“Government has shirked its real duties — deciding issues of national importance — to focus on something it knows nothing about.”
Opposed the Protect College Sports Act in an op-ed, arguing that government shouldn't take control of college sports.
Home › Quotes
Quotes & ideas archive
192 sourced entries from 107 players, coaches, commissioners, administrators, lawmakers and media figures on how to fix college football, 2006 to 2026. Filter by topic, person type, era or person, search the full text, and sort by date. Every entry links to its source.
Browse by topic: Governance & legislation · Pay, NIL & revenue sharing · Employment & unions · Transfer portal · Eligibility · Playoff & bowls · Scheduling & calendar · Structure: super league & divisions · Conference realignment · Rivalries & tradition · NFL relationship & draft · Health & safety
Eras: BCS (2006-13) · 4-team CFP (2014-20) · NIL/portal (2021-23) · 12-team/revenue-sharing (2024-26) · All people · Ideas index
“There is no cap on the amount of NIL deals. We would not agree to change that. That would be trying to restrict competition.”
Open to raising the revenue-share cap inside the settlement only if it stays soft; warned that a conference-built hard cap is 'not possible without our permission', though a one-free-transfer conference rule might survive.
“Having more teams in a tournament to determine a champion is not going to make it worse.”
At Big Ten media days, Riley said Big Ten coaches were unanimous in favor of a 24-team CFP. He argued expansion would bring back better nonconference games and preserve intersectional rivalries like USC-Notre Dame.
“Now, it has steadied. A true salary cap would steady it even more.”
Riley backed a 'true salary cap' to stabilize the sport but said it would only work if the model can actually be policed and hold up against lawsuits and state courts.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
At Big Ten media days, Petitti said an expanded playoff would make the regular season better by keeping more teams in the CFP race into November and December, while acknowledging it could eliminate conference title games.
“That's not necessarily breaking away, that doesn't mean you're not going to play anybody else. But is there a path to have rules that we can at least operate from the conference?”
Asked about Sankey's 'breakaway' remarks, said the question is whether conference-based rules are needed if the Protect College Sports Act fails; that is not a breakaway, but the Big Ten is preparing for every scenario.
“We're not interested in finding the easiest path, we are focused on finding the right path.”
Opening SEC Media Days, Sankey pushed back on a 24-team CFP. He said there is no clear evidence of media interest, the calendar is already strained, and the sport needs to find the right path rather than the easiest one.
“I do not believe that is a leverage point. I think that's just honest communication.”
Sankey said SEC talk of breaking away is real and not a bargaining tactic. He described it as a sign of deep frustration over how national rules on tampering, the House settlement and eligibility are being enforced.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
In his media days address, Sankey laid out the national standards he wants, including health and safety, scholarship protections, oversight of agents, athlete participation in governance, and uniform eligibility and transfer rules.
“I liked 16 initially. As I learned more about it, obviously, without the additional AQs, when 24 became part of the conversation, we've done our own conference due diligence around it, and we think it might be a great fit for us.”
At Big 12 Media Days, moved from backing 16 teams to saying a 24-team CFP without extra automatic qualifiers 'might be a great fit' for the Big 12, while protecting its title game.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
At SEC Media Days, acknowledged 'real' discussions of governance breakaway options that could distance the SEC from the NCAA, then walked back talk of actually breaking away.
“If the SEC breaks away, my guess would be Tony Petitti and the Big Ten would also break away, and maybe the ACC and Big 12”
Called SEC breakaway talk a leverage play; if the SEC broke away, the Big Ten and perhaps the ACC and Big 12 would follow, especially if federal help fails.
“I think the notion that we would simply rush to say we support is not the appropriate position.”
On The Paul Finebaum Show, denied any SEC–Big Ten merger or super league plan, calling claims by Protect College Sports Act backers 'not consistent with the truth'; declined to endorse the bill yet and questioned voluntary media-rights pooling.
“We have a revenue problem, either we grow the pie or we destroy everything that we're about. It's pretty damn simple.”
Told senators the system has failed and admitted the NCAA and conferences lost in court because they would not let athletes monetize their talents; framed it as a revenue problem.
“I have experienced the impact of NIL, the transfer portal, conference realignment, evolving eligibility rules, and the many changes shaping modern college athletics.”
Testifying on the Protect College Sports Act, said a national NIL framework would remove 'gray area' for athletes and that behind every policy debate are real students; noted coaching turnover disrupts development.
“I wouldn't call any team my favorite, but I do represent the team I currently play for, which is the University of Utah”
Asked by Sen. John Curtis to name his favorite team after playing for several schools, gave a diplomatic answer; Cruz joked he might run for office. Said a national NIL framework 'eliminates a lot of the gray area.'
“We agree today that college athletics are in crisis, and we agree that the system is broken and unsustainable”
Co-sponsor of the Protect College Sports Act; called the system broken and pushed amending the Sports Broadcasting Act to pool media rights and 'grow the pie'.
“Congress does need to fix the mess in the courts and create a national framework so the people inside college sports can enforce fair rules.”
Testifying before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the Protect College Sports Act, Saban asked Congress to create a national legal framework so people inside college sports can enforce fair rules, distinguishing real NIL from disguised pay-for-play.
“Free agency with a collective, now you're talking about bidding war for players.”
At the Senate hearing Saban proposed one transfer opportunity, with another allowed after graduation or in extenuating circumstances, arguing unlimited transfers plus collectives create free agency and bidding wars that hurt development.
“When the system becomes whoever raises the most money gets the best players, then we are no longer talking about college athletics as millions of fans and I have known it.”
In written sworn testimony, Saban said athletes should be compensated for legitimate NIL but warned against turning NIL into a pay-for-play bidding war run through collectives, and called the PCSA a bipartisan effort to bring order.
“If a young person gives his or her body to a university program, then that young person should not be discarded because of an injury, a roster decision, or athletic performance.”
