Page 14 - aruba-today-20220414

A14 sports
Thursday 14 april 2022
Saban: Current state of college football not 'sustainable'

By RALPH D. RUSSO be some changes imple-
AP College Football Writer mented, some kind of way
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — to still create a level playing
Nick Saban's willingness to field," he said. "And there is
adapt and often be a cat- no salary cap. So whatever
alyst for change in college school decides they want
football, both on the field to pay the most, they have
and off, has propelled Ala- the best chance to have
bama to six national cham- the best team. And that's
pionships in 13 seasons. never been college foot-
The 70-year-old coach is ball, either."
confident his program will Saban would prefer Ala-
continue to thrive during bama guarantee a set
this new era of college ath- amount of money for every
letics, with players having player who plays football
more opportunities to earn for the Crimson Tide.
money than ever before "We give everybody the
and more power to deter- same medical care, aca-
mine where they play. demic support, food ser-
But the current state of col- vice. Same scholarship. So
lege football has Saban if we're going to do this,
concerned. then everybody is going to
"I don't think what we're benefit equally. I'm not go-
doing right now is a sustain- ing to create a caste sys-
able model," Saban told tem on our team," Saban
The Associated Press in a said.
recent interview. LSU coach Brian Kelly sup-
That's a common theme ports a similar model, with
among coaches these players agreeing to sign
days, with Clemson's Dabo over certain NIL rights for a
Swinney and Southern Cali- Alabama coach Nick Saban watches players warm up for the College Football Playoff champi- base amount of compen-
fornia's Lincoln Riley among onship NCAA football game against Georgia on Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. sation along with the ability
the most prominent who Associated Press for a school to help boost
have echoed Saban's sen- an individual's brand.
timents. The combination it was," Saban said. "So last point, there is going to be might result in something "And we've got the best
of empowered athletes year on our team, our guys a market correction if you that looks more like profes- NFT, " Kelly added, referring
and easily accessible pay- probably made as much or will, with recruiting." sional football. to the popular digital col-
days is changing the way more than anybody in the What exactly is going on "I think you'll have 40 or 50 lectors' items. "Who can't
coaches go about their country." with recruiting and NIL is teams and a commissioner sell Mike the Tiger?"
business. Paying a player to attend hard to know for sure be- and here are the rules," he Saban isn't worried about
The uncertainty comes with a particular school is still a cause it is mostly happen- said. the changing landscape
the NCAA in a weakened violation of NCAA rules, but ing outside the purview of Saban said he is not against derailing his dynasty. Ala-
state following last year's NIL deals have quickly be- schools and the NCAA be- the shift toward players be- bama had more players
Supreme Court loss and in come intertwined with re- tween parties with no obli- ing compensated and giv- on NFL rosters (53) than any
the midst of a dramatic re- cruiting — both high school gation to publicly disclose en more freedom to switch school at the beginning of
structuring. Schools and the prospects and the growing deals. teams. last season. The Tide's track
NCAA itself would prefer number of college trans- A NIL contract drawn up for "We now have an NFL mod- record of personal and
federal legislation to regu- fers. an unidentified blue-chip el with no contracts, but professional development
late how athletes are com- "But that creates a situation recruit reportedly could be everybody has free agen- should remain attractive to
pensated for their names, where you can basically worth up to $8 million. Earlier cy," said Saban, echoing top players, though maybe
images and likenesses, but buy players," Saban said. this year, Texas A&M coach a comparison Kiffin has not quite as many as in the
when that might come and "You can do it in recruiting. Jimbo Fisher was angered made. past.
in what form is unknown. I mean, if that's what we by rumors the Aggies used "It's fine for players to get Saban is OK with that.
That has led to concerns want college football to millions in NIL money to sign money. I'm all for that. I'm "I know we have to adapt
about vast sums of money be, I don't know. And you the nation's consensus No. not against that. But there to that," Saban said.
flowing in and around col- can also get players to get 1 recruiting class for 2022. also has to be some respon- "You're going to have kids
lege athletics, including in the transfer portal to see Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin sibility on both ends, which out there that say, 'Well, I
brazen entities called col- if they can get more some- is among those who worry you could call a contract. can get a better deal go-
lectives put together by place else than they can about conflicts in recruit- So that you have an oppor- ing someplace else,' and
well-heeled donors whose get at your place." ing between coaches and tunity to develop people in they'll go there. But you're
donations have tradition- Riley told reporters last emboldened boosters, a way that's going to help also going to have people
ally funded everything from week NIL has "completely "I think that there's going to them be successful," Saban that see the light and say,
lavish facilities to multimil- changed" recruiting. start being issues potential- said. 'Yeah, they've got a good
lion-dollar buyouts of fired "I think that anybody that ly of donors and collective Saban, the highest-paid history of developing play-
coaches around Power cares about college foot- groups saying they want coach in college football ers. They got a good history
Five conferences. ball is not real pleased with Player A from their area. with a salary of nearly $10 of developing people, they
"The concept of name, im- that because that wasn't And the coaching staff million last season, said the got a great graduation
age and likeness was for the intention," said Riley, wants Player B," Kiffin told balance of power in the rate and that value is more
players to be able to use who is in his first season at AP. sport could tip toward the important.'
their name, image and like- Southern California after Swinney told ESPN major schools with the wealthiest "And they're distributing
ness to create opportunities five years at Oklahoma. college football needs a collectives. money to everybody in the
for themselves. That's what "And I'm sure, at some "complete blowup" that "So there's going to have to organization."q