Portal Watch 2022-23

g0lftime

Helluva Engineer
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5,349
This a question which will likely never be answered. We probably need to get comfortable with that. I want to think Walton is a smarter than average football player who kept his nose down and graduated from a top university with middling grades. GT is very picky about their admissions to the MBA program and Walton likely realized his chances of making an NFL roster are pretty slim. Getting his MBA on a free ride and getting too play football is not a bad deal. And, Ole Miss with Kiffin at the helm is a good choice.

Looking at it from Kiffin's POV is similar. He has a need on his defense and is looking at the portal to fill that need. Walton is there and might be a starter for one year. I cannot see Ole Miss throwing a ton of money at him. They know he could have stayed at GT if there was a place for him in school, so he is leaving to go somewhere. That they were able scoop him up at the last minute probably means they failed to lure someone they preferred.

But, the bottom line for me is that I don't want to view Walton through a negative lens. He seems like a good, hard working young man with his sights set on his post collegiate life. It seems out of character for him to collude with Kiffin to break the NCAA rules.
The very top MBA programs require professional work experience beyond an undergraduate degree. Almost impossible to get in straight out of school. He may have been hoping to use FB as his entry into a MBA or graduate program. It probably worked for undergraduate entry and I will applaud him for graduating given the opportunity.
 

orientalnc

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Retired Staff
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The very top MBA programs require professional work experience beyond an undergraduate degree. Almost impossible to get in straight out of school. He may have been hoping to use FB as his entry into a MBA or graduate program. It probably worked for undergraduate entry and I will applaud him for graduating given the opportunity.
According to their website Ole Miss does not require work experience. 500 or better on the GMAT is mandatory.
 

Sarrick

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
818
We will probably hear several more names over the next few days/week, now that spring break is over and players have a better idea of where they are on the totem pole.
 

Techster

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17,716
All his courses will transfer without question of academic rigor.
In the age of Portal this asset should be a selling point for hs recruits.

Life is easy after Gt.

Key is instilling the 'Bama mentality. Recruit and get the best guys (recruiting or portal), and tell the kids that aren't good enough that they will be "left behind". Batt is from 'Bama, and I'm sure he supports doing what needs to be done to make GT the best program possible. Kind of a different philosophy than what we've had in the past. I'm sure we're doing it on the basketball side as well. It's Big Boy sports programs now.
 

Techwood Relict

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1,075
Is it just me...or do all these announcements follow the same template? 1. I want to start out.., 2. I want to thank...., 3. With that being said....

Somebody please show some originality.
Something like "so, Ole Miss, left a hamburger bag full of $$ in my backpack, I'll be going there now"
or "I hear the beaches in Norman are fantastic, they go on for miles and miles, and they need a power forward."
 

JacketFan137

Banned
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2,536
Key is instilling the 'Bama mentality. Recruit and get the best guys (recruiting or portal), and tell the kids that aren't good enough that they will be "left behind". Batt is from 'Bama, and I'm sure he supports doing what needs to be done to make GT the best program possible. Kind of a different philosophy than what we've had in the past. I'm sure we're doing it on the basketball side as well. It's Big Boy sports programs now.
i don’t think that’s a key and batt thing cause we had plenty of guys buried in the depth chart that transferred even going back to paul johnson. i think it’s just college football in general these days with the portal being so prevalent
 

Techster

Helluva Engineer
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17,716
i don’t think that’s a key and batt thing cause we had plenty of guys buried in the depth chart that transferred even going back to paul johnson. i think it’s just college football in general these days with the portal being so prevalent

The difference is a lot of guys stayed on to get their degrees even though they knew they weren't getting playing time. I've heard that's not the case anymore if our coaches feels they need that space for someone "better".
 
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