Said athletes should not be discarded over injury or roster decisions, independent medical judgment must not be overridden, and Congress should fix 'the mess in the courts' without micromanaging.
“The window for meaningful reform is short and the cost of inaction is real.”
Backed the Protect College Sports Act's Commission on the Future of College Athletics to study deeper structural reforms; said the window for reform is short.
“I think really the second Monday in January should be the latest that we play college football.”
Bjork said the bigger issue than 24 vs. fewer playoff teams is fixing the whole calendar. He wants the season over by the second Monday in January and the postseason reimagined as bowls fade, which is why he considers 24 teams the right number.
“The College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams IS THE RIGHT MOVE for College Football to survive in the current landscape.”
Griffin argued on X that a 24-team CFP is necessary for the sport to survive. He said it would bring in revenue to cover rising player pay and let more networks carry playoff games, with losing conference title games as the price.
“I don't think the portal should exist at the same time that football's being played.”
After Oregon's spring game, Lanning backed a proposal to start the season earlier. He said the portal shouldn't be open while games are still being played and that the season should end close to Jan. 1 to line up with academic terms and coaching transitions.
“That's because of covid initially, and now because of NIL, guys are getting paid to stay in. That's problematic for us because if guys are coming in older they've probably got less upside.”
Said NIL and extra eligibility are keeping players in college longer, producing older draft prospects with less upside and more injuries; share of Ravens' board aged 24.5+ rose from about 4% to 18%.
“I found a system that quickly was defined by unlimited free agency and no salary cap and complete chaos.”
Yormark said he found a system of 'unlimited free agency and no salary cap and complete chaos.' He backed the SCORE Act as 'progress over perfection' and called for regulating agents, who he said charge excessive fees and push athletes into the portal.
“The money piece, in particular, is—got to be part of the conversation, and that's got to involve the student athletes.”
Baker said the SCORE Act addresses many problems but the hard part is cost and revenue. He added that any compensation structure must involve athletes themselves in the conversation.
“It's a national treasure. It's a public trust”
Campbell called the SCORE Act a good base and urged a smaller working group to reach a compromise that can get 60 Senate votes. He described college sports as a public trust that belongs to all Americans.
“With every player, maybe the quarterback and the third-string lineman making the same.”
At the roundtable he convened, Trump floated returning to a scholarship-based system with modest, equal pay for every player. He said he would pursue an executive order while Congress works on the SCORE Act.
“So that's, I think the answer is the antitrust piece is the inherent problem in trying to create caps and limits.”
Asked why the House ruling wasn't appealed, Sankey pointed to the 9-0 Supreme Court loss in Alston and said antitrust law is the core obstacle to creating caps and limits.
“We have 37 disparate laws across the country, so what you can do in one State is different than what you can do in another State.”
Phillips backed the SCORE Act, arguing a national law is needed to replace 37 conflicting state NIL laws. He said House-era scholarship additions had not hurt women's sports.
“And how much does anybody talk about getting an education anymore? Nobody talks about it at all”
At the White House 'Saving College Sports' roundtable, Saban asked what the guiding principles of college athletics should be. He called for a system, possibly via antitrust legislation, that lets athletes in all sports improve their quality of life while still using college to prepare for life after sports.
“I think we're coming to a point where we're going to be at no return if we don't get our act together and try to speak with one voice and solve this.”
Bevacqua said college football drives nearly every decision in college sports. If regulation with real consequences fails, he proposed requiring schools to reinvest a percentage of football and basketball spending into their Olympic sports.
“we are very quickly going to be in a world of 30 to 50 college football teams that are basically a mini NFL”
Cruz warned that without congressional action the sport would shrink to 30 to 50 football programs functioning as a mini-NFL, leaving Division II and III behind. He urged Senate Democrats to help reach 60 votes.
“99 out of a hundred student athletes in our league don't want to be employees”
Pernetti said the SCORE Act doesn't solve college sports' economic crisis. He argued the industry is designed to serve the top 1 percent and that nearly all of his league's athletes don't want to be employees.
“Get the donors out of it.”
At the White House roundtable, Meyer said NIL should mean real, market-based endorsements. He called for collectives to be made illegal and donors removed, with universities kept out of arranging player marketing, arguing the sport improves immediately if collectives go away under an antitrust exemption.
“The issue isn't the NIL, the issue isn't players making money. The issue is the ability for players to transfer to teams to other teams, and another team, but if we do it for the players, we gotta do it for the coaches.”
Responding to Nick Saban's White House remarks, Newton called returning the focus to education 'hogwash.' He proposed two- to three-year player contracts and limits on excessive transfers, with matching accountability for coaches, including in-season job changes and buyouts.
“If there's a point in which we cannot do so, I think that conversation -- Is there something that you do alone? -- I think that starts to generate more and more interest.”
On The Paul Finebaum Show, Sankey said breaking away wasn't a good idea for now, but that great frustration over the lack of enforceable guardrails could build interest in the SEC going it alone if collective problem-solving fails.
“We need some type of commissioner.”
On ESPN's First Take, Sanders called NIL unsustainable and said the sport needs a commissioner to set uniform rules for compensation. He also criticized the January portal window for disrupting academics.
“I think the Power 4 needs to break away, create their own world, create their own governing body.”
At Super Bowl LX radio row, Herbstreit laid out three fixes. He called for a national commissioner, for the Power 4 to break away with its own governing body (leaving the Group of 6 its own playoff), and for players to unionize so they can collectively bargain rules that hold up against antitrust suits.
“I think we try to stay in our lane unless we're invited in to be part of the solution.”
At his Super Bowl LX press conference, Goodell said college football needs to bring clarity to all the disruption, and the NFL would help if asked but otherwise would stay in its lane.
“We went to court to defend that eligibility rule.”
