We are 6 weeks in the college football season, and after a crazy day of college football, there still is 1 issue at hand. That issue is money. Many people say that NIL has killed the sport, and I kind of agree. Now, I am not saying that the players should not get paid, because they should. The NCAA also should not cap how much a player makes either. But a new trend is spawning, and it is stemming from NIL, that problem is sitting out.
Image via CNN
NIL stands for name, image, and likeness, and has been fought over for many years. Just recently have players been able to make money using their NIL. So here is the basic rundown of how it works. A player wants money and will get a sponsorship to fill that money need. Pretty simple on paper, but NIL is now reaching to high school recruits. Recruits now go to schools asking how much money you will pay me or how much will I make here, which makes recruiting a wild wild west nowadays. But now players are becoming upset for not making their money and therefore are sitting out and hitting the portal. This has been shown by 2 UNLV players, Mattew Sluka and Michael Allen.
The case for Allen is pretty straight forward case, he was upset with how much playing time opportunities he was able to get through ought the season. He also cleared rumors about his departure being NIL related through a post on his X account. Sluka, on the other hand it vastly different.
Via KSL Sports
Matthew Sluka is a senior QB at UNLV. Issues began to arise when Sluka claims that an assistant coach had "verbally promised" him a deal that was worth up to $100, 000. Sluka states that the deal was never met and so, he would sit out and have an extra year of eligibility. This is due to the NCAA policy stating that if you played 4 or fewer games, you could redshirt. Therefore, Sluka has an extra year of eligibility. It is to note that UNLV has denied that a deal was in place for Sluka.
So, what does this mean? Well, it means that we are going to see a lot more players do this exact thing in the future, it already is. Bear Alexander has decided to sit out and transfer after the season as well, it is not known if his sitting out involves NIL. Now, I get why players are sitting out. Why risk getting a career ending injury when you're not playing meaningful playing time. It is the safer bet to sit out and get an extra year tacked on. The real issue is Sluka's case.
Via LA Times
Sluka wanting money and just sitting out over money is crazy to me. I get going and getting your money, but why give up on your team for money. If I'm a head coach and I see that, it's a horrible look on your character. Sluka will go to another school, he is a talented QB, but him throwing a fit doesn't help either. This is a issue that I am afraid is going to take over the college game and set a trend for players quitting over money. Money should come with that game, not be your driving force for why you play. How do you stop it? I don't know, honestly. I believe that Sluka will be looked back on as a pioneer to some and a nightmare to others. College football is fun and should not be driven by money but is sadly today.
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