The spring window being gone changes the entire chessboard. We used to have that second chance after spring ball to fill holes, now it's all about winter evaluations and crystal ball predictions. Hearing noise that our staff is locked in on a couple of big fish in the portal before next winter, guys who could be immediate starters. The competition is fierce, everyone saw what Oklahoma State did with 50 transfers, that's the new extreme.
But it's not just about collecting names. You look at a place like Indiana, they won it all and now have to replace everything through the portal because their guys left for the draft. That's the model now. You develop, you win, they leave, you portal. For us, it's about identifying the right fits, not just the highest 247 composite rating. We need dogs who want to build something, not just chase the biggest NIL bag.
This single winter window forces programs to be brutally honest after the season. No spring OV mulligans. Our focus has to be on high school croots for the foundation and portal guys for instant impact. The dead period strategy is everything now. Miss on your targets in December and January, and you're stuck until next year. The presure is on, but I trust our guys to navigate it. The future is still bright if we play this new game right.