Goodell defended the NFL's rule that players be three years out of high school, saying it helps players mature and get an education and is good for colleges. He noted the league went to court to protect it (Clarett) and would keep doing so.
“To be honest, I think it's teaching young kids how to run away from their problems. Number two, it's ruining college sports.”
On The Big Podcast with Shaq, said NIL plus the portal teaches kids to run from problems and is 'ruining college sports'.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Proposed a three-step eligibility fix: players locked to their school for three years, free to transfer at the same level in year four, and given a fifth-year transfer option as a reward for graduating.
“Love the last part. Need to incentivize a degree. Out on 1–2. It's not just about the players. Sometimes the coaches do not get it right about a guy. Three years is too long of a lock-in. Two would be great. One-time free transfer”
Responding to Clay Travis's plan, proposed a two-year lock-in, a one-time free transfer, and a transfer-eligible fifth year as a reward for graduating.
“I love it that the kids can be compensated, but there should be rules and guidelines for that compensation, to hold them accountable to that”
Supports player compensation but wants rules that hold players accountable.
“Put somebody in charge. It's a $1.2 billion industry with not a singular voice in charge of it making decisions for the betterment of college football.”
Asked what he'd change, said 'put somebody in charge': a single commissioner able to make and enforce rules for the betterment of college football, since what's best for the SEC isn't always best for everyone else.
“It's like the salary cap and the second apron in the NBA. It makes you think more. You have to be more strategic, you have to be more tactical. It protects us from ourselves.”
Backed keeping the House settlement's revenue-sharing cap, likening it to the NBA salary cap and second apron.
“Saturday should be sacred for college football, and every Saturday through the month of December should belong to college football.”
At the Orange Bowl, Lanning argued that college football has given up too many dates to the NFL. He said every December Saturday should belong to college football, with playoff games played each week so the season ends by Jan. 1.
“You've created a system that inherently rewards what defies a team concept, and in a team sport, it just makes no sense.”
Ahead of Georgia's CFP Sugar Bowl quarterfinal, Smart criticized the portal system for rewarding only players who leave, arguing it defies the team concept.
“I wasn't trying to leave (Florida State). I didn't want to leave, so I just had to, and the portal was closing up.”
Blamed a bad agent, who allegedly texted schools pretending to be him, for forcing him out of Florida State and into repeated portal moves. (Quoted from ESPN in a Deseret News column.)
“It's broken; college football is broken. Everyone would agree if they were honest.”
Said flatly that college football is broken. (Quoted in a Deseret News column; original date of the remark not given.)
“Honestly, like, being with the transfer portal and NIL, it was actually a huge pay cut from the other schools. But it was, I believe, looking back on it, it was the right decision.”
Said transferring to Indiana was a 'huge pay cut' compared with other schools' NIL offers, but he chose development under Cignetti.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
The CFBPA's 10-point 'Platform for Change' calls for collective bargaining covering independent medical care, safer practice standards, long-term health protections, a protected offseason, revenue sharing with league minimums, and player-negotiated free agency/eligibility rules and season length/playoff expansion. It also wants union-facilitated group NIL and union certification of agents.
“You don't need more rules, you don't need more people, you need to enforce the rules.”
On The Triple Option podcast, Meyer said a commissioner without real power would change nothing, that the new College Sports Commission won't work, and that the sport needs an enforcement arm rather than more rules or more people.
“I have conversations all the time with (Kirk) Herbstreit and we're of the opinion that the national championship game should be played here every year, no matter what.”
Proposed holding the CFP national championship at the Rose Bowl every year, and said Herbstreit agrees.
“We've created a mess. Point blank. The whole industry is a mess. The only thing that's not a mess is the dollar signs.”
Called the whole college football industry a mess; the only thing not a mess is revenue. (Quoted in a Deseret News column.)
“College football is messed up.”
On The Pat McAfee Show, said the playoff boosted interest but the 'underbelly' is bad for player development; the sport must choose between a pro developmental league and college athletes; he called player movement a bigger issue than money.
“I think we need to have a commissioner who is over all the conferences, as well as a competition committee who defines the rules of how we're going to play the game, because that's what we don't have right now.”
On ESPN's College GameDay, while discussing the sport's calendar and in-season coaching moves, Saban called for a national commissioner over all conferences and a competition committee to define the rules.
“We shouldn't be the NFL. We're something different. We're something that's special.”
On The Dan Patrick Show, called a super league a 'horrible mistake' that would make college football a compromised small version of the NFL.
“We need to standardize the schedule across the board if we want to have objective criteria for who should be in the playoff and who shouldn't, and we need to take the decision making off the (CFP) Committee to some degree.”
At Big Ten media days, Cignetti defended Indiana's soft nonconference schedule by saying it had adopted the SEC's scheduling philosophy. He proposed that every Power Four league play nine conference games, with automatic bids and conference play-in games (3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5) on championship weekend.
“We want to better connect the regular season & postseason. We want more conference games to matter in November.”
At Big Ten media days, Petitti pitched a playoff format with more automatic bids for the Big Ten and SEC so more conference games matter in November, and said models that lean more on committee picks would struggle to win Big Ten support. The Big Ten was also the lone FBS league backing a spring portal window over January.
“Also, the playoff format should not function as a disincentive to schedule tough, nonconference games.”
Petitti said any postseason format should keep as many teams alive as long as possible and shouldn't discourage teams from scheduling tough nonconference games.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
At 2025 SEC Media Days, Sankey defended the CFP memorandum of understanding that gives the SEC and Big Ten decision-making authority on the format. He said that without an agreement the 5+7 12-team model could simply stay.
“I wish there was a cap.”
At Big 12 media days, Sanders called for an NFL-style salary cap with transparent, regulated pay, arguing that booster-funded spending decides who makes the playoff.
“We want to play Big Ten schools.”
