The NCAA transfer portal officially opened on Monday, signaling the beginning of college football’s “free agency” period.

The number of San Diego State players who have entered the portal is approaching two dozen. Running back Kenan Christon (Madison High School) was the most recent player to make his intentions public on social media. Backup quarterback AJ Duffy also is headed to the portal.

The Aztecs have not yet plucked anyone from the portal, although that should happen sooner than later.

“We’re going to have a kid on campus tomorrow, so we’ll get running and gunning,” SDSU coach Sean Lewis said.

The Aztecs have just two returning quarterbacks, starter Danny O’Neil and Kyle Crum, and one newcomer, recent signee JP Mialovski from Long Beach Millikan High School.

“That’s not a healthy position for the organization to be in,” said Lewis, who would like to add two quarterbacks from the portal. “I don’t know if that’s feasible at that position, given there is only one ball to go around. In an ideal world, in a vacuum, we’d love to have five. We’ll see if that’s realistic.”

There is also the matter of what it takes to retain or attract players these days. Read: NIL compensation.

To that end, SDSU on Monday launched a new campaign with collective partner Aztec Link called “Link the 619.” It’s goal is to raise $619,000. More on that in a moment.

There is a new wrinkle to the comings and goings for the Aztecs — returnings.

Lewis said shortly after he was hired last year that SDSU players who put their names into the transfer portal would not have the option to return, indicating he didn’t want the program regarded as a fallback option.

Lewis’ thinking has evolved. The door is open for portal players — some of them, anyway — to return.

That was apparent Monday when linebacker Brady Anderson, who put his name into the portal last week, tweeted that “after entering the transfer portal, I have been re-offered by @AztecFB. Thank you!!”

After entering the transfer portal, I have been re-offered by @AztecFB Thank you!! @CoachZacBarton and @TheHC_CoachLew pic.twitter.com/UyJlfrQU46

— Brady Anderson (@brady2andersonn) December 9, 2024

“What was pertinent a year ago, so much has changed in the landscape of college football,” Lewis said. “I guess maybe it’s having the humility or the maturity to say I can change my mind. We can grow. I’m not going to be rigid and get dug in on something that felt right a year ago.”

Several of the SDSU players who entered the portal were walk-ons or reserves looking for an opportunity to play somewhere else. Others are in search of greater NIL compensation, potentially from Power Four schools with additional resources.

“Sometimes your guys think the grass might be greener somewhere else,” Lewis said. “Go explore it and realize how special this place is. … I don’t think the grass is always greener. I think guys will see that.”

Not everyone will be welcomed back with open arms, with Lewis saying it will be “on a case-by-case basis.”

Starting wide receiver Jordan Napier, who announced last week he was entering the portal, is the biggest loss for SDSU. He is certainly one player the Aztecs would like to have back.

SDSU received welcome news on Friday when five key starters announced they planned to return for 2025.

Sophomore edge Trey White and sophomore linebacker Tano Letuli, both team captains, were among the group that also included sophomore safety Dalesean Staley, junior cornerback Chris Johnson and junior left guard Ross Ulugalu-Maseuli.

Keeping them in an SDSU uniform included enhanced NIL commitments.

That’s where the newest Aztec Link campaign comes in.

The goal of “Link the 619” is to find 1,000 members of Aztec Link who will contribute an annual gift of $619. The amount represents the San Diego area code and the connection SDSU is trying to build within the community.

“It’s a great campaign to galvanize the whole community and to rally around the pro football team that is San Diego,” Lewis said.

Those who contribute will receive “exclusive benefits that include tickets to special events, behind-the-scenes content and limited-edition collectibles,” according to a release announcing the campaign.

Approaching fans for NIL contributions three years after substantial increases in football ticket prices at Snapdragon Stadium seems, to some, like a big ask.

“If you want to compete at the highest level, there’s an investment that you have to make,” SDSU AD John David Wicker said recently. “We’re not asking people to make the investment they do at Ohio State. … It doesn’t have to be an investment like that for us to be competitive.

“You look at what Brian Dutcher and Co. did (upsetting then-No. 6 Houston in basketball). What we’ve done the last 15-20 years with that program. There’s enough good student-athletes out there, if you have the right coaches and the right culture, you bring them in and you can be competitive with anybody in the country.”

Aztec LInk’s goal for 2024 was to generate $1 million in NIL money. With this campaign, the hope may be to double that amount.

“I don’t want to put a ceiling on it,” Lewis said. “NIL and the collective right now, it’s the bridge, it’s the tool, it’s the vehicle that we use for retention and talent acquisition. … If you do not have the NIL packages, if you do not have the community support, if you do not have the cash to do that, you don’t stand a chance.”