When in doubt, blame the transfer portal.

Since November, Hawaii has seen 12 players, including a half-dozen starters and two out of three captains, jump into the transfer portal.

You might think that was driven by players thinking head coach Todd Graham is a dick (to be fair, they’re not the first bunch to feel that way about Graham).

Multiple current and former Hawaii players are speaking out and alleging mistreatment and abuse at the hands of head coach Todd Graham, according to a report from SFGate.com’s Marc Delucchi.

Hawaii players who played under Graham alleged Monday that he is running a toxic program in which he demeans and verbally abuses players and coaches and ignores them completely.

Last week, leading rusher Dae Dae Hunter announced he was transferring, as he felt it was “best for my future and my mental health.” Starting quarterback Chevan Cordeiro followed suit.

“Me and a lot of others can truthfully say Graham has killed our love and passion for football,” one player told SFGate on the condition of anonymity.

But, nah, that’s not it.  It’s the portal, man.  Just the portal.  Ask Todd.

Statement from head coach Todd Graham. pic.twitter.com/A4L2aa3Xtq

— Hawaii Football (@HawaiiFootball) December 29, 2021

Given how much Graham’s jumped around during his career, maybe it’s understandable that he’d try to chalk up the same mindset for those departing players.  But what it really illustrates is that if you’re a head coach who can’t adapt to the times by recognizing that players have options now they didn’t have before, you’re not going to have some of those players stay.  Or, in Hawaii’s case, a lot of those players.

The program’s record has been in decline since Graham’s arrival and that kind of turnover isn’t likely to arrest the trend.  Especially when the head coach has to answer questions about his behavior on the recruiting trail.