Can Auburn football players transfer out with Alex Golesh hired? Rules explainer

AUBURN — Alex Golesh will have his hands full from the onset as Auburn football's new coach. Not only will he have to piece together his coaching staff and put together a class for the early signing period in short order, he'll also be required to recruit his own roster from the onset.

Auburn's roster and talent retention were key points for athletics director John Cohen in his latest coaching search, which ended Sunday, Nov. 30, with the announcement of Golesh coming to the Plains from South Florida.

"I just saw a ranking service that said we have the 13th-best talent in the country right now. I think we can all agree that wasn't the case three years ago, right?" Cohen told the Montgomery Advertiser earlier this month. "All of a sudden, I have a pool of coaches that are saying, 'Wow, you guys are pretty damn talented.' I didn't have any coaches three years ago saying, 'You guys are really talented.'"

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In a seemingly ever-changing landscape, new transfer rules have every program in a much better place when it comes to handling the portal amid transition. That doesn't mean Golesh won't have to work fast to retain Auburn's talent.

Here's a breakdown of the NCAA's transfer rules and when Auburn can expect to see some shakeup on its roster.

When can Auburn football players transfer post-Alex Golesh hire?

The NCAA passed a pair of considerable rules changes to the transfer portal in October. Most notable was going from two to one portal windows in the offseason. But the second had to do with programs making coaching changes.

Previously, players were allowed a 30-day window to enter the portal after a coach left a program. Now, that window starts five days after a new hire is made or announced, and it lasts 15 days. That means Auburn's portal window will open Friday, Dec. 5, and last through Dec. 20, giving Tigers who wish to explore their options a head start on entering the portal.

When does the offseason transfer portal window actually open?

The normal offseason portal window for college football will open Jan. 2. It's a two-week window, meaning it'll remain open until Jan. 16.

Players who wish to enter the portal must do so in that window, except in the cases of programs that make coaching changes, but they're not required to enroll at a new school before the entry deadline.

Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter. To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Can Auburn football players transfer out with Alex Golesh hired?