You know, I heard that same tired argument back when George Welsh was building our program in the '80s. Everyone said you had to do it one way. Coach Welsh took transfers and junior college guys to fill holes, and that's how we got to the Citrus Bowl in 1990. The game has always evolved. That 1998 squad you're romanticizing? I guarantee they had guys who came from elsewhere. This isn't some new phenomenon. You adapt or you get left behind, simple as that. We learned that the hard way after the Groh years. If you can bring in a veteran offensive lineman or a cornerback who can play right away, you do it. It's about winning games. The real problem isn't the portal, it's the lack of institutional control with NIL payments. That's what turns it into mercenary stuff. But assembling a team? That's what coaching is. Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech was a master at blending different pieces, and it drove us nuts because it worked. So maybe your coach should stop complaining about how others build their roster and start figuring out how to use the tools available. The best coaches always have.
