NIL

Michigan’s real punishment is being branded a cheat, not some ruling from the weak NCAA

Published

5 months ago

August 16, 2025

Many people were celebrating at the end of the week when news broke that the NCAA’s punishment of Michigan for its sign-stealing scandal would be revealed on Friday. They were anticipating that the NCAA would come down on Michigan with an iron fist, a notion that arose from either online misinformation from uninformed personalities or blind hope.

People wanted justice. Michigan straight-up cheated, lied to cover it up and behaved in a reckless manner that threatened the integrity of this sport. It should pay.

Funny enough, when the NCAA revealed its punishment, Michigan is paying a lot … of money. It is facing fines that could surpass a staggering $30 million.

But the tangible knockout punch that has been highly anticipated for over a year never came. There was no death penalty (that was always an irrational prediction), no vacation of wins, no future postseason ban and no scholarship reduction. There was nothing that Michigan — a very wealthy institution that has boosters with extremely deep pockets — cannot fix with the stroke of a pen on a check.

This was met with quite the upheaval, as those invested in the NCAA’s investigation felt Michigan got off the hook. It did, even with the steep financial ramifications. There are no real penalties that could impede Michigan’s ability to compete in the future, and there was no attempt to discredit the past, mainly the 2024 national championship run. The NCAA hammer never came. The Wolverines were barely slapped on the wrist.

Here’s the lost reality, though: Michigan’s harsh penalty was never going to be delivered from a weak NCAA that is too afraid of being sued to ever deliver a knockout punch ever again.

The real penalty is now Michigan — the program that used to levitate above the rest of college football with an inflated ego blown up by doing things the right way — will forever be remembered as a cheat. Team 144 — perhaps the best team in Michigan football history — will never be honored purely. It will never be remembered without someone saying “it cheated” or hearing the name Connor Stalions.

It did cheat. It did lie. The NCAA’s Committee On Infractions’ report was harsher than the punishment. Read through the 74-page document and you’ll find some pretty incriminating stuff. Want some examples?

• Page 21: “There was a clear, sophisticated and well-resourced operation in place to skirt a rule, all aimed at gaining an advantage over competitors. That alone contradicts the principles of honesty, fair play and sportsmanship.”

• Page 26: “(Jim) Harbaugh ran a program that was largely dismissive of rules compliance. There was little, if any, emphasis on following the rules. To the contrary, his program saw compliance as the enemy, made their own decisions regarding interpreting the rules to their benefit, or outright committed rules violations.”

• Page 31: “The scope and scale of Stalions’ failure to cooperate is one of the more significant and serious failures the COI has seen.”

• Page 53: “Stalions destroyed, removed, or otherwise failed to produce information and materials pertinent to the investigation. He also provided false or misleading information during the investigation and encouraged at least one student-athlete to do the same.”

The entire document reads like that. Those are small snippets of proof of lies and deceit. There’s no denying any of it anymore.

Did Michigan win the national title in 2024 because of all of this? No, it didn’t. Those who think that are probably bitter fans of rival programs. In truth, this whole situation would feel far more egregious had we found out about it all after Michigan won it all two years ago. But because the Wolverines’ biggest, most important tests of the season — namely Ohio State, Alabama and Washington — all came after Stalions’ scheme came to light.

Michigan didn’t beat Ohio State in 2024 because it cheated. The Wolverines won because they were better. Michigan’s 2024 team was elite. And if you still somehow don’t believe it, then, well go and look a the subsequent NFL Draft in which 13 Wolverines were selected. No other team had more.

Which is what makes all of this even more head-scratching.

On one hand, Stalions’ behavior was extensive and elaborate — we found out Friday that he unironically referred to his illegal filming ring as the the “KGB” — and he wouldn’t have kept on doing it had it not given Michigan a competitive advantage. On the other hand, it seems as if Michigan wouldn’t have needed him to do any of it given its late-season success after his dismissal and Harbaugh’s suspensions. People knew Michigan was stealing signs in advance, changed their signs and still lost.

So why?

It tarnishes everything Michigan accomplished and undermines what Harbaugh did, which, actually, is one of the most profoundly impressive coaching accomplishments of the past 20 years. Harbaugh out-evaluated and out-developed, sprinkled in some five-star prospects and assembled a team that slayed superpowers like Ohio State and Alabama on the way to a 15-0 season.

