Aaron Brule calls out players transferring for the wrong reasons

Tuesday was potentially one of the worst days in the transfer portal for Michigan State football. Sure the Spartans beat out Alabama for a solid defensive back in Ed Woods, but the Spartans also lost four of their own players to the portal.

There are many reasons why a player could choose to transfer. More playing time, closer to their family, a coach leaving their program, or even some off-field issues at their current school. But one reason that many players are now choosing to transfer is for more NIL money.

It honestly is hard to blame the players for doing this, we all do this in the corporate world already. But the way some of these players are doing it seems a little wrong to me. In the corporate world, loyalty doesn’t mean much, but in athletics, loyalty means everything. Without loyalty, it’s hard to create a winning culture in the locker room. So some of these players, who I won’t name, don’t seem to be transferring for the right reasons.

And Michigan State linebacker Aaron Brule has noticed this as well and is calling them out for it.

Brule is a former Spartan and one of the veteran leaders on Michigan State’s football team last year. Being an older guy, he knows a thing or two about the state of college football and the transfer portal. So when he makes comments like this, you know it’s coming from someone who knows what they’re talking about.

Brule is essentially saying that transferring solely for money (a raise that likely really isn’t that noticeable) isn’t always the best choice. He is making the case that these players should be thinking long term about their future careers, and not the immediate satisfaction of making a little more money somewhere else.

Unfortunately for Brule, and college football fans everywhere, I don’t think this negative transfer portal culture is going anywhere. Nothing is going to change until the NCAA steps in, and I don’t have confidence in that happening any time soon.

So until then, Jonathan Smith needs to find more guys like Brule who want to be a Spartan. He needs to find guys who aren’t doing it solely for the money, but rather are a part of the program because they love Michigan State and want to be here. Some of these recent portal additions don’t fit that definition, and to them I say don’t let the door hit you on the way out.