Should You Enter the Transfer Portal? 11 Faith-Focused Questions to Ask First
Since 2022, the transfer portal has reshaped college athletics into a constant swirl of movement and opportunity. What began as an outlet for stuck or unhappy athletes has become an ecosystem of deals, NIL packages, and short decision windows.
In 2025, the portal isn’t just about playing time anymore. It’s about timing, contracts, medical continuity, team culture, pressure, and—if we’re honest—potentially life changing money. Coaches lament that “everybody wants it now.” Players, meanwhile, juggle the complexities of NIL contracts, collective offers, and the stress of wondering if they’ll land in a better place or just a new one. For Christian athletes, there is even the added pressure of wondering where God’s will fits into the transfer equation.
As a staff member with Athletes in Action, I’ve talked with countless college athletes—some elated after a transfer, some deeply regretful. My wife has had the same conversations with young women across NCAA campuses. At the Ultimate Training Camp last summer, I asked 250 college athletes if they have considered transferring in the last year or if they have a close friend who has considered it. Almost every hand was raised.
Transferring isn’t new, but it’s never been this complicated. If you’re thinking about entering the portal, or if you’re walking with a teammate who is, here are 11 questions to help you make a wise, grounded, and hopefully, faithful decision.
1. Have you prayed about it?
This one’s still first for a reason. God invites us to bring every anxious thought to Him (Philippians 4:6). The decision to transfer can stir excitement, fear, and pressure all at once—but before you talk to coaches or collectives, talk to God.
I don’t know how God is going to answer your prayer. It’s probably not going to be written in the clouds. You’re probably not going to hear a soft whisper from Him saying the name of this new university’s mascot.
I do know this, though: He wants to be involved in the process. He wants you to ask for wisdom and guidance. If something is causing you anxiety, He wants to hear about it (Philippians 4:6).
Here is a sample prayer to daily offer up to God if you are considering switching schools:
“God, it says in Philippians 4:6 that if I am anxious about anything, that I should bring my request to you. So here is my request (and I know you already know this): I am thinking about transferring and I don’t know what to do. Can you help me? I want to make a wise decision. Will you give me peace about the decision? WIll you give words of wisdom to trusted people in my life? Will you help me know who I should bring in on this? Will you illuminate the scriptures to speak to my heart during the next couple weeks as I wrestle with this?”
Remember verse 7 that follows: “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
You may not believe this in this particular moment, but that peace matters more than any scholarship, starting role, or life altering pay check.
2. Are you spending time in Scripture and with wise Christians?
After you pray, open the Word. The Bible won’t tell you whether to stay at Ohio State or head to Maryland, but it will remind you who you are and who God is.
In 2025, when NIL and portal news dominate headlines, anchoring yourself in timeless truth keeps your priorities aligned. Take time to meet with God daily, and seek out trusted Christian teammates, mentors, or staff members who walk closely with Him.
For me, one of the most significant ways I hear from God is through other trusted people in my life. I would add that these trusted people have a growing relationship with God. I respect their advice because I believe they are daily walking with the Lord. Do you have people like that in your life? If so, they are the ones you should let in on this decision. Give God the opportunity to use them to speak words of wisdom to you.
These are the people who can help you discern motives—are you chasing freedom, money, approval, or calling? Along with the Bible, God often speaks through His Spirit and through His people. Make sure those voices are present before you make a move.
It’s also worth pointing out that transfer papers, medical coverage and NIL contracts are legal documents. A wise Christian should also include someone who is well versed as a professional advisor in this space—someone who understands NCAA and NIL rules. Leaning heavily on trusted people like this is not a lack of faith. It’s good stewardship. As Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
3. Are you safe—physically, mentally, and medically?
There are a few different layers to this when it comes to safety. Let’s start with your safety as an athlete. Are you being encouraged by coaches and your peers to play through an injury that you feel is unsafe? Are you being put in dangerous situations in practice and in competition?
Have you been a victim of hazing and feel unsafe with your teammates? Are you stuck in an abusive relationship that feels impossible to separate without physical distance between you two? Is your mental health trajecting in a way that leads you to thinking about self harm?
For most of these questions, I want to pose the questions without telling you whether you should transfer or not. But in the case of your physical or mental safety, let me say this: this is a legit reason to leave.
Your safety is non-negotiable. If you’re in a situation involving hazing, emotional abuse, pressure to play through injury, or threats to your mental health, transferring is a healthy option.
That’s not “running away.” That’s wisdom.
But now, safety has another layer: medical continuity. In today’s transfer heavy culture, athletes often change schools mid-rehab or post-surgery. And medical records don’t always transfer smoothly. Sometimes follow-up care gets lost in the shuffle. Before you leave, ask:
Will my new school honor or continue my rehab plan?
Will insurance or scholarship medical coverage carry over?
Who’s responsible for my long-term health if I switch programs?
When you are healthy and safe, you can dream about hundreds of things. When you are unhealthy or unsafe, your only dream is getting better. Don’t minimize the importance of this in your transfer quest!
