Wrong, in point of fact they can NOT do that as the following information about the new term of the "Ghost transfer" makes clear:
1. The "Ghost Transfer" Crackdown
The NCAA recently adopted emergency legislation to stop "ghost transfers"—players who withdraw from school to join another program without entering the portal during a valid window. Any school that signs or allows such a player to participate now faces automatic, severe penalties:
Head Coach Suspension: The head coach is suspended for six games (50% of the regular season).
Budget Fines: The school is fined 20% of its entire football budget.
2. Remaining Transfer Options
While the standard Division I path is effectively blocked until January 2027, a few specific options may still exist:
Coaching Change Exception: If a team's head coach is fired or leaves, a special 15-day window opens for those players starting five days after a new coach is hired.
Transfer to Non-NCAA Levels: Players can often transfer more freely to NAIA or Junior College (JUCO) programs, which do not always follow the same portal window restrictions as the NCAA.
Walk-On Status: A player can technically leave and attempt to walk on elsewhere, but they still cannot be recruited or have contact with other coaches until they are in the portal.
The recent NCAA "Ghost Transfer" crackdown, effective as of April 1, 2026, applies across all Division I sports, not just football. [1, 2, 3, 4]
While the issue was largely driven by football, the NCAA officially adopted the new rules for all D1 sports to ensure consistency, prevent the issue from spreading, and ensure accountability.