Leaving the SEC spring meetings, Kelly said SEC coaches want nine conference games plus an annual regular-season crossover with the Big Ten, noting the Big Ten had won the last two national titles.
“There are three ways we can go — stay out of it, facilitate more of it or create a mandate.”
On SEC-Big Ten scheduling, Sankey laid out three options: stay out of it, facilitate more games, or mandate them. He called a mandate incredibly difficult.
“The biggest decision that needs to be made in college football right now, by far, is when is the portal window and is it one or two.”
At SEC spring meetings, Smart called the number and timing of portal windows the biggest decision in the sport, said coaches unanimously wanted one window in January, and complained that it wasn't clear who was deciding.
“It needs to happen sometime in January.”
Smart argued against a spring-only portal, saying it would make tampering worse during January through March, and said an AFCA coaches meeting unanimously agreed there should be one window in January.
“The NFL has tiptoed up to this rule”
Criticized the NFL for encroaching on college and high school football by scheduling Black Friday and late-season Saturday games under the Sports Broadcasting Act.
“We're living in a contractual — put it in the contract.”
After Nico Iamaleava's NIL holdout at Tennessee, Newton said the episode was good because it would push the sport toward governance. He called for contracts that withhold money from players who skip games, bowls, practices or meetings.
“It's not sustainable the way we are. It's just a matter of time.”
Predicted college football will consolidate into one 40–50-team 'super league', possibly 'the best era for college football'; warned that 'the adults have left the room.'
“The adults are all downstairs sipping wine, and we've put a bunch of kids up in the room with fireworks and gas and knives and we don't think anything bad is going to happen.”
Worried the game will 'use' kids because adults have abdicated leadership; used a vivid image of kids left in a room with fireworks.
“This isn't about left or right; it's about right and wrong. The NCAA is broken, but handing the keys to a few fat cats is worse.”
Warned that giving the Big Ten and SEC an antitrust pass would create a 'gilded monopoly' super conference that starves everyone else; he favors pooled media rights under the Sports Broadcasting Act and geographically sensible conferences.
“If you're in high school and you're getting offered that, go wherever they're paying you the most.”
On The Dan Patrick Show, Burrow said he would have transferred from Ohio State much sooner if today's rules had existed, and told players to take full advantage of NIL money.
“It's not just about my name on the case. I did this for these guys around me.”
Said he brought the House case for athletes nationwide and is seeking solutions that 'actually help everyone' through the players' association Athletes.org.
“It's, how are the athletes treated, and they've been treated like employees for a long time.”
Said Athletes.org isn't necessarily seeking employee status but that athletes have long been treated like employees; 94% of players at its CFP-week meeting wanted to learn about an employment model.
“I feel like if I could've had NIL in my third year, I could've bought my dad a kidney, and maybe he wouldn't have died”
A four-school portal veteran, said the system rather than the schools failed him; his father died of kidney disease before NIL could help.
“Historically, over and over, time and time again, unless you force their hand to make a change, they're not going to do it by themselves”
Said leaders won't change unless forced, and urged schools to max out House revenue sharing, 'because if you don't pay your student-athletes, you're not going to have student-athletes.'
“This has resulted in the loss of traditional rivalries and has ballooned travel expenses and time away from the classroom, especially for the non-revenue sports.”
Argued that conferences competing for media deals led to coast-to-coast leagues, lost rivalries and heavy travel; pooled media rights could reset conferences along geographic lines.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Swinney has backed revenue sharing because it comes with a salary cap and promised regulation of third-party NIL, but he opposes the House settlement's 105-man football roster limit because it squeezes out walk-ons.
“There shouldn't be no regulations. You earned it. Free market.”
Reacting on his podcast to reports of huge NIL deals for transfer QBs, Hunter said college players should get whatever the market will pay, without regulation, because they have almost no time off.
“The rules are in place. Now they're not enforced.”
Asked whether he would want to be a college football commissioner, Meyer said he would not. He argued the sport already has the rules it needs and what's missing is enforcement of tampering and spending rules.
“I think a commissioner would be a nice thing in theory, but what can they effectively get done if everybody can't agree on something.”
Doubted that naming a commissioner would fix everything, since conferences, the NCAA and now the courts all govern the sport, though he said Saban would be 'great' in the job.
“I think one of the most important things that we can do is let's get a commissioner of college football that is waking up every single morning and going to bed every single night, making decisions that's in the best interest of college football”
Before the Fiesta Bowl, called for a commissioner of college football and joked Nick Saban was the 'obvious choice'.
“The season's not over yet, and there's a free-agency window open.”
On a Gator Bowl coaches' Zoom call, Kiffin called the calendar 'a dumb system' because the portal opens while teams are still playing, and compared it to NFL free agency opening before the playoffs.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Endorsed Nick Saban as a commissioner of college football while criticizing the CFP for leaving out three-loss SEC teams in favor of SMU and Indiana.
“If the transfer portal opens before I can complete negotiations with Anchor Impact, I will be trapped between abandoning those negotiations or foregoing possible opportunities with other colleges”
Sued the NCAA over its five-year rule, arguing that JUCO seasons shouldn't count against Division I eligibility; said the transfer portal calendar would trap him if the court didn't act.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Sued USC, the NCAA and the Pac-12 for NIL compensation from his 2003–05 career, seeking to 'rectify ongoing injustices'; his Heisman had been restored earlier in 2024.
“This is an unjust settlement that would not only harm current athletes but future college athletes who are only in fourth grade.”
Huma announced the NCPA's opposition to the House settlement. He argued it would let conferences avoid sharing revenue, shut down NIL collectives so schools could 're-monopolize booster money,' allow cutting sports, and ban revenue sharing if athletes gain collective bargaining rights.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
In the NCPA's release, Huma wrote that the settlement had terms allowing conferences to prohibit revenue sharing, to eliminate much of the collective money, and to cut non-revenue sports.
