I doubt the game is the reason these players are transferring. It just so happens to align with the spring portal.
Take Snowden. He had one foot out the door last winter but stayed. Regardless, what I heard back then was that BYU would come after him hard in the spring and that there was a very good chance he’d bite by then.
And he probably will. Snowden was the one I was least convinced would remain with Utah after spring.