SPOKANE, Wash. – It’s crunch time for Washington State football as the transfer portal opens up in less than a week.
With more schools offering to pay for play, WSU is doing everything it can to keep as many current players on next season’s roster. An important piece to this is WSU’s “home base” for Name Image and Likeness: the Cougar Collective.
Paul Sorensen, former All-Pro Defensive Back at Washington State, has a front row seat to the madness. He’s been a big part in the Cougar Collective since it started just a few years ago.
“You see the big money schools and they are coming in and buying players,” said Sorensen. “They’re not developing them, they’re stealing from other schools and throwing dough at them.”
Like it or not, money is a driving force in college football.
“I’ve been enlightened by it. I didn’t realize it was as vicious as it is, they have people out there that it’s their job to recruit these kids, and they get a piece, they get a percentage, sometimes as much as 10%” said Sorensen.
The more you perform at your current school, the more another school wants you. The reality of it: programs aren’t waiting until the transfer portal opens, they are trying to poach players during the season.
“There’s serious schools that are after John [Mateer] and rightfully so.”
Quarterback John Mateer is likely the number on priority to keep in the building. The coaches and the collective are helping Mateer make a decision.
“You have to look at the overall picture and I think that’s what John is looking at. He can have a unique experience next year playing basically every conference except for the Big-12… He could walk into that locker room and say guys I’m staying and I want you to stay so we can build something special.”
The transfer portal opens Dec. 9. Washington State will learn where they will travel for their bowl game on Dec. 8.
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