“This NIL stuff's not real money. It's just starting money, I would say.”
Called NIL 'starting money' and said the media overstates what players make; life-changing money is in the NFL.
“We're going through change, but I would rather call it a necessary reset.”
At Big 12 Media Days, Yormark called realignment a 'necessary reset' and said it makes sense to take on a private-capital partner, as long as it doesn't compromise the league's long-term future. He also floated exploring new TV windows outside crowded Saturdays.
“It's whoever wants to pay the most money, raise the most money, buy the most players is going to have the best opportunity to win. I don't think that's the spirit of college athletics.”
At a Capitol Hill appearance with Sen. Cruz, said NIL plus free agency means whoever raises the most money buys the best players.
“Let's work together to create a less exploitative business model for college sports.”
After Dartmouth players voted 13–2 to join SEIU Local 560, the first college team union, called for a less exploitative business model.
“But based on the time, effort and hours, we operate as employees currently.”
Griffin was the first Power Five football player to testify at a House NIL hearing. He said momentum favors athlete compensation and that, based on time and effort, athletes already operate as employees, though the NLRB would decide that.
“At a minimum, there needs to be consolidation of the highest resource programs around a new financial and governance model.”
At his introduction at Ohio State, Bjork said the Big Ten and SEC should shape the future. He called for, at minimum, consolidating the highest-resource programs under a new financial and governance model.
“The thing I would change about college football is to let the talent share in the ever-increasing revenues.”
The morning after winning the national title, Harbaugh said the one thing he would change is letting players share in revenues, and called unionization the next step if institutions won't do it themselves.
“We're all robbing the same train here.”
At CFP national championship media day, Harbaugh proposed that everyone profiting from athletes (coaches, administrators, conferences, universities, the NCAA) take 5 to 10% less, plus a 10% tax on TV money, all pooled for athletes in every sport.
“Can you imagine in the NBA or NFL, free agency were to start in the playoffs? I mean, it would never happen.”
On an SEC coaches' teleconference, Kiffin said the portal windows are timed before the season is over, which invites tampering, and called the whole system reactive rather than thought out.
“We, the adults, have done a lot to really screw this thing up.”
At a pre-Citrus Bowl news conference, Ferentz said the sport was in worse shape than two years earlier and blamed the adults. He called for a college football commissioner and a summit of Power Five commissioners, ADs and coaches to 'blow everything up and try to start over.'
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
In an open letter to athletes about his 'Project D1' proposal, Baker said the new subdivision could write its own rules on scholarships, roster limits, recruiting, transfers and NIL, and invited athlete feedback.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
In a letter to Division I schools, Baker proposed a new top tier of Division I in which the richest schools would pay at least half their athletes at least $30,000 a year through a trust fund. He also proposed letting all D-I schools sign NIL deals directly with athletes.
“If you want to go to a college, it should be because you want to play football there, not because somebody pays you more than the other guy”
Said he has no problem with players earning money but NIL arrived without limits or uniformity; the portal erodes team bonds; called college football 'kind of upside down'.
“Right now, the current status quo is unacceptable and won't survive.”
Harbaugh opened his weekly press conference with a monologue calling for a revenue-sharing system with athletes, calling the status quo unacceptable and saying schools that capitalize on talent should pay the talent.
“I think the decision-making lost its way in terms of the focus on the student-athlete and what's primarily best for them, but we are where we are.”
On The Dan Patrick Show, Swarbrick called realignment 'a complete disaster' driven by money and said decision-making had lost focus on athletes. He urged more regional scheduling and said athletes don't need to become employees.
“I will tell you what we've seen is that the longer we wait for our media deal, the better our options get”
Two weeks before the Pac-12 collapsed, insisted schools were committed and that waiting would improve the league's media deal.
“Are student-athletes deemed to be employees if they are unionized and collectively bargained?”
Called athlete employee status a 'bigger and existential threat' than NIL, warning that unionization and collective bargaining would dry up money for Olympic and women's sports.
“Somehow it's got to get fixed because there's no system around it.”
In his SEC Media Days opening statement, Kiffin called the state of the sport 'a disaster.' He said NIL had become pay-for-play and the portal was free agency twice a year with no salary cap, and that huge roster overhauls aren't good for college football.
“I've always said, when asked, shorten the [transfer portal] windows, so at least we know what your roster is and not so many chances for players.”
Kiffin said he used to favor making players employees so teams could sign multi-year contracts, but now thinks employment would create more problems than it solves. His consistent fix is shorter transfer windows.
“It changed my life, to say the least, for sure.”
Said NIL 'changed my life'; he did no NIL deals in his year at Oklahoma, but after transferring to USC he could support himself and buy gear for walk-ons and teammates.
“We need to separate divisions.”
In an interview with SI, Brown said amateurism is gone and argued that Division I should split into separate divisions (Power 5, Group of 5, FCS) with their own rules, that athletes should be paid within a regulated system with a salary cap, and that a commissioner should oversee college football.
“I wish we would stop hiding behind NIL.”
Brown said NIL had become a cover for pay-for-play and inducements, and urged the sport to stop pretending and openly standardize and regulate compensation.
“One thing the NFL has figured out is that they've got even playing rules for all 32 organizations.”
Ferentz compared the portal plus NIL to the early days of NFL free agency. He noted the NFL has equal playing rules, equal roster sizes and a salary cap, and said he would run recruiting like the NFL.
“I just like more access.”
Days before the CFP approved 12 teams, Kelly, a former Division II coach, backed expansion because it gives more teams access and keeps more teams in the hunt later in the season.
“But to take a kid out of high school and pay him eight million billion dollars to go to your school, I think that's insane.”
At the Little Rock Touchdown Club, Herbstreit said he had no problem with NIL for players with established brands, but wanted to end big booster payments to high school recruits and objected to power programs poaching starters from smaller schools.
