If Penn State 'Rethinks Focus' Should Underclassmen Be Allowed to Transfer?

In the wake of the investigation into former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, president Graham Spanier was fired as was legendary head coach Joe Paterno.

He built the Nittany Lions’ team into a powerhouse and the school is largely associated with the football program.

But according to new university president Rodney Erickson, that all should change. He said the face of the institution should be a “world class research institution” and not a football school.

His idea is noble, but the likelihood of it actually happening is slim. Still, if it does come to fruition, should current players be allowed to transfer to another university to play their football?

Absolutely.

There are dozens of reasons that go into making the decision about where to go to college and that applies, possibly more so, to student athletes. Not only do they have to pick the right academic and social fit, but they also need to be around coaches and players that they like and can get them into the NFL if that is their choosing.

Plus, there are a number of institutions around the country that have effectively made themselves a football school as well as placed importance on academics including Notre Dame, Michigan, Virginia Tech and Texas, and a number of other schools of building up their football program with tough academic standards like Stanford and Vanderbilt.

It is impossible to say how many of those players would have chosen Penn State if they had known the administration would purposefully diminish the importance of the program. Plus, players are allowed to transfer if the school hires a new coach and this could possibly be more important than getting a new coach.

Any way you look at this, it would be entirely unfair to not allow the current players transfer if the university is going to try and change the focus of the school.