And now we have to talk about whether Michigan cheated instead of celebrating excellence? Now instead of being viewed as one of the sport’s geniuses like Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, we have to look at Harbaugh — who was hit with a 10-year show cause penalty Friday — like he’s a crook?

It seems like such a waste.

You can still debate whether Michigan got off easy. Though it’s impossible to ever truly know how much Stalions’ efforts helped Michigan win games, the Wolverines blatantly cheated and lied about it when it got caught. Regardless of how effective the cheating was, shouldn’t the actions alone be punishable? Probably.

But who cares about vacated wins? The entire reason sports exist is because of legacy.

And while Michigan fans will look back at Team 144 with great affection and pride and Harbaugh will forever be a Wolverines legend, a large portion of the rest of the country won’t respect it. And given how amazing what Harbaugh built was, that’s a damn shame.

What does it mean to be a Michigan Man? A reporter asked Harbaugh about that after the Wolverines won the national championship in Houston two years ago. Here’s part of Harbaugh’s answer.

“Just doing something that’s bigger than for yourself, caring about somebody other than yourself, never being outworked, doing right,” he said. “You don’t lie. You don’t cheat. You don’t steal. And you give it the very best to your God-given ability. That and more.”

That’s insulting to read now. Being a Michigan Man is no longer held with the same reverence.

Make no mistake. That’s the punishment.

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NIL gives football programs like Texas Tech a ‘taste of success’

Published

9 minutes ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Dec. 31, 2025, 4:06 a.m. CT

“NIL is ruining college football.”

“Teams are just buying players.”

“NIL is taking passion out of college football.”

During the college football season, these quotes have been commonplace. Is college football ruined? Maybe for those few programs that reside at the top over the last two decades.

The contrary view to the negative is the shot in the arm NIL has brought to cities and fan bases not named Ann Arbor, Tuscaloosa, Athens, etc. For cities like Lubbock or Bloomington, or Dallas, it has allowed a taste of success at a high level. Last year, SMU was able to play in a conference championship and have a shot at a very cold playoff game. Without NIL, they would still be playing San Jose State in a bowl game.

There are three reasons NIL is great for college football: Alums have a role in making their alma mater great, players have a chance to build wealth and cities have a chance to taste success.

First, if someone deeply cares about their university, they now have a direct line to facilitating success.

Money is no guarantee for on the field success, (see Texas) but it helps level the playing field.

Take a team like Texas Tech, whose defense has historically been more open than a Waffle House in the South.

Defensive lineman with an NFL pedigree have historically gone to “blue blood” schools and either waited their turn in the line up or maybe were able to grow into NFL players at lesser-known schools and not capitalize on their value.

In either scenario, these players are now open for business.

For SMU, players like Elijah Roberts or Anthony Booker transferred in and fundamentally changed the trenches and the program.

This year, Texas Tech has seen Lee Hunter, David Baliey and Romello Height.

All players that would have looked to historically great programs are now looking to programs they can make historically great.

All paid for by Cody Campbell, David Miller and others who want to bring success to their schools.

Second, as a former college football player, I can attest to the plight of many players after graduation.

Many players grow up in extreme poverty and are then dropped into a five-star luxury resort, with no guidance on the importance of networking.

As upper-income students are well versed in the importance of building business alliances and are taking majors such as finance and engineering, many student athletes are pushed to majors that fit their practice schedule.

They study “ball,” but the shelf life on “ball” can be four years.

Today, NIL fundamentally transforms families. Buying mom a house. Learning the power of long-term investing. Starting a franchise, owning rental properties, having a chance at the American Dream.

Of course, along the way there will be bottle service, ridiculous purchases, and many who will recreate the Mike Tyson wealth preservation plan; however, at least they are given the opportunity.

Being able to be compensated for their hard work, in a skill that is short lived, should be a factor in the current NIL Environment.

You could make an argument, that this ability to be compensated should not have a cap.

Last, it is difficult to fully quantitate the impact of college football to cities and families.

I grew up in Lubbock, and from the age of 4 have been rooting alongside my dad for the Red Raiders.

