re: School can sign as many transfers as possible but only 7 to match portal losses, right?

If we were up near where we should be numbers-wise, your argument would have a little validity. As it stands, we don’t have enough bodies. Never mind the fact that a lot of the ones we had this year don’t seem completely invested, we need numbers. End of story. Once we get dug out of the hole we’re in, maybe we can start getting picky again.

"Your signing other teams backups. Plus you fight other schools for the best ones. I wouldn’t count on the portal to build a winner!"
That is not true. Va has three starters in portal.
Florida has 4 and two part time starters.
Arkansas has 6.
It goes on and on.
Was not Johnson and Brennan starters at LSU?