re: Kelly 3 million at Notre Dame

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You can't paint the portal as a net positive because it takes players just as much as it gives them.

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It can, sure, but that's a problem that every coaching staff has to deal with now.

The primary benefit of the portal is quick access to field-ready players that you don't necessarily get from traditional high school recruiting. The portal allows for recruiting of players who have D1 experience, either in games or in programs who have had the benefit of seeing how the sausages are made.

The reason why I'm pointing out the positive side of the portal only is because the negative side is already being assumed when LSU fans point out the "40 scholarship players" that BK inherited. While it's true that the portal cuts both ways, it's important to remember that it does cut both ways, including being able to fill out a roster of potential field-ready players that teams in the past couldn't rely on when they had heavy attrition in one season.

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And again, it isn't like the portal is chock full of "great players."

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It depends on the year, I suppose, but you don't need it to be full of "great players" in order to be successful, as BK showed in year one at LSU. A few great players and a few good players can be enough to fill the gaps you need.

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A player is either in the portal because he couldn't get playing time at his previous school, he is moving up from a competition level standpoint, or he's a problem.

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True, and yet all of those players are hand-picked by each program that goes after them. There is an evaluation and recruiting process that happens for transfers just like for high school recruiting, but it's shorter based on the time scale and the other factors in play (there is recruiting history, program reputation, and often times have D1 game tape).

Daniels is a transfer, as you know.

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No one is rebuilding a roster in a year or two through the portal and doing any better than BK is currently.

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I believe that supports my argument. BK is killing it two seasons in a row with portal recruitment. He's been able to win the SEC West due in large part to the portal and getting field-ready players to fill in the holes left by the prior coaching staff. The portal has been invaluable to his success, and it's something that he didn't have for most of his coaching career.

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As for the portal class ranking, a lot of those players aren't even available right now. Denver Harris was a 5 star, he's barely contributed because of disciplinary issues. Duce Chestnut has basically left the team. JK Johnson was lost to injury before the season even started. Zy Alexander was lost to injury in the Auburn game.

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Yes, that's the nature of college football. That happens for every team and includes transfer players as well as recruits. That doesn't negate the value of the transfer portal to quickly fill holes.

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Just because a player looks good in recruiting rankings doesn't mean he's necessarily great.

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I agree, and that's the case for high school recruiting rankings, too. My point, though, is that talking about the "40 scholarship players" argument doesn't cut it after the first season when those gaps were filled and the team wins their division. Having the #12 class in 2022 and the #6 class in 2023 has bolstered LSU's depth in addition to the portal, so the cupboards are not bare for BK; he's now in the same position most other coaches are in in regards to roster management from year to year.