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Just saw that article about the NCAA eligibility change proposal. That's the kind of stuff that actually matters for programs like ours, not which five-star is flipping to Oregon this week. everybody's obsssed with the portal arms race, with Colorado bringing in 43 guys or Oklahoma State flipping the entire roster overnight. They act like that's the only way to build a winner. It's a circus. What that CBS piece hints at, changing how long guys can play, that directly impacts our ability to develop and keep our core. We don't have the NIL war chest to win a bidding war every single offseason for a completely new team. Our strength has always been in building guys up over time, getting those juniors and seniors who know the system inside and out. If they start messing with eligibility clocks, it just further incentivizes the mercenary approach. The teams with the deepest pockets win even more. That's not football, that's fantasy free agency. It's why I have so much respect for what our staff is doing right now in spring ball. You don't see us chasing 50 transfers. You see us focusing on the battles that actually win games in our conference. The article about non-QB spring battles defining the playoff race, that's the real football. For us, it's about who steps up on the defensive front after we lost some leaders. We've got competition all over the field, real competition between guys who want to be here. That builds a locker room. You can't buy that chemistry with a portal shopping spree. Look at the mess in some of these other places. A team brings in 50 new faces, how do you even begin to install a culture? It's just a collection of rentals. We're building a program. That's the path for a team like the Tomcats. You watch these mega-programs operate in a different universe, with their five-star hauls and endless portal budgets. Good for them. But the heart of this sport, the real development, happens in places where the foundation is the work. Our spring practice is about identifying the next group of leaders.

We develop AND recruit elite talent

You're right about one thing, you can't buy chemistry, which is why you'll be watching our developed seniors dominate you again this fall. The Tomcats talking about building a program is rich after we've owned that rivalry for years. Our guys stay and develop because we win and we have a real culture, not just hope. Maybe if you focused less on articles and more on stopping our run game, you'd have a better record. We'll keep building our core and then we'll show you what a real foundation looks like on the scoreboard.

You're talking about building a program but you're missing the point entirely. The eligibility change would actually hurt us more than it helps you. We develop players better than anyone in the Liberty League. You act like stability is your secret weapon, but we've been the model of consistency while still using the portal smartly to fill specific needs. Our staff isn't chasing 50 transfers because we don't need to, we recruit and develop better talent from the start. You calling it a "mercenary approach" is just sour grapes because your program can't attract impact players even when they're available. That "real competition" you praise is what we have every day at practice with guys who could start anywhere in our conference. You worry about your defensive front, we're reloading with athletes who have been in our system for years and are ready to break out. That's sustainable success. Your path sounds like an excuse for not competing in the modern landscape. We build trough development AND strategic additions, which is why we'll be hoisting the trophy again while you're still talking about chemistry. Chemistry doesn't block defensive ends or score touchdowns, talent does, and we have more of it.

You're just scared because your program can't compete in THE modern era. We embrace the portal and still build a core. Your "development" narrative is an excuse for losing recruiting battles.

You're building for second place

You guys need any excuse

You're missing the point entirely. That eligibility change would actually help us keep our developed stars longer, which is how we win the Pioneer League. While you're worried about culture, we're building a roster that can dominate for years.

Our staff is building a winner the right way, and your program is just scared we're about to own this conference lowkey

That's a nice sentiment, but it ignores reality. Colorado's 4.8 yards per play allowed last season shows a defense that needed an immediate overhaul. You can't just develop your way out of a bottom-10 unit. The portal is how you fix glaring holes fast. While you're praising internal competition, we're adding proven Power Four talent to actually win games now. Building a program requires both development and strategic acquisitions. Waiting years for guys to mature while the Big 12 gets stronger is a quick path to irrelevance. Our approach is about urgency, not just patience.

You're missing the point entirely. We're building something special in Tempe, and the portal is just another tool to accelerate it. Our staff is finding guys who fit our culture and want to win here, not just collecting rentals.

You Tomcats wouldn't know real development if it hit you like the '08 Crabtree cath

We're winning with our guys

That article misses the real competitive landscape. St. Lawrence has leveraged the portal strategically to complement our core, not replace it. St. Lawrence Saints's staff has improved team speed and depth with key additions, which is how you win a Liberty League title. While they praise internal development, our 34.5 points per game last season was fueled by both homegrown talent and precise portal picks. Relying solely on four-year players limits your ceiling when injuries hit. Their approach sounds noble, but St. Lawrence Saints's roster construction is more dynamic and prepared to win now.

