Connect with us

NIL

How the new House settlement will impact Tennessee athletics with more NIL changes

College athletics continues to change in the NIL era. On Friday evening, Judge Claudia Wilken approved the House v. NCAA settlement. This decision will lead to revenue sharing and roster limits throughout college athletics.  College athletics will now have a salary cap of around $20 million. Football programs could have anywhere between $13 and $16 […]

Published

on


College athletics continues to change in the NIL era. On Friday evening, Judge Claudia Wilken approved the House v. NCAA settlement. This decision will lead to revenue sharing and roster limits throughout college athletics. 

College athletics will now have a salary cap of around $20 million. Football programs could have anywhere between $13 and $16 million to spend on their teams for the 2025 season. 

“Despite some compromises, the settlement agreement nevertheless will result in extraordinary relief for members of the settlement classes,” Judge Wilken shared. “If approved, it would permit levels and types of student-athlete compensation that have never been permitted in the history of college sports while also very generously compensating Division I student-athletes who suffered past harms.”

The settlement will also create a new NIL clearinghouse for third-party NIL deals of $600 or more. The new clearinghouse, “NIL Go,” must approve all contracts meeting that restriction.

If the NIL deal is not approved, the school could be fined, or the athlete could be ineligible for the upcoming season, creating massive implications for NIL contracts. 

It was reported that 70% of past NIL deals would have been denied under the new settlement and NIL guidelines, but 90% of deals with public companies would have been approved. 

Under the new settlement, roster limits will also be phased into college athletics. The proposed roster changes include 105 for football, 15 for men’s and women’s basketball, 34 for baseball, 28 for men’s and women’s soccer, 25 for softball, and 18 for volleyball. 

Paul Finebaum did not hold back from calling out the NCAA and its inability to govern college athletics, belittling the organization to just “tournament directors,” and he’s not wrong. 

“We’re still having tournaments, such as the Women’s World Series and the Men’s Baseball Tournament, but the NCAA, as we know it, is gone,” Finebaum said on Sportscenter. “They literally have no jurisdiction whatsoever other than to be tournament directors.”

The NCAA has lost virtually all control over member schools, allowing them to do almost anything they want. The NIL era is often referred to as the “Wild West,” and that is because the NCAA’s controlling power is diminishing more and more every day. 

How could the settlement affect Tennessee athletics?

The settlement and future outcomes could impact Tennessee athletics’ approach moving forward, including the possibility of being kicked out of the SEC if they comply with state law, which contradicts the NCAA. 

Membership contracts are currently being introduced throughout Power Four conferences, challenging Tennessee’s new state law stating that state institutions and their NIL collectives can continue to pay above the proposed salary cap. 

It also states that schools cannot sue the College Sports Commission, which will be the group enforcing the new rules under the House settlement. 

If Tennessee, or any other Power Four school, chooses not to sign the agreement, it could be kicked out of its conference and blackballed from joining other conferences. 

Tennessee Athletic Director Danny White seemed to be optimistic about the House settlement and its effectiveness in college athletics moving forward, but believes collective bargaining is the key to leveling the playing field across all sports.

“There’s been a lot of speculation around collective bargaining,” White shared. “Every sports organization in our country has collective bargaining for a reason. It’s very complicated. These are students. We don’t have just one sport. We have twenty and only two of which are profitable. It’s a really complicated situation that we have been deep in for 3-4 years. I think everyone is search for answers.

“There’s a lot to transpire to see how that plays out. But as you and I have discussed, I think collective bargaining is maybe where we land down the road. But in a competitive space like this, everyone’s trying to win.”

The House settlement decision isn’t the only major decision courts have to make regarding college athletics. There are also decisions waiting to be made regarding athletes’ eligibility, with the possibility of changing the original four years of eligibility to five years of eligibility. 

That could drastically change what college athletics looks like moving forward and could even help Tennessee, as Jordan Gainey and Zakai Zeigler have both expressed interest in returning to play one more season for Rick Barnes if it is passed. 

Tennessee could benefit from multiple sports from the results of the house settlement and potentially add a fifth year of eligibility for college athletes. 

The Vols want to continue being championship contenders across various sports, and the revenue sharing and NIL caps could help Tennessee compete with the blue bloods of college athletics moving forward.



Link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NIL

Mark Pope winning transfer portal era

Kentucky basketball’s Mark Pope doesn’t like ‘yes men’ in his program Kentucky Wildcats basketball coach Mark Pope doesn’t like “yes men” in his program because he wants to help his players grow by challenging them. Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope is using a more strategic recruiting approach, focusing on player fit and development rather than […]

Published

on


play

  • Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope is using a more strategic recruiting approach, focusing on player fit and development rather than just offering large NIL deals.
  • Pope’s detailed presentations, including analytical charts and game film analysis, demonstrate his commitment to individual player improvement, which resonated with transfers Denzel Aberdeen and Mouhamed Dioubate.

