What Bugs You About Today's State of College Football?

[Mean Green 93-98]

College football has changed tremendously in the past 10-15 years, and those changes seem to be coming faster than ever.  For longtime college football fans, many of those changes are for the worse.  Which of those changes bothers you the most?

[GrayEagle]

NIL, IMHO, is the worst thing that has happened to college football. The players are now semi-pros with little to earn it.  Very few have established a "name" after a couple of years of high school ball.  There are very few likenesses of their image.  Even four and five star recruits have little publicity outside of the sports pages.  Furthermore, if there were to be NIL, there should be a limitation in the maximum amount of payment.  

[Mean Green 93-98]

Of course, several of these are intertwined.  ESPN's stranglehold on college football has been a key contributor toward conference realignment and those TV revenues have made possible previously unheard-of coaching salaries.  And ridiculous coaching salaries have been the main argument for NIL and other means of paying players, and NIL has led several players to transfer who otherwise wouldn't have considered it.

[UNTcrazy727]

I said Players Transferring. It's the worst by-product of NIL.

Players should only get 1 free transfer. After that, you have to sit a year. 

[Jason Howeth]

It's really a combination of the NIL and players' ability to transfer so freely. How many stops has Grant Gunnell been at? His weren't for money, but what you have is year after year after year players who make a little name for themselves and go chase the money. I don't fault the players whatsoever, but the schools and coaches of the departing school who invested so much time and resources into recruiting that kid get the absolute shaft, sometimes to the tune of thousands of dollars when you add up travel costs and time not spent with other recruits. 

I'm also totally fine with players being paid, but we need a national cap. No player can make over, say $100k in an NIL deal. Otherwise, it's open season and Trent Dilfer will be naming many names.

[Wag Tag]

Dion Sanders! He is introducing the future of college football. Me, me, me!

[DentonStang]

Current make up of the AAC

[greenjoe]

What I perceive as a lack of loyalty to one’s school.  

[jtm0097]

That damn NIL and transfer portal are going to ruin our program, I tell ya!

[NT93]

Tie between NIL and the transfer portal (in their current state.)  I’m not opposed to either, but the way they are set up now, it’s the Wild West.

The game would seem to be in bad shape just from the fact that you were able to make a poll with 8 choices as to what bugs us most.

[NT80]

55 minutes ago, DentonStang said:

Current make up of the AAC

If you would have accomplished more you wouldn't still be here, like last Nerd picked! 

[BillySee58]

8 hours ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

I said Players Transferring. It's the worst by-product of NIL.

Players should only get 1 free transfer. After that, you have to sit a year. 

I think we’re starting to see that. The impact of the COVID year is usually understated in these “issues.” Because of the free COVID year, a ton of dudes in college football have graduated with still 2-3 years of eligibility left. Grad transfers don’t have to sit out.

We now have the last 3 HS classes that were not playing college football during the free 2020 season. As those older dudes phase out and with a lot of guys having already used their sit-out free transfer, I think it’s going to be a little more reasonable. 

[Jonnyeagle]

7 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

I think we’re starting to see that. The impact of the COVID year is usually understated in these “issues.” Because of the free COVID year, a ton of dudes in college football have graduated with still 2-3 years of eligibility left. Grad transfers don’t have to sit out.

We now have the last 3 HS classes that were not playing college football during the free 2020 season. As those older dudes phase out and with a lot of guys having already used their sit-out free transfer, I think it’s going to be a little more reasonable. 

Good point!

[Matt from A700]

Mass transferring/backing out of commitments. I hardly pay any attention in the spring/summer anymore. I will root for whoever actually suits up in September.

[NorthTexasWeLove]

14 hours ago, DentonStang said:

Current make up of the AAC

[KingDL1]

I think its the NCAA and their Dipshittery

[Mike Jackson]

On 7/7/2023 at 12:45 PM, Mean Green 93-98 said:

Of course, several of these are intertwined.  ESPN's stranglehold on college football has been a key contributor toward conference realignment and those TV revenues have made possible previously unheard-of coaching salaries.  And ridiculous coaching salaries have been the main argument for NIL and other means of paying players, and NIL has led several players to transfer who otherwise wouldn't have considered it.

I agree with strongly.  I am disappointed that so many pointed to NIL.  NIL is just bringing the “non-amateurism” above board somewhat.  Everyone (especially after SMU death penalty) was watching with some measure of cognitive dissonance if NIL is the most bothersome aspect of college sports for them today.  Virtually every aspect of FBS college football was governed by the free market except player benefits.  ESPN just outbid all the other competitors for the best FBS products and prices keeps going up because other are trying to outbid ESPN.  To me it is realignment and destruction of the rivalries that make CFB different and more passionate than NFL rivalries.  And as for NIL, it could be rolled back IF and only if the cut throat winner take all revenue model that IS NOT based on the field and classroom performance is changed.   But even if you could roll back NIL some of the new guidelines would be circumvented. The best I could brainstorm up are lists below.  
 

