In Reply to: if they're not startin', they're departin' posted by ClockBlocker on October 07, 2026 at 11:02:53
my only beef with the article is this sentence "The accelerated talent drain at the position certainly looms over all this decision making."
It's not a drain. It's a leveling out.
I'm all for the phenomenon. If there isn't a path for a guy and he's not getting paid, and he's not interested in the education he can receive at that school, he should go.
This evens out the talent. And, it can be resolved contractually. If you're a young kid with star potential, you don't go to a school with a Freshman QB that is starting or set up to be the starter. You go to a school with a guy that has 2 years eligibility left, max.
Then, the contract is written so that it's a 2 year contract. The contract starts with paying the kid backup QB money. It has a step up clause if the kid becomes a starter in that time. At the end of the first year, the parties can renegotiate based on how things look. If they can't agree on new terms, the parties fulfill the contract, which expires after the kid's second year. If something happens where the kid is starting during that time, he gets the bump up in salary. Then, at the end of the second year, when the original starter is gone, the parties negotiate.
The school signs the talented kid to a massive contract, annoint him, and look for the next guy. Or, the school passes on the kid, finds a starter in the portal with 1 or 2 year's eligibility remaining, and looks for the next guy to mold. From the school's perspective, You always have a starter, and you always have a young talented back up that is being molded to be the starter. From the kid's perspective, verrrrry few schools start Freshmen. So, you go somewhere you know will have an opening in 1 or 2 years, get coached up, make good money. If something happens and you're made a starter, you get a big pay raise. Otherwise, when the starter departs, you've been trained up. Gotten some experience. Both parties know each other inside and out. They can make a deal, or they can move on.
The problem is right now, we're in a moment of flux, so this is still settling in.
I guess it's partially dependent on super talented incoming Freshmen being willing to take backup money. But, like I said, not many schools want to start a Freshman. Especially without a good experienced QB behind him. So, the incoming Freshmen will have to take what they can get.