Recruiting college basketball transformed with name, image and likeness and now direct payments from schools where more decisions are made based on dollar signs than relationships.

Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope is proving with his approach that there’s still room for reason. His unique pitch to players allows him to be much more tactical about whom he pursues.

He’s not producing the assembly line of one-and-dones that was the norm for 15 seasons under former coach John Calipari. To the contrary, Pope’s roster construction is like upgrading to automated robots that are much more precise.

Pope’s philosophy produced what 247 Sports ranked as the No. 4 overall recruiting class for 2025 nationally and the fifth-best transfer class, respectively. (For those keeping score, Arkansas ranked sixth overall.)

Sure, UK has the resources to make an intriguing monetary pitch to any player, but if it were just about having money to throw around, a place like Texas A&M would be a championship factory even in hoops.

Pope makes it about the why.

Denzel Aberdeen was valued by a lot of high-major schools. The reserve guard, who won the 2025 national title with Florida, could have stayed put anticipating a larger role with the Gators after the graduation of Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin.

Aberdeen’s average doubled to 14.4 points per game in the five starts he made due to injuries last season. The potential was there for him to be a featured guard.

Instead, he was convinced that joining UK was the best fit for him, even though his role could end up being similar to what he did last season at Florida. Aberdeen knew the moment he got off a Zoom call with Pope.

“It was definitely unique; our phone call lasted about three hours,” Aberdeen said.

Imagine being intrigued, entertained and engaged to the point of staying on a call for three hours. Pope was able to keep him interested because of what he presented.

He used analytical charts breaking down Aberdeen’s shooting to display the percentages of where he was best and where he could be better.

They went over game highlights where Pope showed how Aberdeen would fit into the Cats offensively. He broke down defensive clips of how Aberdeen could get better using his chest more to stop opponents driving instead of reaching with his hands. He challenged Aberdeen, who averaged 1.7 rebounds last season, in explaining how he could improve as a rebounder, too.

By the time they got off, Aberdeen had heard enough. He said he was considering four other schools, but Pope’s presentation was so thorough he didn’t take another call.

“I called my dad like 20 minutes after like, ‘Yeah, Dad, this is probably the place to go,’” Aberdeen said.

Mouhamed Dioubate, a transfer from Alabama, had a similar interaction with Pope over his Zoom calls. The 6-foot-7 forward said he was already leaning UK but got the confirmation once they spoke.

“It didn’t take much; it just took what I felt like I needed to hear,” Dioubate said.

What he needed to hear was the right plan. Over the course of two calls, Dioubate said Pope ironed out what he envisioned the future would be like.

In signing Aberdeen and Dioubate, the Cats filled a need for physical and versatile defensive players. That was an area of weakness for UK last season that ultimately led to postseason losses in the SEC and NCAA tournaments.

Just amassing the most talented players available for the roster was not going to fix the problem. In examining the entire recruiting class, there’s a clear logic to why Pope signed each player and what role they will potentially play next season.

“He’s trying to win for real; he’s not playing,” Dioubate said. “… He’s trying to keep the standard to where it always has been.”

Only Pope is adhering to the standard by creating a new one with a much more targeted approach to recruiting.

Reach sports columnist C.L. Brown at clbrown1@gannett.com, follow him on X at @CLBrownHoops and subscribe to his newsletter at profile.courier-journal.com/newsletters/cl-browns-latest to make sure you never miss one of his columns.





Link

Continue Reading

NIL

Wall Joins Softball Staff as Director of Operations

Story Links CONWAY, S.C. — The Coastal Carolina softball team announced the hiring of Renee Wall as the new director of softball operations on Tuesday afternoon.   Wall joins head coach Kelley Green‘s staff after a five-year career at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2018–22), where she was a two-time All-PSAC selection, the […]

Published

on


CONWAY, S.C. — The Coastal Carolina softball team announced the hiring of Renee Wall as the new director of softball operations on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Wall joins head coach Kelley Green‘s staff after a five-year career at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2018–22), where she was a two-time All-PSAC selection, the 2018 PSAC Central Freshman of the Year, and the 2019 PSAC Central Athlete of the Year.
 