Rain, snow, and shine we rode out every season together and it was a unique way we showed each other love. We saw Crabtree catch the ball and much more.

My dad passed in 2021, and I haven’t been able to enjoy Texas Tech since.

For decades, as a season ticket holder in Section 108, we saw fellow ticket holders lose loved ones to cancer, children grow into adults and friends go through 2008 and 2020.

For many families across the country, college football is family.

For a fanbase like Bloomington that has been a bottom bencher for decades, families can now plan trips to the Rose Bowl and potentially follow their team to Miami.

They can use all their PTO and savings to potentially allow their son or daughter to experience a season they will remember.

For a town like Lubbock that still dwells on a catch in 2008, they can now experience the joy of winning and the city can experience the economic success that sold-out stadiums can bring.

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$1.6 million WR makes transfer portal decision ahead of College Football Playoff game

Published

1 hour ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

One of the most talented wide receivers in the SEC has made his final decision when it comes to entering the transfer portal days before his team is set to appear in the second round of the College Football Playoff.

And it’s a decision that Alabama fans should welcome right before their team is set to take on the top seed team from the historic Rose Bowl.

Alabama star is staying put

Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams has stated that he will return to the school for the 2026 college football season.

“Of course. I’m Alabama through and through. I have no intentions of being anywhere else,” Williams told reporters before the Tide’s appearance in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal game.

So he’s not going into the portal? “Nah,” he said.

Coming off an impressive comeback victory against Oklahoma in the first round, Alabama is set to face off against undefeated No. 1 overall seed Indiana in the second-round fixture from Pasadena on New Year’s Day, and Williams should be a big part of its game plan.

Williams burst onto the scene last fall

Williams made a name for himself as a 17-year-old freshman last season, catching 48 passes for 865 yards and eight touchdowns in addition to two rushing scores.

The wideout’s gravity-defying and acrobatic plays in a statement win against Georgia, in particular, made him a household name among college football fans in the SEC and nationally.

And he was able to parlay that success into a solid NIL valuation, ranking among the top 50 players in the NCAA and in the top 35 in football with a reported $1.6 million estimation, according to the On3 Sports national rankings.

This was a down year, though

Expectations were through the roof coming off his debut campaign, but Williams’ production didn’t live as much up to the hype in his sophomore effort.

The wideout recorded 43 receptions for 636 yards and just four touchdowns in 2025, although he had a strong outing against Wisconsin early this fall, when he secured 5 grabs for 165 yards and two of his touchdown catches.

“This season has presented a lot of opportunities for me and my squad,” Williams said at the Rose Bowl media day from L.A.

He added: “Learning opportunities. On the field opportunities. Really just growing as an individual.”

How the college football transfer portal works

College football’s transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2, but that hasn’t stopped a flurry of players from entering their names for consideration at a new school right now.

The new 15-day transfer portal window from Jan. 2-16 and the elimination of the spring transfer period has condensed the timeline for players and programs to make their moves.

The NCAA Transfer Portal is a private database that includes the names of student-athletes in every sport at the Division I, II, and III levels. The full list of names is not available to the public.

But to hear the Alabama star speak for himself, it appears Ryan Williams will not be among those names.

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks

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Nick Saban goes on long rant about state of college sports: ‘I got it figured out, nobody will listen’

Published

2 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Nick Saban went on a lengthy rant about the state of college sports, claiming he had all the answers. But, the former Alabama coach said “nobody will listen” to his solutions.

“I got it figured out. Nobody will listen,” Saban said on The Pat McAfee Show. “So, you know, what are you going to do? I mean, we got to have, you know, some kind of antitrust exemption. You got to get the political parties together on it. I think the college people have to get over the fact that, you know, a graduate student can be a graduate assistant, get paid, is not an employee. So players don’t have to be employees. And these graduate students have representation. You call it a union if you want, but it’s restricted on what they can negotiate for.

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“They can’t say, you know, I have a lab that takes 10 hours and I’m going to go on strike, so we only have to go six hours. Can’t do that. You do the same thing in football. Put some restrictions and determine what you can and can’t negotiate. Shouldn’t be anything that has anything to do with athletic development. We already have those restrictions, 20 hours a week, whatever it is, that practice time. So there is a way to do this that satisfies both parties, that gives cover to both groups, so that we can move forward.”

