Thanks for sending.
Excellent article. I think it summarizes the shifting landscape of College Football.
Basically, College Football is becoming like the NBA, where coaches have to placate the stars or else they will get fired.
I say good; in most jobs, bosses placate their best employees. Rainmaking partners, salespeople, bankers, etc., all get bigger bonuses, offices, and special treatment. Not sure why college or professional sports should be any different.
It reminds me of something Jimmy Johnson was heard to have once said when he was coaching the Cowboys. He had a strict rule about showing up for meetings on time. During one meeting, Aikman, Smith and Irvin showed up half an hour late or something, and one of the players said something about it. Johnson said: “That rule doesn’t apply to them. When you start playing like them, then you will get treated like them”. I am sure that player was later cut!
That is so true because that is real life. We live in a meritocracy society.
I think the coaches realize that their money could soon become less. Why pay 10 million when 5 will do and that 5 left over could get some really nice players? Also the 1 time transfer rule now makes it where they can’t just outright lie to players about playing time and hope that deterrent of sitting out a year somewhere else just has the player stick it out.
I saw an Athletic article about the lack of parity in college football, pointed out how most of the top players are from the south so its a huge challenge for northern schools to convince guys to go up there. You would think NIL could actually help with that if those schools were smart.
You’re right. Only thing about the Michigan’s of the world and there B1G brethren and I include ND in this, with the exception maybe the Buckeyes, maybe a few others, they still live in a yesteryear world of Raccoon and Buffalo coats and such. Reality going to catch up with them where football recruits are just hired mercenaries. Days unfortunately of winning one for the Gipper are gone. Rico’s time is now!
P.S. schools who are going to be the biggest winners are the ones who can point to putting players into the professional leagues preparing them for the next level, which is every kid dream who plays CFB.