Arizona has already added one transfer this offseason with Oregon receiver Brenden Schooler joining the Wildcats as a graduate transfer. UA had another graduate transfer on campus for an official visit ahead of the early signing period as well. He also has already made a choice picking Georgia Tech.

Linebacker Day Day Coleman, who decided to transfer from UA the day after the season ended, already has decided to transfer to Stephen F. Austin to finish out his career.

Much like their high school counterparts transfer players are are continuing to make their decisions earlier and earlier. The NCAA's transfer portal is partly to thank for the changes as it has made the process of transferring programs much easier for players and programs to get connected.

That has been both positive and negative, and it is something college coaches are still figuring out in many ways. Throw into that the addition of the early signing period over the last few years and there are plenty of programs that head into the season with one plan but ultimately have to change course because of all the circumstances that come into play by the end of the year.

It impacts the recruiting picture for programs especially when there are only many scholarships available to work with.

"I think it wasn't well thought out at the beginning," Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin said after announcing his early signing period class last Friday. "For everybody the combination of the early signing date time – the middle of December – and the transfer portal, which most guys get into right after the season roughly the first week in December right after Thanksgiving and their last football game. It's a challenge for roster management because of the fluctuation of the numbers.

"I don't think that was thought about. They're two separate rules, but they work hand in hand for coaches who are trying to manage a roster because it's pretty hard to have your numbers of what you want to do, what you need and two weeks before the early signing date things change on you."

Arizona currently can use all 25 spots available in the 2020 recruiting class allowed by the NCAA. UA already has many of the spots filled after signing 12 prospects last week with three more currently committed but not yet signed. The remainder of the group that will fill the available space will likely be a combination high school and junior college recruits plus more transfer players.

Putting all those pieces together for any program, not just Arizona, has become a more difficult task than originally thought.

"All the sudden other guys become available and they're looking for places to go by, really, January," Sumlin said Friday about potential roster additions through the transfer market for the Wildcats. "So that's an ongoing process. The tough part right now is for us the dead period started so everybody is out. The other part is most universities, like ours, close today.

"So when you're trying to get a guy in school it becomes a difficult situation because you can't go off campus and see him, you can't bring him on campus and then transcript evaluation and getting guys in it's a mad scramble in January."

For Sumlin and his staff the transfer portal and early signing period add a wrinkle that means extra work and a different type of thinking that differs from what so many coaches and programs were used to for so long.

"Those conversations you have with prospects are still gonna go on, but unless you've had them on campus or they know a little bit about the campus or have been there or know you it's a matter of trust at that point for guys that are gonna transfer," he said.

Schooler is likely just the first addition from the transfer portal this offseason for the Wildcats and UA could have other departures this offseason as well. It makes for an interesting time across college football and it is something that keeps coaches on their toes through the winter months.