So much to change’: Coaches share ideas to fix Transfer Portal
The transfer portal has provided players across the country second chances, new opportunities and bigger stages to shine — and improve — on new teams.
But for many, the portal has proven to be more a pitfall than a gigantic leap on their career path. Not all players are looking to move up the ranks. Some know a drop from a Power Five school to the Group of Five or FCS is likely. The problem, however, is the large number of athletes who enter the portal with high hopes of cashing in via their name, image and likeness at a new school with a profile just as big or larger than their previous home.
Hopes, however, usually fly in the face of reality — and reality is beginning to set in for players and coaches midway through the fourth annual cycle of the portals existence… [READ MORE]
‘That’s crazy!’: Even recruits are blown away by the transfer portal’s QB carousel
SAN ANTONIO – Shortly after 3 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 3, the check-in room for the 2022 All-American Bowl began to buzz: Oklahoma freshman quarterback Caleb Williams had announced his intention to enter the transfer portal.
Williams was once the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the country. He had just turned in a season that earned him 247Sports True Freshman All-American honors. And now he was leaving Oklahoma. Alerted to the development, Clemson commit Cade Klubnik — himself the No. 1 QB prospect in 2022 — couldn’t hide his surprise.
“That’s crazy!” Klubnik said on his way out of the room. Then, with a pause, he turned around with one final question: “USC?”.. [READ MORE]
Sports Illustrated: NCAA Schools Vote on New Constitution at Annual Convention
NCAA member schools voted to ratify a new, pared-down constitution Thursday, paving the way for a decentralized approach to governing college sports that will hand more power to schools and conferences.
The vote was overwhelmingly in favor, 801-195, and was the main order of business at the NCAA’s annual convention.
NCAA President Mark Emmert said in his state of college sports address the new constitution was more of a “declaration of independence” that will allow each of the association’s three divisions to govern itself.
The new constitution is 18 1/2 pages, down from 43, and mostly lays out guiding principles and core values for the NCAA, the largest governing body for college sports in the United States with more than 1,200 member schools and some 460,000 athletes… [READ MORE]
ESPN – College football recruiting notebook: New coaches making moves, uncommitted five-stars and more
We’re only a few weeks from the February signing period in college football recruiting, the final opportunity for teams to fill their needs.
There are 288 ESPN 300 recruits who have already made a commitment, leaving just 12 of the top 300 uncommitted. There are also 21 ESPN 300 prospects who are committed, but haven’t signed a national letter of intent.
Among the uncommitted recruits, there are only four of the top 100 left on the board, which means those recruits are feeling the pressure as we lead into the next signing period… [READ MORE]
Miami College Football Booster Announces NIL Deals Worth $392K for Hurricanes Players
Miami businessman John Ruiz said he struck 20 new name, image and likeness deals with Hurricanes football players.
The money is being fronted by Ruiz, and the athletes will be promoting Life Wallet, a product by Ruiz’ MSP Recovery that enables hospitals and emergency rescue personnel to automatically know a person’s medical history before treating them.
The money, like endorsements, appears to be commensurate to the players skill level. Ruiz tweeted out the money associated with 10 deals worth $392,000… [READ MORE]
High school coaches discuss how transfer portal impacts HS recruiting
High school coaches discuss how transfer portal impacts high school recruiting
Rivals: Transfer portal power, key assistant hires
Rivals national columnist Mike Farrell is here with thoughts on some hot teams in the portal, a few big assistant coaching hires and five things that need to change about college football sooner than later… [READ MORE]
247sports.com: Transfer portal hauls we love
As college football heads into the offseason, the transfer portal is rightfully taking over the headlines. As new names continue to enter, some players are already landing with their new homes. These portal commitments are massive and can change the outlook of a roster, season or even conference race.
With all of this in mind, a group of 247Sports experts got together to celebrate some of their favorite transfer portal hauls. There are a number of programs that have gone into the portal, secured impressive pledges and have stockpiled those players to form impressive overall groups. Some are highly ranked, others should be on more radars… [READ MORE]
With the NCAA backed into a corner, the age of paying college athletes is officially upon us
College athletics, beyond just the NCAA, has been backed into a corner surrounded by barbed wire. There are few paths out. At this point, seemingly no amount of litigation or committees or legislation can deny what is inevitably coming down the tracks like a runaway train.
In some way, shape or form, athletes in the revenue-producing sports will have to be paid. Not just name, image and likeness rights or cost of attendance money, we’re talking some sort of partnership with the schools for which they put their bodies on the line.
