There is an interesting report this evening from 247 Sports concerning a major potential change to NCAA transfer rules that could create levels of roster turnover never before seen in college sports.

Namely, NCAA members may vote in the spring to end the rule requiring Division I transfers to sit out a year before playing at their new school.

In a potentially paradigm-shifting proposal, the NCAA members may vote to allow all Division-I transfers to be eligible to play immediately. The only potential restrictions are that student-athletes would be asked to meet a minimum GPA, in order to transfer immediately, and that any additional transfer would require the student-athletes to sit out a full year. The proposal, which is being solicited among members for feedback, is gaining increased traction in recent weeks, a source confirms.

The change would apply to all sports, but the greatest impact would seem to fall on college basketball, which has what a lot of coaches consider too many transfers and one-and-dones, and too little continuity as it is. Basketball players can more easily move from one system to another than football players can, and the sport already has a robust market for graduate transfers, who currently don't have to sit out a year before playing at their new school.

Within recent weeks, it has become more clear that the latter option of immediate eligibility for transfers who achieve a minimum GPA is the one gaining traction amongst members. The proposal must be completed by Nov. 1. The members of the Transfer Working Group will continue to seek feedback from fellow coaches, directors, commissioners and student-athletes in the days ahead, but it is becoming more likely that the proposal will be voted upon next April with the possibility of this going into effect as early as the 2018-19 calendar.

The prospect of this kind of a change hitting college basketball is at once thrilling and horrifying. Thrilling because outside of the games themselves, few things in sports are as dramatic and interesting as players being recruited and picking teams. Horrifying because of the increased potential for prestigious programs to be constantly picking off talented players from lesser programs or conferences, and all the tampering and shenanigans that would go into making it happen.

This makes me worried for college basketball. Yet in the final analysis, I can't in good conscience take the position that players shouldn't have the same opportunity to pursue new opportunities that their coaches have.

So saddle up, I guess.

Tully Corcoran

The Glennon- Trubisky saga moves into the regular season and Mike Glennon is deer in headlights. Since the number two pick in the draft was announced. I imagine it was the same look he had when The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Jameis Winston in 2015. With Winstons’ spotty image from college at Florida State I’m sure Glennon figured like the rest of the league would pass on him instead of using a first round pick on him. For some reason the Bears signed him with the promise of being the starting quarterback. I know fans were ready for Jay Cutler to go but a year or two of him would’ve made signing Mark Sanchez unnecessary much as they talk of his effect on Dak Prescott in Dallas. Cutler is enough of a professional to offer tutelage to the rookie and there would be no deer in the headlights moment. No draft night awkwardness or hand holding by a  man known more for a butt fumble than anything else. The local news ran that video to death upon announcing his signing. All of this is on Ryan Pace. I question who is doing the vetting for the Bears?

They have at least two to three more years of rebuilding. Perhaps with another head coach. Maybe from the college ranks or Vic Fangio. How much of this growth will include Ryan Pace? I’d say none because Glennon will have been benched and Trubisky the starter. What could get Pace fired mid season is that exact scenario. The Bears won 3 games last year and they’re looking at another season far below .500. How far below depends on who is the quarterback. The Bears have entered Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars territory. I would include the Cleveland Browns in that mix but it’s possible they may have improved more than Chicago and could beat us again as bad as they did in the final pre season game but those games don’t count.

The pundits say they will pass the 3 game win total of 2016 and that’s best guess. Nowhere near .500. Heads will roll and Trubisky might be in concussion protocol from getting his ass kicked. Probably among a ton of injuries considering we already lost Cam Meredith in a pre season game meant to milk money from the fans and stoke hope after a week of talk of how many reps Trubisky is getting with the first team. Should Glennon go down for any length of time Chicago fans  will burn the city if they see Mark Sanchez on the field. That is why he makes the cut right? Conner Bart should be the third quarterback (If you want to hire a handler then do so but what is the need to put him in a uniform?) considering he’s on one leg after getting hurt in the final preseason game. Ryan Pace decided to kick the other one out from under him but cutting him. I’m not all gloom and doom. I have the Bears record at 3-5 through the first half of the season. Who knows what happens after that and who will be quarterback.