“I also think that it's important we also kind of put up guardrails in place for the teams and the coaches and everyone to understand the do's and don'ts of it.”
Softened on NIL, calling parts of it 'really cool' but urging guardrails; predicted realignment would settle into at least three major conferences.
“We need some intervention, and then my bigger concern is: Who's going to do it, right?”
At Big Ten Media Days, Ferentz said the sport lacks basic operating rules, that nobody could fully explain NIL, and that it needs intervention from one stabilizing voice. He opposed bidding for high school recruits combined with unlimited transfers.
“The game on the field has never been better. Once you walk off the field, it's never been more chaotic.”
Fitzgerald agreed with Ferentz on the portal, NIL and a never-ending recruiting calendar.
“The government is the only person that can regulate this.”
Speaking at the Texas High School Coaches Association convention, Fisher said the patchwork of state NIL laws had created dysfunction and that only Congress could set uniform national rules.
“It's gonna become the NFL. You have these two conferences, the transfer portal is free agency. Will there be a player's union at some point? There's no governance right now.”
Predicted college football 'is gonna become the NFL', with two super-conferences, the portal as free agency and possibly a players' union within three to five years.
“It's like the wild, wild west. I do know I love the game of college football and I don't want it ruined.”
Said NIL rules should be more uniform across schools, calling the landscape the 'wild, wild west'.
“There's no rules, no guidance, no nothing. It's out of control. It's not sustainable.”
Swinney criticized the unregulated NIL environment, calling it unsustainable and warning that players would make decisions for the wrong reasons.
“They should get paid; they should be able to transfer. Coaches do it all the time.”
Backed NIL pay and free transfer ('if coaches can do it, players should'), but said the lack of rules turned it into the wild, wild west.
“In my life, I've never voted or signed a contract where I don't know the financial terms of that contract.”
On The Dave Pasch Podcast, Kliavkoff said the Pac-12 supported 8- and 12-team formats. He voted no only because the proposal ran past 2025 without any agreement on revenue split, and because he wanted protection for the Rose Bowl's traditional window.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Phillips said it was not the right time for CFP expansion, pointing to unanswered athlete health questions, wider disruption from NIL and the new NCAA constitution, and the need for a holistic review of the sport.
“We are 100 percent supportive of expansion. We think it's the right thing to do. But it has to be at the right time, in the right format, for the right reasons.”
After the 12-team proposal failed, Warren said the Big Ten fully supported expansion but only with the right format and timing, with revenue sharing, the academic calendar and mental health settled first. The Big Ten also favored automatic bids for Power 5 champions.
“To not be able to get paid for something like that, I say it's kind of crazy.”
Early in the NIL era, Williams defended athletes getting paid because their days are longer than most people's. He called transferring to run from competition 'a little weak-minded' but said coaching changes uproot players.
“Science will tell you you can't keep hitting these guys and expect them to be fresh and ready to go”
Drawing on FCS experience, said 15-16 game seasons are a grind that requires less hitting in practice.
“People say, It's just one more game. To me, that is a total lack of appreciation for what it takes to win a game”
Said 12-team expansion may be good financially and for fans 'but I don't think that's what is best for the player'; called 'it's just one more game' a lack of appreciation for what those games take.
“This whole thing has been a complete articulation of deception”
After Texas and Oklahoma moved toward the SEC, sent ESPN a cease-and-desist letter accusing it of encouraging other conferences to poach Big 12 members; called the process deceptive.
“I think 12 teams is a huge step in the right direction. I personally would like to see 64, and you could map it out pretty easily.”
At SEC Media Days, Leach called the proposed 12-team CFP a huge step in the right direction but said he would personally like a 64-team bracket.
“I think the more you expand it, the less important the season becomes and the more you become the NFL.”
Swinney said he and his players opposed expanding the CFP to 12 teams, though he called it inevitable. He argued more expansion makes the regular season less important and turns the sport into the NFL, where teams rest starters once they're in.
“No, no, no, you cannot be doing that.”
As interim NIL rules took effect, Emmert said he hoped Congress would pass an NIL law. He added that the bans on pay-for-play and recruiting inducements must remain the bedrock of college athletics.
“I'm a believer that more is not always better and increasing is not always better.”
Asked about expanding the four-team CFP, Warren said the sport should first study the effects on player health, academics and injuries. He said he wasn't yet ready for eight teams and would vote no at that point.
“I just think we are finally now realizing how big of a voice we have”
Co-led #WeWantToPlay with Trevor Lawrence and started a petition to reinstate the Big Ten season; said players realized how big a collective voice they have; NIL was not his top priority but 'times are changing.'
“All together — a step toward one collective voice”
Rencher, who helped organize the cross-conference Zoom call behind the #WeWantToPlay/#WeAreUnited statement, called it a step toward one collective player voice, with universal support for a players association.
“People are at just as much, if not more risk, if we don't play.”
Lawrence helped launch #WeWantToPlay, arguing players were safer in team structures than sent home. A joint statement with #WeAreUnited, drafted with players from every Power Five conference, called for universal health protocols, opt-out rights, and a college football players association.
“I believe we need the basic rights and benefits that will help our future.”
As part of #WeAreUnited, Hobbs said players lacked enforced health and safety standards and needed basic rights and benefits.
“Our strength as players comes from our collective unity and willingness to advocate for ourselves, because if we don't, no one else will.”
Pac-12 players threatened to opt out unless the conference met their demands. These included enforced COVID safety standards, a 50-50 revenue split with athletes, guaranteed medical coverage, six-year scholarships, and administrator pay cuts to protect all sports.
“They pay the students who tear the tickets and sell popcorn at our games. The least that the NCAA can do for those who bring so much money to the NCAA and its schools would be to pay them the minimum wage.”
