ESPN reporter reveals Nick Saban's biggest problem with NIL deals for college football players
Alabama head coach Nick Saban created a wave of headlines last week when he went off-script at an event promoting the World Games 2022 in Birmingham. Saban accused Texas A&M of buying their entire 2022 recruiting class, which led to a strong (that might be an understatement) response from Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher. On Monday, […]
Alabama head coach Nick Saban created a wave of headlines last week when he went off-script at an event promoting the World Games 2022 in Birmingham.
Saban accused Texas A&M of buying their entire 2022 recruiting class, which led to a strong (that might be an understatement) response from Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher.
On Monday, longtime ESPN college football reporter Chris Low appeared on 104.5 The Zone's 3HL and he revealed one of Saban's biggest issues with NIL deals for players.
"One of the examples he (Saban) gave me, he says if someone calls and says listen coach we'll come for $3 million. Well, first of all, everyone on our team knows he's going to be making $3 million coming out of high school. Secondly, he's making more than everyone on our staff but me. Thirdly, how do you coach that kid? If it's a receiver, and him and the receivers coach butt heads, who's going to win that fight? And probably there's a fourth component to it: No matter where you stand on this topic if you pay that kind of cash for a receiver or a quarterback or whatever [position] and he's not a star immediately, or not a big-time contributor in the first year or two, guess what? The people who paid the cash to that guy are going to be on your campus, in your office, on the phone, going 'I've got a lot of money invested in this dude, let's get him on the field.'"
At this point, I think there's a compelling argument for both sides of the NIL issue.
I absolutely think players deserve to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness. For any other person in the United States, they're able to earn money off their name, image, and likeness. Thousands of social media influencers — often college-aged folks or younger — profit daily from the image they've created for themselves.
So I think it's a good thing that players are finally getting a cut of the millions of dollars they earn for college programs each year.
However, I also understand that for coaches, this is a very sudden and dramatic change. Their job is much different than it was just a few years ago. Coaches really have no idea who is going to be on their roster from year to year. Or even week to week in some cases.
Additionally, I can see how it's tougher for coaches to actually coach on the field. Coaches risk angering a player and inadvertently pushing them into the transfer portal anytime they criticize them during practice or a game. There are no contracts or safeguards when it comes to roster management in college football.
The whole system needs to be fixed. Of course, if the NCAA would've addressed this issue 15 years ago on their own terms, these issues likely wouldn't exist right now. Or they'd at least be somewhat manageable.
Essentially, everyone's mad and the NCAA, as usual, is to blame.
Now that they've angered Saban — the only person who seems to have a direct line to the NCAA — maybe they'll finally figure out a way to fairly compensate players while also making rosters more secure on a year-to-year basis.
If they don't figure it out, the self-destruction of the NCAA will be imminent. Adapt or fade away forever. It's up to you, NCAA.
Featured image via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
