The NCAA is on the verge of changing one of the more chaotic aspects of modern college football: the transfer portal schedule. Under the new proposal, football players will no longer have two separate transfer windows each year (one in winter and one in the spring), but instead just a single offseason window. The spring option is being eliminated, and the oversight committees are still working out the exact timing and length of the winter window based on feedback from student‑athletes. A final decision is expected in October.
This change is a big deal for the sport for several reasons. First, it brings more predictability. Coaches, programs, and players won’t have to worry about rosters shifting after spring practice. Having only one window means less disruption, more stability during the offseason, and better planning. Football has been unusual in having two transfer windows; aligning it with sports that already use a single window makes sense. Coaching staffs will be able to get a realistic view of who’s on their team well before spring workouts, recruiting timelines, and preparations for the coming season.
For Oklahoma State, this rule change could shake loose some strategic timing around major decisions—particularly the debate over whether to retain Mike Gundy as head coach. Under the old system, there was a safety net of sorts: if things went poorly in spring, players could still consider transferring then. With the spring window gone, the offseason window becomes even more critical. If OSU’s administration were considering a coaching change, the earlier window in winter gives them a headstart to assess potential transfer targets and make coaching hires in time to stabilize things for recruits and current players.
Players who are unsure about staying might decide to transfer earlier rather than wait, knowing there won’t be another opportunity in spring. For Oklahoma State, this could mean more departures right after the bowl season or early in the offseason, pushing the school to make decisions on coach and staff sooner than they perhaps otherwise would. It also gives whoever is in the head coach position, whether it’s Gundy or someone else, a clearer picture of the roster earlier, which helps with recruiting, retaining current players, and deciding who to offer from the portal when that single window opens.
From Gundy’s perspective, this could increase pressure. If the team underperforms, there’s less glide time between seasons for adjustments or player turnover. The margin for error shrinks. On the flip side, for a new coach, the single window gives a clean slate: you know when you can expect churn, you know when you must build the roster via portal and recruiting, and you can plan accordingly without worrying about late‑spring surprises.
One consequence to watch for: more players who are on the fence about transferring may decide to jump early, rather than wait and risk not having the spring window. That could mean a more intense rush of activity during the single window, more surprises before and immediately after the season, and more urgency for decisions on leadership and program direction in schools like Oklahoma State.
In short, the move to one transfer window is likely to benefit programs that are well‑managed and proactive. For Oklahoma State, it could be a catalyst: pushing decisions about coaching tenures, roster building, and player retention to occur earlier. And whether Mike Gundy stays or not, the timing of this rule change might force OSU’s hand sooner than many expected.