During a recent interview, Lane Kiffin, head coach at Ole Miss, said what most around college football have been thinking recently: “We have free agency in college football.”
“The kids a lot of times go where they get paid the most,” Kiffin said. “No one else is saying that maybe, but kids say, this is what I’m getting here for NIL. Free agency has been created in college football, except you can’t lock people into a contract. This is a whole new thing to deal with.”
What most people feared when the new NIL rules came into effect was the schools with the biggest pockets would take control of the sport. It seems that is exactly what is happening. College football recruiting has turned into an arms race.
How this will affect Clemson recruiting remains to be seen. The Tigers boast arguably the most impressive football facilities in the nation, have a proven track record of winning and developing players to get them to the pros, as well as developing men off the field and having one of the highest graduation rates in the county. Coach Swinney has built a program Clemson faithful can be proud of. But how will that stack up to lesser programs throwing stacks of cash at 18 year old kids?
College football has certainly changed.
Lane Kiffin: “we have free agency in college football. Kids go to where they’re gonna get paid the most” pic.twitter.com/mfmuOPDnMX
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) December 14, 2021