 The best legal structure that MIGHT work is  

1.  Guaranteed 4 year scholarships

2. No freshman NIL deals or negotiation during the first year.

3.  Transfers not eligible for NIL for a transition year and immediately voids existing deal.  That stipulation is waived for a player in a program if their head coach or AD goes to another university or fired.  The original NIL is still voided but they can immediately negotiate a new deal.  

4. 75% of all NIL money is held in trust until graduation or 23rd birthday if not still in school. 

But even then the biggest problem; financial incentive to exclude smaller brands from media deals, would not be addressed.  Congress could implement a law that says college sports media revenue that any school in a state public system generates at the D1 level must be shared equally with all the other D1 sports universities in that state equally.  In that system OU probably never separates from OSU and the same for UT and TAMU.  That won’t happen because none of the big schools would agree to share more money.

[Mike Jackson]

On 7/7/2023 at 6:18 PM, DentonStang said:

Current make up of the AAC

This isn’t real estate. You can’t buy your way in with old money.  JP Morgan is never going to be seen as the plucky overachieving underdog the people are just waiting to embrace and cheer for.  I swear y’all sound like the awkward  nerdy rich kid at the party with BO wondering why he isn’t the life of the party just because he is rich. 

[DentonStang]

1 hour ago, Mike Jackson said:

This isn’t real estate. You can’t buy your way in with old money.  JP Morgan is never going to be seen as the plucky overachieving underdog the people are just waiting to embrace and cheer for.  I swear y’all sound like the awkward  nerdy rich kid at the party with BO wondering why he isn’t the life of the party just because he is rich. 

Excuse me, we have money, AND coke

[untphd]

10 hours ago, DentonStang said:

Excuse me, we have money, AND coke

What bugs me are the trolls from other schools on this board.

[HoustonEagle]

I pretty much agree with everything that was said above, so I will try not to be repetitive.

Instead, I want to point out that college football has destroyed the dreams and opportunities of many athletes from other sports. The majority of athletes in the US do not play college football, and for them, the idea of receiving a scholarship or even a commitment to play at the college level is the pinnacle of achievement. Male athletes are particularly affected, but there are knock-on effects for female athletes as well, such as smaller athletic budgets for other sports. Men's volleyball and soccer are just two examples of sports that are suffering because of college football and Title IX. There are many others facing this issue, and countless more that will never be considered for the future, all because of college football and its 85 scholarships. Before you say football pays for everything else, I will point out that very few schools actually make money from their football programs. While it does generate a lot of donations, the vast majority of those donations are specifically earmarked for football.

We have all overlooked this issue because of our love for the sport and our desire to see our school win on the largest stages. However, I personally find it harder to overlook now that football has become a paid league while still being a massive drain on resources.

P.S. I understand that all athletes can receive NIL money, although very few do. Basketball players, in particular, do very well in this regard, but their small rosters do not harm other sports.

 

[RBP79]

On 7/7/2023 at 6:18 PM, DentonStang said:

Current make up of the AAC

Ahhh...the continued arrogance of Smut fans...lol

[bstnsportsfan3]

On 7/7/2023 at 6:18 PM, DentonStang said:

Current make up of the AAC

You are just salty that your perceived "little brother" has now caught up to you conference-wise. i don't see the Pac making a move anytime soon and no one else is desperate enough to add SMU. You will be in a conference for us for a long while and can no longer avoid us in basketball and other sports. 

[untphd]

2 minutes ago, bstnsportsfan3 said:

You are just salty that your perceived "little brother" has now caught up to you conference-wise. i don't see the Pac making a move anytime soon and no one else is desperate enough to add SMU. You will be in a conference for us for a long while and can no longer avoid us in basketball and other sports. 

I can't wait for that basketball game.

[NT80]

6 hours ago, HoustonEagle said:

I pretty much agree with everything that was said above, so I will try not to be repetitive.

Instead, I want to point out that college football has destroyed the dreams and opportunities of many athletes from other sports. The majority of athletes in the US do not play college football, and for them, the idea of receiving a scholarship or even a commitment to play at the college level is the pinnacle of achievement. Male athletes are particularly affected, but there are knock-on effects for female athletes as well, such as smaller athletic budgets for other sports. Men's volleyball and soccer are just two examples of sports that are suffering because of college football and Title IX. There are many others facing this issue, and countless more that will never be considered for the future, all because of college football and its 85 scholarships. Before you say football pays for everything else, I will point out that very few schools actually make money from their football programs. While it does generate a lot of donations, the vast majority of those donations are specifically earmarked for football.

We have all overlooked this issue because of our love for the sport and our desire to see our school win on the largest stages. However, I personally find it harder to overlook now that football has become a paid league while still being a massive drain on resources.

P.S. I understand that all athletes can receive NIL money, although very few do. Basketball players, in particular, do very well in this regard, but their small rosters do not harm other sports.

 

Title IX is the worst thing (besides NIL) that ever happened to men's sports.  Instead of increasing more funding and more women's sports most schools just eliminated men's sports.  NT used to have a great men's soccer program; similar to the women's soccer success today.

Good or bad however, Football has become the basis on how most school's sports programs are now judged.  Conferences select new expansion members based mostly on Football and it's growth potential.  Sports media assigns value to a program based mostly on football drawing power and market.

Edited July 10, 2023 by NT80