The new college football “pay for play” era is just 32 days from kickoff, and no one can say for sure how it’s all going to work. Coaches and administrators are scrambling to establish ground rules and ensure everyone is on the same page, especially when factoring in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies.
How are high schools involved in NIL?
That also includes the high school ranks. During the keynote address at the Texas High School Coaches Association convention on Sunday, July 20, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian called on high school coaches to resist outside influences that could compromise their players’ development. That includes agents who now serve as the go-between in player negotiations with college programs.
“I think there’s a responsibility of the high school coaches to not just fall prey to, well, now there’s money and there’s agents and my role has been diminished,” Sarkisian said. “I think they need to be bullish to not let their role be diminished. And we would prefer that, quite frankly. Agents are going to be a part of this, and let’s not act like they’re not.”
Sarkisian said college football has been changing for decades, and though this is one of the biggest changes in the game’s history, high school leaders need to stay present.
“You are still the ones raising your kids. You’re still the ones that they look to for guidance.” Sarkisian said. “This idea right now of what’s happening, in my opinion, is because of the agents. They’re going to shop your kids. And we can’t lose sight of trying to offer really good advice.”
What about contracts for high schoolers?
When the season kicks off, Sarkisian’s Longhorns may very well be ranked No. 1 in the nation. His message to more than 18,000 coaches resonates. He also answered questions about player contracts and what to expect during negotiations with college programs. He made sure to point out the one area he believes will cause problems: long-term, high-dollar contracts for high school graduates.
“Let’s paint a picture,” Sarkisian said. “We sign a young man to a three-year contract. That should mean, in my opinion, if he’s on a three-year guaranteed contract, that he has to stay at my university for three years. The problem I have with that is at the end of year one, if Billy doesn’t like the way it’s going, he’s a free agent. He can go in the portal and leave. That doesn’t make sense to me. That’s not a good business model.”
Will cheating be an issue?
Athletic departments will also have to combat those that may push the boundaries of what’s legal in the next few months and years. The College Sports Commission, formed just days after the landmark House v. NCAA settlement, is still in the process of establishing ground rules and determining punishments for those who break the rules.
Each school has a budget of $20.5 million to allocate to its college sports programs. Outside NIL deals will tip the balance of power, but at this point, no one is sure how much. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips urged his members to adhere to the rules at the conference’s season kickoff event.
“It’s about setting up a standard with transparency,” Phillips said. “We haven’t had that in the NIL era. Sometimes we can’t help ourselves. People know what the rules are relative to the $20.5. They know what legitimate NIL is. You can play in the gray area if you want, but all that does is undermine the new structure.”
When will it all be settled?
Phillips reiterated the need for government oversight and continues to advocate for federal legislation to establish guardrails. However, that could take months if it happens at all.
Which means, as the season fast approaches, those in charge will need to stay vigilant.
“Is the system perfect?” Sarkisian asked, “No. Are we trying to get better at cleaning it up to making it better for all parties involved? I do think we are. Yes. But we’re definitely a work in progress right now.”
Sarkisian is optimistic and believes that, eventually, college football will get to a good place, but he’s also looking forward to putting all the NIL talk aside and getting back on the field. The Longhorns begin fall practice on July 30, along with many other major programs around the country.
