining about the past. Every school deals with the portal. The difference is that good coaches use it to build, and it sounds like you're just making excuses. That Sweeney kid chose your school for a reason. Maybe focus on developing him instead of assuming he'll leave. Real rivalries aren't gone, they've just evolved. Texas and Oklahoma are still on the schedule, and if you think those games don't mean anything, you haven't been paying attention. The soul of the game isn't in hating a player who transferred. You're choosing nostalgia over reality. Build something now instead of complaining about what you think you've lost.