Saban even referred to how he was criticized for his opinions on the state of college athletics at this time. That’s despite college football being more popular than ever, but it’s not without its flaws.

“And you know, I got killed in the Wall Street Journal for saying things like, college football is messed up,” Saban said. “But the thing about it is, everybody just looks at … the playoffs have created tremendous interest in college football. There’s a whole bunch of teams now that have a chance to get in the playoffs. There’s more interest than ever, higher TV ratings and all that. But the underbelly underneath that is not really good. It’s not really good for the development of players. It’s not really good for all the sports that we try to sponsor in college.”

Nick Saban has hot opinion about state of college athletics

“I mean, and I think we got to decide that we want to be, you know, a professional developmental league,” Saban continued. “Or are we really going to have college athletes who go get an education and develop value for their future as they’re playing and making money? I want them to make money. I think they should make money, but there should be some restrictions on how they go about doing it.”

However, money aside, Saban said the biggest issue is the transfer portal. NIL can be tweaked, but player movement has to be fixed. He even likened it to the biggest issues in basketball and has coaching legends hitting him up!

“And the movement is as big an issue, to me, a bigger issue than even the money,” Saban said. “I mean, everybody being able to transfer all the time. I mean, that’s not a good thing. Now, we even got a basketball player going to Baylor after he played in the NBA. I mean, you heard me say this before: we are going to have a quarterback gets drafted by the New York Giants. He’s gonna be playing for Penn State. I mean, what about that? Calipari and Izzo are blowing me up. I’m not even a basketball guy.”

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NIL

Three Reasons Why USC Is A Top Transfer Portal Destination

Published

3 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

USC trojans lincoln riley college football playoff big ten Recruiting Transfer NIL Jayden Maiava Transfer Portal D'Anton Lynn — Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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NIL

One-on-one with Nixa High School football star Jackson Cantwell and agent Drew Roesenhaus

Published

4 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

NIXA, Mo. (KY3) – It’s a new era of college football. And Nixa High School offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell finds himself in the middle of it.

The Ozarks Sports Zone’s Danielle King sat down with Cantwell and his agent Drew Rosenhaus to discuss his recruitment and managing NIL.

Check out the latest high school sports coverage on the Ozarks Sports Zone by clicking here.

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Please include the article info in the subject line of the email.

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NIL

San Diego State EDGE Ryan Henderson plans to enter NCAA transfer portal

Published

5 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, San Diego State EDGE Ryan Henderson plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal. Henderson just finished his fourth season with the program, putting up the best campaign of his career. He now goes onto the open market in what should be his final season of eligibility.

Henderson did not play for the Aztecs during the 2022 season as a true freshman, opting for a redshirt. Since then, he has taken the field in 33 games, three of which were starts. Forty-five tackles have followed, adding 12.5 tackles for a loss, and 10.5 sacks. You can even add a forced fumble and fumble recovery in there.

There is no doubt about which season was Henderson’s best, though. San Diego State saw him break out this past fall with nine tackles for a loss and seven sacks. Five of those sacks were in Mountain West play, with the other two coming in nonconference vs. Cal and Northern Illinois.

Henderson played high school football at North Las Vegas (NV) Canyon Springs, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 1,289 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

A few other Mountain West schools came after Henderson during his recruitment. Arizona, then a member of the Pac-12, extended an offer during his senior season. However, he stuck with San Diego State and signed with the Aztecs.

Fast forward to the present and Henderson is on the move for the first time in his career. Finding productive pass rushers can be a chore at times for teams. Henderson can pull up what he accomplished in 2025 to prove he is someone to watch moving forward.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

More on San Diego State, 2025 season under Sean Lewis

This was year No. 2 of San Diego State under head coach Sean Lewis. An incredible turnaround took place, flipping the record’s numbers year-over-year. After the Aztecs finished 3-9 last season, they went 9-3 in 2025.

A spot in the New Mexico Bowl was earned, facing a near-College Football Playoff team in North Texas. However, San Diego State did find itself on the losing end.

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