NCAA approves suspensions for coaches and fines for schools that take ‘ghost transfers’

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA Division I Cabinet on Wednesday approved emergency legislation that will severely penalize coaches and schools that sign, add to the roster or allow athletic participation by an athlete in any sport who hasn’t yet gone through the portal process.

Penalties include a suspension of the head coach for 50% of a season and a fine amounting to 20% of that sport’s budget.

The rule change, which was initially proposed by the Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee and has been adopted for all sports in Division I, is effective immediately and applies to all transfers on or after Feb. 25, 2026.

“I am grateful the DI Cabinet approved the FBS Oversight Committee’s recommendation to impose significant penalties on head coaches and programs who circumvent transfer rules, along with immediate accountability,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said. “This is a necessary step to address a critical roster management issue facing our sport and to protect the integrity of football’s transfer window.”

The “ghost transfers” issue has been on the NCAA’s radar since former Wisconsin defensive back Xavier Lucas transferred to Miami without entering the portal in January 2025. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff withdrew from BYU and walked on at Tulane in July.

At the direction of the Division I Board of Directors, an Infractions Process Task Force is reviewing the infractions process and associated penalties for violations of NCAA rules. Among the topics the task force will discuss are enforcement of transfer rules and penalties associated with tampering violations. The task force is expected to provide recommendations for modernizing the infractions process later this year.

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