The Topton, Pa., native made her mark in the IUP record book, ranking second in walks (72), fourth in doubles (42), fourth in slugging percentage (.589), seventh in RBIs (105), eighth in home runs (19), 10th in total bases (255), 15th in batting average (.337), 13th in runs scored (93), 13th in hits (149), and 20th in at-bats (442).
 
After completing her undergraduate degree in criminology in 2021 and her master’s degree in criminology in 2022, Wall coached softball at Palmyra High School and with the 16U and 18U Frozen Ropes travel ball teams in Hershey, Pa., before joining the Bucknell University staff as an assistant coach from 2023 to 2025. During her time at Bucknell, she coached nine All-Patriot League selections, six Patriot League All-Tournament picks, five Academic All-Patriot League honorees, and 14 CSC Academic All-District selections.
 
For complete coverage of CCU softball, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalSoftball (X), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), and Facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at GoCCUSports.com.
 



Link

Continue Reading

NIL

Latest update on NIL lawsuit involving former FSU coach Leonard Hamilton

Former Florida State Men’s Basketball coach Leonard Hamilton was sued in December over unpaid NIL money by former players, who all alleged that Coach Hamilton promised them $250,000. It involved six players from the 2023-24 team: Primo Spear, Jalen Warley, Cam’Ron Fletcher, Darin Green Jr., Josh Nickelberry, and De’Ante Green, but Fletcher has since dropped […]

Published

on


Former Florida State Men’s Basketball coach Leonard Hamilton was sued in December over unpaid NIL money by former players, who all alleged that Coach Hamilton promised them $250,000. It involved six players from the 2023-24 team: Primo Spear, Jalen Warley, Cam’Ron Fletcher, Darin Green Jr., Josh Nickelberry, and De’Ante Green, but Fletcher has since dropped out of the lawsuit.

It’s an interesting case, as there was nothing signed pertaining to the “promised” NIL money, with it supposedly coming from some of Coach Hamilton’s “business partners,” not a fund like Rising Spear. When those funds that were guaranteed weren’t delivered on, all of those players left the program.

READ MORE: Pistons, Ex-FSU Basketball star under investigation for gambling

Florida State Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton

Mar 11, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton signals to his team during the second half against the Syracuse Orange at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The lawsuit received an update on Monday, according to Matt Baker of The Athletic, as a Leon County judge denied Coach Hamilton’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The hearing now has a tentative date of August 2026, more than a year from now, as they try to work to find more facts related to the case.

According to Baker’s initial report, “The players are suing Hamilton for breach of contract, promissory estoppel, fraudulent misrepresentation and fraudulent inducement, and negligent misrepresentations. They asked for a trial by jury, $250,000 in compensatory damages for each plaintiff and ‘punitive and exemplary damages to assist in deterring and preventing similar conduct in the future.’”

Hamilton announced his intention to step down as Florida State’s coach in February, and officially stepped down after the season, ending a run in Tallahassee that lasted more than 20 years. One of his former players, Luke Loucks, was named as his successor, who hopes to reignite the program that found a lot of success under Hamilton in the late 2010s, especially.





Link

Continue Reading

NIL

Venmo announces NIL deal with Texas Tech softball’s NiJaree Canady

NiJaree Canady on Texas Tech softball’s series win over Oklahoma State NiJaree Canady on Texas Tech softball’s series win over Oklahoma State NiJaree Canady continues to expand her business portfolio after a successful year with the Texas Tech softball team. Venmo announced Tuesday that Canady is one of three athletes from the Big 12 Conference […]

Published

on


play

NiJaree Canady continues to expand her business portfolio after a successful year with the Texas Tech softball team.

Venmo announced Tuesday that Canady is one of three athletes from the Big 12 Conference who have landed name, image, and likeness deals with the money app. She’s joined by TCU women’s basketball player Oliva Miles and Arizona State football quarterback Sam Leavitt as players who will serve as brand ambassadors for Venmo’s Big 12 and school-branded debit cards.

According to the news release, Canady, Miles and Leavitt will receive a portion of their NIL payments into their personal Venmo accounts and show off how the cards work.

“I take pride in helping pave the way for the next generation of female athletes,” Canady said in the news release. “This partnership with Venmo will help create real financial empowerment for athletes, and I’m excited to help them break new ground as part of it.

“I already use Venmo all the time, and now with the Texas Tech Venom Debit Card, it will be easier than ever to put my NIL earnings to work in ways that matter to me and support Red Raider Nation at the same time.”

In addition to her NIL deals with the Matador Club, Canady had also previously landed deals with equipment companies Easton and Rawlings as well as being part of Team Mahomes, the Patrick Mahomes-led NIL group through adidas.