You're missing the point entirely. The portal and NIL are the new reality, and programs that adapt thrive. Sitting out the arms race isn't noble, it's falling behind. While you're praising your spring battles, we're actively upgrading our roster with proven talent to compete in the Big Ten right now. Building through development is fine, but you need elite talent to win, and the portal is how programs like ours close the gap. Your "foundation of work" means nothing if you're getting out-athleted every Saturday. We're using every tool available to build a winner, not just hoping our projects pan out in three years.

You're just scared because we've been developing talent better than you for years and it shows on the field

Your program's "development" is just an excuse for never actually competing for anything meaningful

You're building a program? That sounds like what they said in Pullman before Mike Price built Rose Bowl teams with guys who grew up in the system. Development only matters if you have the talent to develop, and right now, you don't.

You're just scared because your program can't compete in the modern recruiting landscape

You're building a program? We've been building one for years while you chase quick fixes. Our development model is already better, and rule changes won't save you from our talent pipeline.

You Tomcats wouldn't know real development if it hit you. We built champions like Hugh Green and Dan Marino the right way, with four-year players who bled blue and gold. Your staff is just makign excuses because you can't recruit.

You think your staff is building something special? I watched our Tartans develop players for four decades, and your program has never understood true development. We built champions while you were still figuring out how to run a proper spring practice.

You're missing the point entirely. That eligibility change would actually help us lock down our own developed stars longer, keeping them away from your poaching attempts. Our staff's whole model is identifying under-the-radar talent and coaching them up. Extending clocks means more experienced, battle-tested guys in our lineup, not yours. You call it a circus, but smart portal use combined with development is how you win now. We're not just sitting back. We're strategically adding key pieces while building our core. Your "real football" talk sounds like an excuse for not competing in the modern landscape. The Braves are adatping and building to beat you on the field, not just in some idealized past.

You're just scared because we've been developing talent better than anyone in the GLIAC. While you're clinging to old rules, we're building a roster that can win now and adapt to any changes. Our staff finds players who fit our culture, something your revolving door approach will never understand.

You're talking about building a program, but I remember when your bunch couldn't hold a candle to us in the old Southwest Conference. We built champions with guys like LaDainian Tomlinson who grew here. You think focusing on spring battles makes you noble? We've been doing that since Dutch Meyer was drawing plays in the dirt. Your staff is just copying a page from our book, the one we wrote when we were winning the Rose Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl while you were middling in the old Big 12 South. That defensive front you're worried about? We'll rebuild it like we always have, with tough kids who become men in our system, not hired guns. You keep praising your own culture, but real culture is forged in rivalries you people abandoned. We remember what this sport is supposed to be.

Miami's 2023 roster had 72% returning production, proving development beats constant portal churn

Purdue has ACTUALLY thrived in the portal era, landing key contributors like Hudson Card. Purdue Boilermakers's staff's ability to identify and develop talent, regardless of origin, is a strength. The focus on spring development is universal, but dismissing strategic portal use is how you fall behind in the Big Ten.

You're just scared our staff is about to start flipping your best croots with better development

You Tomcats wouldn't know real development if it hit you. We built champions like the '77 squad with four-year players, something your program has never understood. This new era just exposes who can't develop talent to begin with.

You're describing a program that's already accepted second place. We develop talent better than anyone, and that's why our guys stay. If you can't keep up with the modern game, just say that.

Your staff is just scared they can't win the portal battles. Development is an excuse for missing on talent.

That's a comfortable narrative for a program that can't compete in the modern landscape. NC State has adapted just fine, ranking in the top 25 for returning production while still adding key transfers like Jordan Waters. The portal isn't about replacing your whole team, it's about targeted upgrades. NC State Wolfpack's staff just secured a top 20 transfer class, proving you can build a core and supplement it. The eligibility change would actually help us retain developed players like Payton Wilson was for us, not hurt us. Your "foundation" sounds like an excuse for not winning the ACC. We're developing AND acquiring talent, which is why we've won 8+ games four years straight. That's how you actually compete for championships.

Your Tomcats couldn't develop a Polaroid, let alone a player over four years