Major Head Coach Sounds Off on Concerning Tampering Landscape in College Football

Washington's Jedd Fisch says complaints about tampering are useless without existing legislation to prevent it.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 8:37pm

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The introduction of NIL into college athletics has created issues with the NCAA transfer portal, including the luring of players into the portal by other programs, known as tampering. Several coaches have addressed questions around tampering, with Washington's Jedd Fisch saying complaints are useless without discipline and accountability. Fisch dealt with an instance of tampering involving his quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who initially announced plans to enter the portal before deciding to stay. Other recent tampering incidents have surrounded players at Clemson, Wisconsin, and Duke.

Why it matters

Tampering has become a growing concern in college football as the transfer portal and NIL deals have made it easier for players to be recruited by other programs. Coaches are calling for more oversight and accountability around these issues, which can disrupt rosters and create legal battles between schools.

The details

The NCAA transfer portal was established almost three years prior to the introduction of NIL, but the idea of players finding better NIL packages at different schools has popularized the portal. Another issue that has emerged with the portal's popularity is the luring of players into the portal by other programs, otherwise known as tampering. Several recent incidents of tampering have involved players at Clemson, Wisconsin, and Duke.

  • In January 2026, former California linebacker Luke Ferrelli flipped his commitment from Clemson to Ole Miss just over two weeks after enrolling at Clemson.
  • In June 2025, Wisconsin sued Miami over the transfer of former Badgers defensive back Xavier Lucas, who entered the portal after signing NIL extensions with Wisconsin.
  • In January 2026, former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah entered the portal on the final day of the two-week entry window after signing NIL extensions with Duke. Duke took legal action against Mensah, but the two ultimately reached a settlement allowing Mensah to transfer to Miami.

The players

Jedd Fisch

The head coach of the Washington Huskies football team.

Demond Williams Jr.

The quarterback for the Washington Huskies who initially announced plans to enter the transfer portal before deciding to stay.

Luke Ferrelli

A former California linebacker who flipped his commitment from Clemson to Ole Miss just over two weeks after enrolling at Clemson.

Xavier Lucas

A former Wisconsin defensive back who entered the transfer portal after signing NIL extensions with the Badgers, leading to a lawsuit between Wisconsin and Miami.

Darian Mensah

A former Duke quarterback who entered the transfer portal on the final day of the two-week entry window after signing NIL extensions with Duke, leading to legal action between Duke and Mensah.

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What they’re saying

“I've seen guys go public, and I have seen no changes in the programs that they've gone public about. So what's the value? Until we start getting to a place where there's going to be discipline and accountability, and we really understand what we're allowed to do and not allowed to do, then I'm not going public on it. I'm not worried about it, really. Right now, it seems like you can kind of do what you want.”

— Jedd Fisch, Washington Head Coach

What’s next

The judge in the case involving Demond Williams Jr. will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow him out on bail.

The takeaway

The tampering issues highlighted in this story demonstrate the need for clearer rules and enforcement around player recruitment in the era of NIL and the transfer portal. Coaches are calling for more accountability, and legal battles between schools are likely to continue until the NCAA can establish better guardrails around these practices.