Filed a class action claiming the NCAA and schools are joint employers owing athletes at least minimum wage, comparing them to work-study students who tear tickets and sell popcorn.
“We believe in the collegiate model, not the professional model.”
When the NCAA Board of Governors opened the door to NIL, Smith said the association would not move to a model where athletes are employees or are paid to play.
“And that's just not where I feel like where college football needs to go. There's an opportunity in the NFL, but not in college football.”
On ESPN's First Take, opposed California's NIL bill, saying college football is about team and school and that paying players feeds a 'selfish culture'.
“College athletics is about college students playing other college students, not employees playing employees.”
During California's Fair Pay to Play debate, Emmert argued against treating athletes as employees and warned that California schools could be barred from NCAA championships.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
After reports of the NCAA's roughly $1.1 billion in revenue, Manziel tweeted that the NCAA needed to 'PAY UP,' sharing his 2013 TIME cover titled 'It's time to pay college athletes.'
“I think that's a distraction. There are smart enough people at these universities to figure it out.”
O'Bannon said claims that paying athletes is too complicated are a distraction. His proposal was to open the books and share revenue with athletes in all sports, while letting stars earn outside endorsement money.
“The reality of it is, in many way, major college football is the minor league system for the NFL.”
Savage said major college football is in many ways the NFL's minor league, since the NFL, unlike baseball or basketball, has no development system of its own.
“The NFL has the greatest farm system in the world.”
At his introductory Titans press conference, Vrabel described big-time college programs as the NFL's farm system.
“to adapt, react and take advantage of this new world media order that's coming in a way others can't.”
Boasted around 2018 that the Pac-12 could exploit the 'new world media order' better than rivals, a claim AP noted aged badly after the 2023 collapse.
“Our team is worth 1.5 BILLION dollars but it wouldn't be fair to other students if we get a free hamburger.”
Responding to a Wall Street Journal valuation of Ohio State football at $1.5 billion, Burrow tweeted a jab at NCAA rules that barred players from even small benefits.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Announced he would sit out the Sun Bowl to prepare for the draft, calling it a 'very tough decision'; along with Fournette, he sparked the debate over opt-outs from non-playoff bowls.
“All these young guys deciding to skip their bowl games 🤔.I would do anything to play one more time with my brothers in that scarlet and gray”
Initially criticized players skipping bowl games, then said it 'makes sense' for the injured Fournette and McCaffrey.
“It's best for my future.”
Skipped LSU's Citrus Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft, helping start the bowl opt-out trend.
“I think it's smart on their part, because it's different when you're a running back and you're taking all the shots.”
Backed McCaffrey and Fournette sitting out bowls to prepare for the NFL.
“I've said a million times that players aren't asking for millions of dollars a year.”
The lead plaintiff in the NCAA likeness case said his view had evolved: beyond likeness rights, paying athletes as employees was now a strong possibility 'within reason,' meaning modest pay rather than millions.
“I think the NCAA is one of the biggest scams in America.”
Called the NCAA a scam; proposed paying players about $60,000 per year of college held in a 401(k)-style account until a certain age; criticized medical care for injured players.
“And people are upset that student-athletes need a little cash. I tell you from experience that one time I had negative 40 bucks in my account.”
At Super Bowl week, Sherman argued athletes' schedules leave no real time to use the 'free education', and recalled having negative bank balances in college; defended athletes needing 'a little cash.'
“Then there are [players] walking out with an $800 scholarship check a month.”
Defending suspended Georgia RB Todd Gurley, Manziel said college players who build a brand should be able to profit from it, and contrasted the billions flowing to schools, networks and the SEC with players' monthly scholarship checks.
“a little less magnanimous about the 350 schools and spend a little time worrying about the most severe issues that are troubling our programs among the 65.”
Pushing for Power Five autonomy, Bowlsby said the big leagues needed to worry less about all 350 D-I schools and focus on the most serious issues facing the 65 power-conference programs.
“And if it's different on each campus, so what?”
As the NCAA granted autonomy to the Power Five, Scott argued that cost-of-attendance stipends could differ from campus to campus, just as tuition, facilities and cost of living do.
“But there is absolutely no question that turning students into employees would take us in precisely the opposite direction that we need to go.”
Responding to the NLRB ruling on Northwestern players, Scott wrote that treating athletes as employees would be a terrible idea. Instead he called for NCAA reform with more academic support, better health care, and scholarships covering the full cost of attendance.
“The players are not blind. They see the dollars being made in the game. It's obvious.”
Responding to the NLRB ruling that Northwestern players were employees, said it was no surprise given the money in the sport and that players feel the amateur label keeps them from what they deserve.
“We don't have a voice. It's a dictatorship where everything is put on us without our input, without a negotiation right now we just want a seat at the table.”
As Northwestern players petitioned the NLRB to form a union, Colter said players have no voice in NCAA decisions and need collective protections like guaranteed medical coverage, similar to NFL and NBA players.
“If you get hurt in school colors, just because someone labels you as an amateur doesn't mean you shouldn't be taken care of for that injury, when there is a multi-billion dollar industry.”
Backing the Northwestern union petition, Huma argued that athletes hurt while playing deserve medical protection regardless of the 'amateur' label.
“So for them to have the final say as to where I can go for my future, it's kinda ridiculous in my mind because they didn't pay for anything”
Challenged transfer rules that could cost a walk-on a year of eligibility for an intra-conference transfer, calling it ridiculous that a school that paid for nothing controlled his future.
“But as far as paying players, professionalizing college athletics, that's where you lose me.”
Asked about the Northwestern players' union push, Swinney said he opposed paying players and professionalizing college athletics, and suggested that any improvements, such as a post-graduation annuity or stipend, should be tied to education and graduation.
“The courts will avoid wading into labor law at nearly any cost. The age restriction was collectively bargained, giving the legal system an out in cases like these.”
