That's a dangerously comfortable mindset for a rival fanbase. Player development is crucial, but it's NOT a substitute for roster construction in the modern era. Look at the last four national champions. Georgia, Michigan, they all hit the portal strategically to fill immediate gaps. Michigan's own title run was powered by key portal additions like Olu Oluwatimi, who won the Rimington Trophy. The idea that you can just develop your way to the top ignores the reality of injuries, graduation, and NFL early entries. Even Alabama, the ultimate developer, aggressively uses the portal now. Relying solely on development means you're betting against losses, and the math never works. Your team's offensive line gave up 30 sacks last year. That's bottom half of the Power Five. Development didn't fix that overnight. You need plug-and-play veterans. The teams that win now master both development AND acquisition. Sticking to just one is how you fall behind.