SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) -- It seems enough of a concern that an NFL player and former head coach have weighed in on it: potential and confirmed transfers from the South Dakota State University football team. The most high profile transfer is quarterback Mark Gronowski, who as of Thursday, has not announced his new school. SDSU hires Dan Jackson as new head coach The transfer attention comes after Jimmy Rogers announced on Dec. 28 he would leave SDSU for the head coaching job at Washington State. The transfer portal allows players to transfer more freely between schools. When a player informs the current school's compliance officer, the player's name is entered on an NCAA transfer portal list. For fall sports there is a 30-day window at the end of the season and another 30-day window in the spring. Players who enter the transfer portal can withdraw their name from the list. It's not unusual for players to transfer after a head coach leaves a program and the NCAA acknowledged that in October. The NCAA also says "in all sports, student-athletes whose head coach leaves the school would continue to have an additional 30-day transfer window beginning the day after a coach's departure." Still, players entering the transfer portal from SDSU have raised concerns from some high-profile individuals. Former SDSU head football coach John Stiegelmeier posted on his X account Wednesday that he loved that past student-athletes were contacting current players to challenge them to stay at SDSU. "Many past student-athletes are contacting present players challenging them to stay and keep building SDSU FB," the former coach said in his post. Apparently, some of the confirmed and potential transfers are headed to Washington State. Rogers' departure was announced on Dec. 28. Gronowski's departure was announced the next day. Receiver Griffin Wilde also announced on Dec. 28 that he planned to transfer. Running back Angel Johnson and kicker Jack Stevens are also in the transfer portal. Washington State is an FBS school that for now, appears to be playing in a revamped PAC-12 conference. Media that cover the Washington State Cougars have speculated that Gronowski and Wilde would follow Rogers to Washington State. WSU's starting quarterback John Mateer and a back-up recently announced they were leaving the school's football program. However, back-up quarterback Zevi Eckhaus apparently announced he'd be returning. The Sporting News ranked Mateer as the top player available as of Dec. 29. A to Z Sports said the Tennessee Volunteers are among the schools interested in Johnson. The Volunteers are coached by former South Dakotan Josh Huepel. Stevens is the brother of Iowa Hawkeye kicker Drew Stevens. Here's what SDSU graduate and Green Bay Packer Tucker Kraft said about the Jackrabbit program and the possibility of players leaving it. "People are very proud of Coach Rogers, as am I, however, the program and all of those who had worked and been on that grind to set the standard in the building need the players to stay home. Make A Difference to the program," Kraft posted on X on Wednesday. Another Wednesday post from Kraft implied that Rogers and some of his staff members were recruiting players to transfer. Kraft wrote on X "It was a privilege to play for SDSU. Ultimately, it prepared me for the NFL. When I had a chance to leave the program for $, it was the same coaches who are urging you to leave that urged me to stay. Not every path that presents itself is the one worth taking. Think critically." Kraft mentions money in one of his X posts. Rogers made $310,000 a year as the SDSU head coach, according to the open South Dakota government website. At Washington State, Rogers will make a reported $1.57 million a year. Washington State said on Dec. 28 that Rogers had agreed on principle, to a five-year contract. No salary was listed. Football players may be transferring to improve the monetary prospects for Name Image and Likeness (NIL) by landing at a larger Division I school or even a smaller school with more NIL options. The Forum news organization of North Dakota has reported the number of potential transfers from SDSU could be as high as 26 players. SDSU would not be the only team losing players in the portal. A player can enter the transfer portal, but end up not transferring. Athlon Sports and 247 Sports have reported that Washington State has 32 players in the transfer portal as of Wednesday. FCS football players don't always find a new school quickly after entering the transfer portal, according to the NCAA. According to the NCAA, 48% of the FCS players who transferred in 2023 enrolled at a new NCAA school. Another 45% were listed as active meaning they may still be looking at another school or have left the sport. Seven percent withdrew and stayed at their current school. SDSU quickly replaced Rogers as head coach. Dan Jackson was announced as the new coach on Tuesday. He was most recently the defensive coordinator at Idaho. The Idaho head coach Jason Eck left the program on Dec. 14 to be the head coach at New Mexico. New head coach Thomas Ford was announced on Dec. 18. Ford is a former Idaho assistant coach. The Albuquerque Journal reported Eck will make $1.5 million in his first season at New Mexico with $50,000 increases each year after in the five-year contract. Hiring process The process to hire Jackson as the SDSU head football coach was quicker and closed to the public. It differs from the process to hire a president of a public university. The South Dakota Mines recently hired Dr. Brian Tande as its next president. The university released the names of finalists and had scheduled public meetings for those finalists. Tande's salary was not listed in the open government website as of Thursday. His official start date is Jan. 9. The prior president Jim Rankin made $418,024 a year. "The hiring processes for university presidents and athletic coaches differ mainly because of their reporting structures," South Dakota Board of Regents Director of Communications Shuree Mortenson said in an email to KELOLAND News. "A university president reports to the Board of Regents, leading to a more extensive and transparent hiring process through a committee and full board approval." "In contrast, an athletic coach reports to the athletic director at their university," Mortenson said in an email. "Given the fast-paced nature of athletics, the hiring process for a coach must move quickly. Each university manages its own hiring process, which can vary depending on the specific position." KELOLAND News left a message and email with the SDSU Athletic Department about the football coach hiring process and salary. A response later Thursday said the department was working to obtain the information or secure the appropriate contact. The story will be updated with any new information received. The open government website did not have Jackson's salary listed as of Thursday. SDSU said it plans to formally announce Jackson as the new head coach during the week of Jan. 6.