Why Auburn football's Bryan Harsin is happy with NCAA ditching 25-man signing class cap
AUBURN — Roster management became a tightrope walk when instant eligibility out of the transfer portal changed the way football players navigate their college careers. Outgoing transfers increased across the country.
One rule in particular has impeded coaches' ability to field a full team.
That rule – the 25-player limit on incoming signing classes – is gone for at least the next academic two years, the NCAA announced May 18. It was an expected change, and Auburn coach Bryan Harsin anticipates it will become permanent.
"I'm really happy about that," he said May 23. "That's probably, maybe four or five years we've been talking about that."
Teams can have a maximum of 85 scholarship players per season. But while a record number of players flood the transfer portal, the 25-man cap has restrained the number of players a coach could add to compensate for losses. As a result, many coaches have been prevented from using every scholarship. It has led to discussions of roster attrition and player safety.
"You should be able to manage your roster," Harsin said. "I think that's what they did. I believe this rule will stick when it's all said and done. I think everybody's going to say, like, the four-game rule: Guys can play. That was a great idea. And they were talking about that a long time ago. They've been talking about this for a while. So having the opportunity to do it I think is a good thing."
Harsin lost 19 players to the transfer portal from his 2021 roster. He brought in a 17-man 2022 recruiting class, plus eight incoming transfers. That makes 25 signees, but the 2022 roster has 78 scholarship players. Now that limit won't exist.
Scrutiny regarding the elimination of the rule largely focuses on the idea that the rich will get richer; that without signing limitations, nothing will stop Alabama's Nick Saban and other well-endowed programs from stockpiling all the best talent.
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Harsin brought up walk-ons while explaining why he was pleased with the change.
"I've always felt like you should be able to manage your 85," he said. " ... For example, if you have a walk-on player, you've got to wait a year. You can't give (a scholarship) to him right away because you don't have the numbers. That never made sense to me. ... If a guy is good enough to deserve it, why couldn't you give it to him right now? You didn't have the initial to give. So you had to wait. So now if you lose 10 and can only bring in five initials, then you're really looking at five extra scholarships."
Auburn's three leading priorities in the transfer portal to round out the 2022 roster were defensive line, receiver and safety. In the last month, Harsin has landed all three: safety Craig McDonald (Iowa State), defensive lineman Morris Joseph (Memphis) and receiver Dazalin Worsham (Miami).
"All those areas, not just for depth but guys that can come in and play," Harsin said. "So I think all those guys have a chance to do that."
Auburn has a team meeting Monday and starts summer workouts (no helmets or pads) the next day. Harsin will be in Destin, Florida, for the SEC spring meetings during the week, when coaches and ADs discuss rule changes and broad college sports policy.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Why Auburn football's Bryan Harsin likes NCAA ditching signing cap
