they werent reluctant at all.
Norvell and to a lesser extent Manny...knew they screwed in hs recruiting or werent getting guys so there focus was toward the portal BEFORE other schools would be. Guys were finalizing high school classes while they were backdooring portal kids already.
Norvell was THE FIRST COACH to contact Verse in the portal PERIOD. Thats how he got em. And thats because in watching syracuse film for prep they noticed he was eating up syracuse ot's throughout the game.
Kiffin does good portal work as well because he knows in state isnt enough talent to supplement what he wants to do and he doesnt want full on battles for top tier sec kids in the sec west so he would get what he can in hs recruiting and full fledge guys in the portal.
The "portal" or transferring isnt new its alway sbeen there...whats new is guys dont have to sit out and it has a name, we portald Brock Berlin from our rivals UF in the 2000s. The ig programs always used transfers ..they just didnt need the amount they do now because THEIR guys werent portaling out as much