The college football spring portal window opens on Wednesday, April 16, and closes on Friday, April 25, one day before Penn State football’s Blue-White Game. Although some players have posted their intent to enter the portal, with some players already committing to schools, nothing can be set in stone until April 16.

The last time the portal was open, from December 9 to 28, was during the College Football Playoff. Now, the spring window has arrived during spring practice, something coaches have noted as a hassle.

“I think from my board meetings with the AFCA, and I want to be careful not to speak for other coaches, but I think a good majority of them would like one window,” James Franklin said. “I think that’s in everyone’s best interest. The players know who’s on the roster. The coaches know who’s on the roster, even if we made it after spring ball.”

Franklin brought up the possibility of teams losing 50 players in the spring portal and struggling to field a roster for the following season. This complaint has been echoed recently by Group of Five fans who struggled this year with retaining talent.

Penn State, though, won’t have to worry about that in 2025. So far, only one player, JB Nelson, has announced his intention to leave the program. Nelson played in all 16 games in 2024 as a rotational player.

Franklin says the departure of Nelson won’t mean too much for the Nittany Lions. This is partially because of sophomore Cooper Cousins, who flashed his skill at the guard position in his true freshman season, and made an appearance in all 16 games.

“He’s a team-first guy. He takes a ton of pride in Penn State. He’s been a leader, really, not only for the offensive line but for the offensive unit there, too,” Franklin said. “I think he’s got a chance to have a really, really good year for us, and I think he’s got a long-term, bright future.”

Another reason is Penn State’s transfer philosophy. Franklin has made it clear there won’t be surprises on his end. In the offseason, he encourages players to meet with him when there are problems, and Franklin said he explained to the whole team how he will deal with the 105-player roster limit before the first transfer portal window.

He likely knew Nelson was struggling with the situation he was in and wanted out. The solution may have been known for weeks, though it could be one that doesn’t come from the portal.

Franklin noted he hopes his program is transformational. He wants his players to get better as athletes and people while in Happy Valley, something he thinks helps retain players. For this reason, Franklin is hesitant to use the portal.

“We’re not opposed to doing it if we have to. But I’m a big believer, when you can promote from within, you know what you have, you know what you’re getting,” Franklin said. “Although the portal sometimes seems sexy, we don’t always know what we’re getting until you show up on campus.”

This doesn’t apply when a player returns to his former school. Per ESPN, only 4% of players who enter the portal will return to the school they left that season. While it wasn’t the same year, King Mack returned to the Nittany Lions after leaving for Alabama in 2024.

Franklin said he stayed close and in contact with Penn State players throughout the season and most likely saw his former teammates take a step in year two that he wished he could take.

“So for King, I think very early on, it was a no-brainer for us because I think he would have played a significant amount for us last year,” Franklin said. “And I think for King, why take unnecessary risk? And he knows us. We know him.”