Said Clowney challenging the three-years rule would be a huge risk, noting the failed suits by Maurice Clarett and Mike Williams and courts' deference to collectively bargained rules.
“I am strongly against any player entering the NFL before he's three years removed from high school. In fact, if it was up to me, I'd raise the restriction to four years removed from high school.”
During the Jadeveon Clowney debate, opposed early NFL entry and said he would raise the draft rule from three to four years out of high school.
“We are allowing the best teams in the country to determine a national champion on the football field, and as a coach, that's what you want.”
Stoops welcomed the newly approved four-team playoff because it lets the best teams decide the title on the field, and praised it for keeping the bowl experience and making regular-season games more important.
“I'm very foolish. I assumed -- and it was a rash assumption on my part -- that our friends over in the state capital would want to continue playing us. It turns out they didn't think we were as much of a rival as we thought of them.”
Called A&M's SEC move 'brilliant' for stability but said he wrongly assumed Texas would keep playing the rivalry game.
“It's a big part of the Big Ten culture and the Big Ten brand.”
During the 2012 playoff talks, Delany first lobbied to host semifinals on the higher seed's campus to protect the Rose Bowl. He later said that if a playoff was inevitable, the 'best four teams' should be picked by a committee.
“As long as I can go to the Rose Bowl, I don't really care.”
Delany opposed a four-team 'plus-one' playoff, calling it a slippery slope toward 8 or 16 teams and saying the only strong argument for it is financial. He said he was fine with dropping automatic BCS bids as long as the Big Ten kept the Rose Bowl.
“I don't necessarily think the slippery slope is theoretical. I think the slippery slope is practical.”
Delany argued that playoff expansion is a practical certainty rather than a theoretical risk, pointing to how the I-AA and basketball brackets grew.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Swofford, who co-proposed the plus-one with Mike Slive in 2008, said he still supported it because it would give two more teams a shot at the title. He acknowledged worries that playoffs tend to grow.
“Turning them into professional athletes is not the solution to the challenges we face right now.”
Emmert defended the new $2,000 cost-of-attendance stipend as support for students, not pay for play, which he said was not up for discussion. He also warned that realignment was causing damaging cross-country travel and fear-driven decisions.
“Clearly, this can be accomplished if all involved are willing to put their egos aside.”
In a letter to UT and A&M leaders, urged keeping the rivalry as a nonconference game, citing South Carolina–Clemson and the old Texas–Oklahoma series.
“These kids and I aren't involved with that. And the coaches. That's bigger than us. That's about administrators and that's about fans.”
Before what was then the last Texas–Texas A&M game, said realignment decisions were made by administrators and fans, not players and coaches.
“I hate to see the end of anything that has such rich history and tradition come to an end”
Lamented the end of the Texas–Texas A&M Thanksgiving rivalry due to the SEC move.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
At SEC spring meetings, Spurrier proposed that head coaches pay each of the 70 players in their traveling party $300 per game out of their own pockets. Seven SEC coaches, including Nick Saban, Les Miles, Will Muschamp and Dan Mullen, signed on.
“Number One, I think there was a tsunami of Texas political pressure from Texas A&M and Baylor”
Explained why his 16-team 'Pac-16' superconference plan with Texas and Oklahoma failed: Texas political pressure, national fear of dominoes, and Pac-10 principles such as equal revenue sharing.
“If it was a developmental league, it should be done for that purpose, for the purpose of developing players”
Floated reviving an NFL developmental league (after folding NFL Europe), focused on offseason reps to develop players, subject to collective bargaining.
“The collective presidents of America's major universities believe that the playoff system is not in the best interest of intercollegiate athletics or our universities.”
After President-elect Obama called for an eight-team playoff, Gee held firm, saying presidents of major universities believe a playoff isn't in the best interest of college athletics.
“We want to maximize the number of students who learn these skills, not cut programs in order to pay salaries to a few.”
In a HuffPost column, Brand rejected the 'capitalism' argument for pay-for-play. He said most athletic programs don't generate enough revenue to pay players, and that paying a few would mean cutting sports that benefit many students.
“There's a strong sense in that room of the slippery-slope view that there's never been a collegiate or professional playoff that's stopped at four teams.”
Explaining why commissioners rejected the 2008 plus-one, Delany cited the view that no playoff has ever stopped at four teams.
“There's no such thing as standing pat.”
Slive formally proposed a seeded plus-one (1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3 in BCS bowls, with a title game a week later, plus an extra BCS bowl). Only the SEC and ACC wanted to keep discussing it, and Slive said there's no such thing as standing pat.
“The seeded model looked like a playoff, and we don't think a playoff is in the best interest of college football.”
Tranghese said he preferred an unseeded plus-one, where the title matchup is set after the bowls, over a seeded model that looked like a playoff.
“I believe the time has come for the NCAA to take control of the college football postseason.”
Reversing 20 years of opposition, Adams urged the NCAA to take control of the postseason with a four-team playoff after the major bowls, and to cut the regular season back to 11 games. He said the BCS had lost public confidence and TV networks had become too powerful.
“Maybe the NCAA can be Switzerland here.”
Brand said there was a new willingness to discuss a football playoff and offered the NCAA as a neutral place for those talks.
“They will wrench a playoff system out of my cold, dead hands. It's too much like moving toward having universities being farm clubs for the pros.”
Gee flatly rejected a playoff, arguing it would push universities toward being farm clubs for the pros.
“To a person, we expressed our support for the current BCS system.”
White criticized Georgia president Michael Adams's playoff push and said SEC presidents had unanimously rejected the idea in 2007 and supported the BCS.
“'Amateur' defines the participants, not the enterprise.”
In his centennial State of the Association address, Brand said athletes are not paid because they are students, not employees. He also argued that college sports should run their business side well, since amateurism describes the participants rather than the enterprise.