Canady helped the Red Raiders make a long list of historic achievements in her first season in Lubbock. She personally earned pitcher of the year awards from the Big 12 (conference) and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (national) and the Honda Award for softball. Canady wound up being a Top 3 finalist for the overall Honda Award, given each year to the top female athlete in the country.

As a team, Texas Tech earned Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles, hosted a regional, won a Super Regional series and advanced to the championship series of the Women’s College World Series before falling to Texas in Game 3.



Link

Continue Reading

NIL

3 Kentucky Football Rankings to Get You Fired Up For Talking SZN

One week from today, hundreds of overweight Diet Coke addicts will step out of the Atlanta heat and into a frosty 62-degree College Football Hall of Fame to share what they think about SEC football ahead of the 2025 season. If that doesn’t romanticize the event enough to get you ready to run through a […]

Published

on


One week from today, hundreds of overweight Diet Coke addicts will step out of the Atlanta heat and into a frosty 62-degree College Football Hall of Fame to share what they think about SEC football ahead of the 2025 season.

If that doesn’t romanticize the event enough to get you ready to run through a brick wall, KSR has scoured the internet to find some takes that could raise your blood pressure. Some Kentucky football fans love to play the disrespect card. If you’re like Benny Snell and eagerly awaiting the opportunity to light some preseason rankings on fire, it’s time to find a match.

Where Kentucky Ranks in the FBS

College football power rankings are imperfect. That’s at least what I think about FPI. Personally, I’m more of an SP+ guy. Kentucky ranks No. 34 and 43 in each respective preseason power ranking.

Phil Steele doesn’t need a power ranking. All he needs is a mustache filled with decades of football knowledge. In his college football preview magazine, Steele ranked every FBS team from 1-136. The Wildcats are No. 50. Ouch.

There’s only one other SEC team ranked outside of the Top 40. Mississippi State is No. 55.

SEC Quarterback Rankings

Steele’s system is not one that produces a lot of fodder during Talking SZN. Nothing hits quite like a debate over SEC quarterbacks.

Hope springs eternal for college football fans during Talking SZN. Much of that belief is put on the shoulders of a signal-caller. Do you value returning experience, or is new guy going to solve all of the program’s problems?

This year, there are seven returning starting quarterbacks in the SEC. Four players were high school recruits who bought time as backups at their school. Five projected starters are transfers, but in the case of John Mateer, he’s a starter who will have the same play-caller.

Friend of the program, SEC Mike, shared his quarterback rankings over the weekend. While you will probably quickly scroll to the bottom to find Zach Calzada at No. 16, a spot he will frequent in many of these rankings, I’m more interested in what the ranker values. It’s clear returning starters are at the top of his pecking order, while transfers are in the cellar. That’s not always how things shake out.

@MichaelWBratton

Got thoughts? Continue the conversation on KSBoard, the KSR Message Board.

Best SEC Stadiums

There’s an old well you can always go back to during Talking SZN. “What’s the toughest place to play?” The SEC is home to some of the best venues in college football. Kroger Field can get rocking in the right setting, but you will never see it near the top of one of these lists. Even though Chris Phillips is from the Palmetto State, he is 100% correct one one very specific take: Williams-Brice Stadium doesn’t get enough credit for being one of the most difficult places to play in the league.



Link

Continue Reading

NIL

Ratings for Every Ohio State Player in EA Sports College Football 26

Early access for EA Sports College Football 26 has officially begun, and Ohio State’s roster is full of highly rated players. Headlined by wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (98) and safety Caleb Downs (96), the two highest-rated players in the entire game, Ohio State has six players with ratings of 90 or better. Wide receiver Carnell Tate […]

Published

on


Early access for EA Sports College Football 26 has officially begun, and Ohio State’s roster is full of highly rated players.

Headlined by wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (98) and safety Caleb Downs (96), the two highest-rated players in the entire game, Ohio State has six players with ratings of 90 or better. Wide receiver Carnell Tate and tight end Max Klare both have 91 overall ratings while linebacker Sonny Styles and cornerback Davison Igbinosun each have ratings of 90.

The Buckeyes are tied with Clemson for the fourth-most players in the video game with ratings of 90 or better. Penn State leads all schools with nine players in the 90+ club while Alabama and Texas each have eight.

Fourteen members of Ohio State’s 2025 roster have ratings of 85 or better on the launch rosters for EA Sports College Football 26, also including cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (88), running backs James Peoples (87) and CJ Donaldson (86), quarterback Julian Sayin (85), left tackle Ethan Onianwa (85), defensive end Beau Atkinson (85), defensive tackle Eddrick Houston (85) and middle linebacker Arvell Reese (85).

