AUSTIN (KXAN) — The free agency-esque player movement because of the transfer portal in college sports has helped usher in a new era of roster management, and Texas Longhorns head football coach Steve Sarkisian is embracing it.

Speaking after Tuesday’s spring practice, Sarkisian said he and his coaching staff, “have to be realistic to the landscape of college football right now.”

“The reality of it is we’ll probably have some movement at the end of the spring, going and coming,” Sarkisian said. “I don’t know exactly what it will look like yet, I don’t know if some players have made decisions or not, but ultimately, it’s the time we’re in nowadays.”

The upcoming window for players to put their names into the transfer portal is now April 15-30. The NCAA Division I Council moved the football transfer window from May 1-15 so it can, “allow coaches and student-athletes to have athletics participation conversations after spring football and before the start of summer athletics activities.”

During that time, players can declare their intent to transfer schools and be able to connect with other programs for a potential transfer. Typically, transfer windows are open for 45 days beginning the day after a specific sport’s national tournament selections are made. There are also 15-day periods for fall and spring sports.

Sarkisian said that even before the portal was created, he had frank talks with players to let them know where they stood. The transfer portal makes them even more important now.

“We need to monitor the portal because you just don’t know who you’re going to lose,” Sarkisian said. “If you lose too many at one spot, you better have someone who can fill that void so you don’t go into the season depleted.”

Texas has lost a few players to transfers this season. Offensive lineman Junior Angilau, who missed all last year with a knee injury, transferred to Oregon. Andrej Karic, an offensive lineman/tight end combo, went to Tennessee and quarterback Hudson Card is headed to Purdue. Another offensive lineman, Logan Parr, transferred to SMU. Wide receiver Agiye Hall and cornerback Ishmael Ibraheem are also transferring, among others.