4. Have you talked honestly with your coach?
If you have a problem with playing time or how you are being (or not being) developed, have you sat down and talked with your coach about it? It’s easy to complain to teammates about your situation, especially if they share a similar sentiment. But before making a hard decision to transfer, you should have a hard conversation with your coach. It could literally change everything for you.
Of course, there are wise ways to go about doing this. I would recommend asking your coach for a meeting. Be honest about your frustrations and goals. In some cases, your coach can clarify misunderstandings, adjust expectations, or outline a path for growth you didn’t know existed.
Your part in this is to start the conversation, let them know what’s going on, and see if there is a way forward.
As a sidenote: the word coach comes from “stagecoach”—a vehicle designed to take someone from where they are to where they want to go. Give your coach the chance to help you move forward before you decide to move on.
5. Have you considered everything good about your current school?
When we’re frustrated, it’s easy to label a place—or a person—as all bad. Psychologists call it the good-bad split. You fixate on the negative until it overshadows everything else.
For instance, if your teammate curses you out during the game, there is a tendency to go “all bad” on them. They must hate you. Why would you want to be teammates with them? Why would you ever talk to them again? We often take a polarized posture like this instead of taking a deep breath and saying to ourselves “That was a bad moment for them. Maybe I even deserved it. But that one moment doesn’t mean everything about that person is negative.”
Are you potentially going “all bad” at your school? Have a few bad experiences soured every part of your current situation?
What would it look like to make a list right now of the 10 things that are really good about the place you are at? Seriously, try it. Your gratitude list could be populated by your teammates, professors, training facilities, or spiritual community.
This strategy leverages how God has uniquely wired all of us, as the brain cannot respond to gratitude and anxiety at the same time.
You might rediscover blessings that got buried under frustration. If, after that, you still sense God leading you elsewhere, at least you’ll leave with perspective rather than resentment.
6. Do you have a ministry on your team?
Are you involved in a Bible study on your team? Do you have relational trust that you have built with some of your teammates that could lead to future gospel conversations? Are you the only Christ follower on the team?
One of my favorite verses is Acts 17:26. It says, "And he (God) made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place."
God marked out our appointed times in history. God determined the boundaries of where we live. This means you are where you are for a purpose. God doesn’t make mistakes. And one of the reasons He strategically places Christians at various locations around the world is to be a light reflecting His glory to those around them.
Maybe you’re the only Christ-follower on your team. Maybe God placed you there as light in a dark locker room. Leaving might not just mean changing schools—it could mean stepping away from a mission field. If dying to self for the benefit of others sounds a lot like…that’s the point.
I’m not saying that ministry automatically means you should stay. But weigh it carefully. If God’s using you to influence teammates, encourage a hurting friend, or plant seeds of faith, that’s kingdom work, friend. Don’t underestimate its value in eternity, even if it costs you playing time in the present.
7. Have you experienced this frustration before?
This can be a sensitive one so bear with me. If you want to transfer, what are the chances whatever issue you are facing will just follow you to the next school? Sometimes, the hardest part of transferring is realizing your problems traveled with you.
For example, if your lack of playing time stems from a character flaw that your coach sees at practice every day, chances are that your next coach will see it too.
If the problem is your attitude, work ethic, confidence, comparison, a change of zip code probably won’t fix it.
Or maybe it has nothing to do with character or even your coach “not liking you” or a character flaw. Maybe it’s a mental health issue. But depression also travels across state lines. If you are struggling with your mental health, there is no guarantee that a change of scenario will cure whatever is ailing your mind and soul. In some cases, it could even make it worse.
What I am trying to say is this: if the problem is outside of you, then maybe a change is needed. But if you’re part of the problem, what you are experiencing right now could very well follow you to your next location.
How do you know if it’s you? Ask trusted friends to tell you. Give them permission to be brutally honest and tell you about your weaknesses. If anything they say surprises you, perhaps that’s evidence there is more to the problem (namely, you) than you thought.
And who knows, maybe God is inviting you to grow through your struggles rather than escape them?
8. Have you counted the cost?
Transferring always carries costs—financial, relational, emotional. In 2025, it also carries legal and logistical ones.
Money: Beyond moving expenses and possible scholarship shifts, NIL deals can complicate things. Are you under an NIL contract that binds you to certain appearances, deliverables, or sponsors? If you leave, can you legally exit that agreement? Some athletes have faced lawsuits or forfeited earnings because they didn’t read the fine print.
Academics: Credits don’t always transfer cleanly. With the NCAA’s new single-window rule for football (and sport-specific windows elsewhere), timing matters. Miss the deadline, and you could lose a year of eligibility. This involves a lot of mental energy to think through all of the different things that need to be done. Time costs us something and that needs to be factored in.
Social cost: I’m not suggesting you will lose friendships if you transfer, but the reality is that when you move, relationships change. That’s a cost that needs to be factored in. It also costs something in you to go and make new friends at a new University.