Short of Congressional intervention — a Hail Mary at this point — that’s the only tenet re.. [READ MORE]
NIL: College athlete NFTs are booming, but a key aspect is missing
While NCAA athletes have been cleared to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), that doesn’t mean that schools have to play ball.
In December 2021, Michigan running back Blake Corum launched an NFT collection hoping to cash-in on national exposure amid the College Football Playoff — but the NFT does not have his team’s logo.
Because Corum and the NFT provider, Draftly, didn’t receive clearance from Michigan to use the school’s official marks or uniforms, Corum isn’t pictured in an official Michigan uniform on the NFT. Instead, blue is pasted over the signature blue and yellow striped Michigan helmet, and Corum’s jersey appears more generic… [READ MORE]
Miami football legend Michael Irvin calls NIL Wild West
Name, image and likeness is changing college athletics. Players are now able to secure compensation for endorsing businesses or products. Miami football legend Michael Irvin spoke to Nick Kosko of 247 Sports. Irvin described to Kosko the importance of athletes making the right name, image and likeness decisions.
Many Miami football players and other Hurricanes athletes have signed name, image and likeness deals. The majority of those deals have been with Miami alums. The criticism across college athletics is the genuineness of deals that alums make with the athletes at their schools. Alums are only targeting athletes at their alma maters.
BYU and Miami were both investigated last year for NLI deals made with their athletes. Those investigations brought criticism that other schools were not questioned. The hiring of Mario Cristobal as head coach is expected to increase the opportunities for Miami football players to profit off of name, image and likeness… [READ MORE]
What Brands Can Expect From College Sports’ Ever Evolving NIL Landscape
The first domino fell in late 2019 when Governor Newsom signed The Fair Pay to Play Act into law.[1] This was the first statute allowing collegiate student-athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Specifically, the statute bars universities, athletic conferences and the NCAA from preventing student-athletes in California from profiting off their NIL. Despite the NCAA’s vigorous opposition initially, close to 30 states have since enacted similar legislation or have otherwise legalized NIL deals in their own states.[2] Moreover, last year’s unanimous Supreme Court ruling in NCAA v. Alston may not have reached the issue of NIL, but it did chip away at the NCAA’s ability to regulate student-athlete compensation.[3] Sensing the inevitably of its waning grip over its NIL policies, the NCAA then committed to a dramatic policy shift within days of the Alston ruling by permitting all student-athletes to begin profiting off their NIL as of July 1, 2021.[4] Even if a state has not yet passed NIL legislation, the NCAA policy change applies nationwide and now brands can partner with student-athletes in every state.
During the NIL era’s first six months, brands as big as Nike jumped into the new advertising market to promote their products and services, but most of the NIL deals have come from smaller businesses partnering with student-athletes with local followings… [READ MORE]
College athlete deals risk tax-free scholarships
First, players may now be paid for their name, image or likeness. Many states have passed laws to regulate NIL payments beyond what the NCAA might do.
Only a fraction of collegiate athletes will receive payments for NIL. Nevertheless, some of those payments will be substantial. They will be taxable.
Taxable means income tax and self-employment tax. It also means state income tax. State taxes may take some time to figure out when players live in state A, attend school in state B, and compete in states C, D and so on.
College NIL athletes will need lawyers, accountants and financial advisers. Expect some heartbreaking stories of advisers taking advantage of athletes… [READ MORE]
The Fight Over the Future of College Sports Is Here: ‘It Needs to Implode’
The rapid growth of a now-bloated Division I and surging revenues at the top of college sports have created an untenable situation: schools governing under the same umbrella despite striking disparities.
A microcosm of the NCAA, Division I is a fractured group of 350 schools, 32 conferences and three subsections—FBS, FCS and non-football-playing members—whose differing resources, missions and abilities have made it nearly impossible to regulate competitive equity. There is animosity and tension among them, mostly centered on how rules are made and how money is distributed and spent… [READ MORE]
A-G and the U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health (USCAH) team up
A-G Administrators, the sports insurance leader that provides superior solutions to managing the risks associated with student-athlete programs, is partnering with the U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health (USCAH). USCAH is the leader in providing independent, third-party athlete health and safety consultation, education, and compliance from a team of experts with nearly 300 years of experience in athletics health care and administration.
With this new partnership, A-G Administrators is bringing their clients the most trusted athlete health, safety services, and programming. This partnership has deepened the commitment of both A-G Administrators and the USCAH to make sure athletes receive unbiased medical expertise from a multidisciplinary network of experts… [READ MORE]