The full list of ratings for Ohio State players in EA Sports College Football 26, sorted by position, can be found below. Fake players who were added to the game by EA Sports and do not exist in real life are listed in italics.

Quarterback

  • Julian Sayin: 85
  • Lincoln Kienholz: 80
  • Tavien St. Clair: 80

Halfback

  • James Peoples: 87
  • Jayson Ball: 87
  • CJ Donaldson Jr.: 86
  • Bo Jackson: 80
  • Sam Williams-Dixon: 76

Fullback

Wide Receiver

  • Jeremiah Smith: 98
  • Carnell Tate: 91
  • Brandon Inniss: 80
  • Mylan Graham: 78
  • Quincy Porter: 78
  • Bryson Rodgers: 76
  • De’Zie Jones: 72
  • Bodpegn Miller: 71

Tight End

  • Max Klare: 91
  • Will Kacmarek: 82
  • Jelani Thurman: 82
  • Bennett Christian: 79
  • Nate Roberts: 75
  • Max LeBlanc: 71
  • John Ferlmann (LS): 56

Left Tackle

  • Ethan Onianwa: 85
  • Ian Moore: 75
  • Carter Lowe: 74

Left Guard

  • Luke Montgomery: 78
  • Eric Neaves: 76
  • Devontae Armstrong: 69
  • Jake Cook: 69

Center

  • Carson Hinzman: 81
  • Joshua Padilla: 73

Right Guard

  • Tegra Tshabola: 80
  • Christopher McLaughlin: 73
  • Gabe VanSickle: 71
  • Julian Goines-Jackson: 67

Right Tackle

  • Austin Siereveld: 78
  • Phillip Daniels: 76
  • Deontae Armstrong: 73

Left Defensive End

  • Kenyatta Jackson Jr.: 84
  • Caden Curry: 81
  • Zion Grady: 74
  • Eric Mensah: 74

Right Defensive End

  • Beau Atkinson: 85
  • C.J. Hicks: 83
  • Logan George: 77
  • Joshua Mickens: 77
  • Dominic Kirks: 74

Defensive Tackle

  • Eddrick Houston: 85
  • Kayden McDonald: 80
  • Tywone Malone Jr.: 80
  • Jason Moore: 77
  • Jarquez Carter: 73
  • Trajen Odom: 72

Left Outside Linebacker

Middle Linebacker

  • Arvell Reese: 85
  • Blake Carney: 79
  • Payton Pierce: 74

Right Outside Linebacker

  • Sonny Styles: 90
  • Garrett Stover: 74
  • Riley Pettijohn: 73
  • Tarvos Alford: 72

Cornerback

  • Davison Igbinosun: 90
  • Jermaine Mathews Jr.: 88
  • Lorenzo Styles Jr.: 79
  • Aaron Scott Jr.: 78
  • Trayvon Fuller: 77
  • Justin Grimes III: 76
  • Bryce West: 76
  • Miles Lockhart: 71

Free Safety

  • Caleb Downs: 96
  • Kaleb Gaffney: 80
  • DeShawn Stewart: 71
  • Leroy Roker III: 66

Strong Safety

  • Malik Hartford: 79
  • Jaylen McClain: 77
  • Keenan Nelson Jr.: 76
  • Cody Haddad: 71

Kicker

  • Jayden Fielding: 74
  • Jackson Courville: 73
  • Casey Magyar: 67

Punter

  • Joe McGuire: 76
  • Anthony Venneri: 74 (Note: Venneri is included on Ohio State’s game roster despite transferring to UCF.)
  • Nick McLarty: 71

Eleven members of Ohio State’s freshman class, including five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez, are currently missing from Ohio State’s roster in EA Sports College Football 26. Other scholarship players absent from the launch roster are quarterback Eli Brickhandler, wide receivers Dave Adolph and Damarion Witten, offensive lineman Justin Terry, defensive tackle Will Smith Jr. and linebacker Ty Howard. Players could still be added to the game, however, as EA Sports will update the game’s rosters throughout the year.

As a team, Ohio State is one of seven teams with an overall rating of 88 along with Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, Georgia, Clemson and Texas A&M. Alabama (89) is the only team with a higher overall rating.

Ohio State is tied with Texas, Penn State and Arizona State for the highest offensive rating (91) in the game. The Buckeyes’ defensive rating of 92 ranks them behind Alabama, Texas and Penn State and is tied with five other teams – Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, LSU and Texas Tech – for fourth-best in the game.

Early access to EA Sports College Football 26 is now available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S to those who purchased the Deluxe Edition of the game. The standard edition of the game will be released Thursday.



Link

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending