Name, image and likeness (NIL) has overtaken the college football world since its inception before the 2021 season.
Players are now allowed to make money off their own name, and that has created an entirely new side of college athletics, especially within the giant moneymaker that is collegiate football.
Because of how new and unregulated it is, NIL presents a new challenge to athletic departments and coaches across the country.
Georgia football coach Kirby Smart recently gave his take on 680 The Fan in an interview with host, former Georgia quarterback, Buck Belue.
“I don’t know that there’s a lot of managing it to it. I mean, kids make decisions based on what they feel like is best for them. There’s not a lot you can control on that,” Smart said.
“I really focus on the guys that are here that want to be part of our standard, be part of our organization and be part of the culture we’ve built. And that has to sell itself, and I’m worried about the ones that want to be here — not the ones that don’t.”
Smart’s mentor, Alabama coach Nick Saban, had an interesting take on the NIL era in a recent interview with the Associated Press.
“”The concept of name, image and likeness was for players to be able to use their name, image and likeness to create opportunities for themselves. That’s what it was,” said Saban. “But that creates a situation where you can basically buy players. You can do it in recruiting. I mean, if that’s what we want college football to be, I don’t know. And you can also get players to get in the transfer portal to see if they can get more someplace else than they can get at your place.”
Many expect rules and regulations to be set in place in the near future regarding NIL and the transfer portal to prevent some of the testy situations Saban mentions here.
Is it right for college football players to basically shop themselves by NIL in recruiting and later in the portal?