There are more costs involved but those are some of the most consistent ones. If your issue is with a coach who you just don’t see eye to eye with, is it worth all that costs of transferring? Is there a better solution with more minimal cost that you haven’t considered yet?
Transferring might still be worth it, but count every cost first.
9. What’s the spiritual and cultural climate of the new place?
As you probably know by now, the people we spend the most time with are usually the ones who influence us the most. What do you know about the school you are considering? Do they have a team Bible study? What’s the team culture like? Is it one that will help you thrive in your walk with God and best position to experience athletic success?
The truth is, sometimes the grass is greener on the other side. But you shouldn’t just hope that into existence. If you are going to move forward with the process, do some research (ask around) about the team and culture you are considering.
Your college experience is shaped in part by the amount of playing time you get and how you perform in competition. It’s also greatly shaped by the teammates that you’re surrounded by on a daily basis. Just make sure what you’re potentially walking into—or transferring into—is a healthy environment.
A few more questions to ask:
What’s the team culture like (as an athlete on the team, not a coach)?
Do they have an FCA or Athletes in Action presence?
How do coaches talk about character and integrity?
In an era when NIL money and exposure tempt players to jump ship quicker than usual, just make sure you’re choosing an environment that values your faith and mental health. A better fit spiritually is often more valuable than a better depth chart.
10. Where (or who) is the pressure coming from?
Where is the pressure coming from to switch schools? Is it all internal or are you feeling pressure from parents, coaches, supporters, or even teammates? For many, it’s boosters, NIL agents, or even online noise.
This matters because this is your decision. Not theirs. If you trust their input, great. But just be sure these individuals putting pressure on you are not trying to live vicariously through your experience as a college athlete.
Ask yourself: If I choose to stay, who will be disappointed—and why? If I choose to go, who will benefit from my decision?
It’s your life to live and your college experience. Take ownership of it and make sure you are listening to the people who don’t have an inappropriate stake in the game. NIL agents have something to gain every time someone transfers. In a very real sense, they are benefiting from your decision. Yes, they may have your best interest at heart, but they also do not get paid if you stay where you're at. Just keep this in mind as you navigate these choppy waters.
Input is valuable, but ownership is essential. The most freeing words you can speak may be: “This is my decision, and I’m at peace with it.”
11. Is it really just about getting the bag?
Becoming a college athlete is hard work. Only 2% of athletes make it to where you are at. You have earned the right to make big boy and big girl decisions when it comes to your future—especially when it involves life changing money.
Maybe you’re asking: “Is it OK to transfer if for no other reason than I am going to get paid a significant amount of money?”
I’m guessing some of you scrolled through the rest of the questions just to see what it says here. So here is my personal opinion…
If you are transferring in order to collect a significant pay day, I think it’s OK for that to be a significant factor in your decision making—but it’s imperative that you wrestle with the questions listed above. Having a robust bank account may set you up well financially, but you can’t buy joy and contentment in life.
Two more thought about getting the bag:
One, "any" money is not "always" better than no money. A cost/benefit analysis may reveal that, after taxes, you’re only bringing home half of what you thought you were getting! It’s essential to find answers to questions like: How much more is school? Will I be on a full ride? Could that scholarship get taken away? Does the coach have a history of pulling scholarships? What is the cost of living in that new city? You may be getting six figures up front, but with taxes and other costs, that “life altering money” could alter your life negatively in the other direction really fast.
Two, If you're treating your athletic experience as a paying job, be sure to have plans in place to honor God with your income. Any potential wisdom that’s used by leaving where you're at because the money is better somewhere else is completely minimized if you spend that money like a child. God is not honored when we leverage our wealth with the consumeristic trends of our culture. This means tithing off of your earnings. It means saving and investing. It means finding ways to be generous with what’s been given to you. For this to truly be life altering money, you need to have a plan in place to make it life altering—and that’s not going to happen if you spend it.
There is immense wisdom in finding a financial advisor who can help you with this process. They can help you with the cost/benefit analysis, as well as help put a plan in place to invest that NIL deal so you benefit from it for years to come. With that said, here are three convictions I would have about who to trust with investments:
I would not trust my NIL agent to handle investing my money after the deal is brokered.
I would not trust my friends/family with overseeing the investments.
I would trust agents from well known investment firms who have high levels of accountability and systems in place for their recommendations.
Closing thoughts
Transferring can be an act of courage—or an act of escape. The difference lies in whether you’ve sought God, counted the cost, and surrounded yourself with wise voices.
If you’re wrestling right now, know this: you’re not alone. Every athlete faces crossroads where faith and ambition collide. God isn’t indifferent to your choices. He cares deeply about your heart through them.
And if you want to talk it through with someone who gets it, I’d be glad to listen and offer some thoughts. You can reach me at brian.smith@athletesinaction.org. No pressure—just a conversation about what’s next and how to walk through it with wisdom and peace.
