On the college football calendar, August can be a month for hope. The schedule has been wiped clean of last season’s triumphs and disappointments. New coaches and starters have limitless potential. The 12-team College Football Playoff feels attainable. Any team can become this year’s Indiana.
But for all the optimism a new season can stir, the roller-coaster nature of a college football offseason can also take it away. For every transfer portal winner, there must be a transfer portal loser. A tough Week 1 matchup can feel like it carries the weight of the season.
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With just a couple of weeks to go until the start of the season, how are you feeling about your team?
The Athletic’s college football Hope-O-Meter is back, and we want to hear from you below. We’ll share which fan bases are most optimistic — and which enter 2025 in a cloud of pessimism — before Week 1. (Here’s how teams’ fans were feeling ahead of 2024.)
Four years after being fired by LSU, Ed Orgeron has not been shy about his desire to get back into coaching.
Plenty has changed in the college football landscape in those years, most notably players being able to get paid via name, image and likeness deals and now through revenue sharing directly from the schools themselves. That’s an adjustment every coach has had to make, and some have adapted to the new way of the college football world better than others.
In a recent appearance on “Bussin’ With The Boys,” Orgeron joked that after all his years coaching in the SEC, paying players via NIL will only require a “minor adjustment.”
“They say, ‘Hey coach, you been out of coaching for awhile. How you gonna adjust to NIL?’ Orgeron said. “I said, well, it’s a minor adjustment. ‘What do you mean?’ Well, back then we used to walk through the back door with the cash. Now we just gotta walk through the front door with the cash.”
Orgeron has long been known as an elite recruiter and that’s not a title one could get without knowing how to get things done in the shadows. Now all those conversations and negotiations happen above the table, and Orgeron is pretty confident he can make that small adjustment if he were to land back on a sideline soon.
Orgeron, of course, coached LSU to a national title in 2019 but was let go following the 2021 season. In all, Orgeron had a 51-20 record leading LSU, but went just 11-11 combined in the two years following the national championship. He has not coached since, but the 64-year-old is looking to get back in the action — perhaps even back in Baton Rouge with the Tigers.
Washington State is looking for a football coach. (Photo: Naji Saker)
I’m emptying my notebook on the football coaching searches at Washington State and Portland State. Also, I have thoughts on the bowl game opt-outs by a growing number of schools. And I have some information on James Madison University, Oregon’s first-round opponent in the College Football Playoff.
Plus, a cameo in today’s installment by the front-desk manager at Planet Fitness.
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and Fox Sports NFL color analyst Troy Aikman wanted to help UCLA football through name, image and likeness donations, but his experience has made him apprehensive about contributing again.
Aikman shared his experience on Monday’s episode of “Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch,” hosted by The Athletic’s sports media reporter Richard Deitsch.
“I gave money to a kid,” Aikman admitted. “I won’t mention who. I’ve done it one time at UCLA. I never met the young man. He was there a year, but he left after the year. I wrote a sizable check and he went to another school. I didn’t even get so much as a thank-you note, so it’s one of those deals where I’m done with NIL. I want to see UCLA be successful, but I’m done with it.”
NIL has become big business in college football. According to 247 Sports, the top five schools in spending (Texas, Ohio State, LSU, Georgia and Texas A&M) spent a combined $98 million in NIL money in 2025, and the number will likely increase next season.
Aikman still believes NIL money should go to players, but he says the system needs changes that benefit the sport without creating a convoluted mess.
“There has to be some leadership at the very top that kind of cleans all of this up, starting with players who accept money. There has to be some accountability and responsibility on their behalf, to have to stick to a program.”
Few recruiters in college football worked harder than Ed Orgeron. No matter which school he was representing, Orgeron did a great job bringing in some great talent. However, most of his work came in the pre-NIL era, meaning he could not, technically, use money in the process.
So when talking about how he would adapt with NIL now legal, Orgeron hilariously said there would just be a slight difference. He does not have to be subtle about the aspect of giving certain recruits a bag to help gain a commitment.
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“You know what?” Orgeron began on Bussin’ With The Boys. “They say, ‘Hey, coach. You know, you’ve been out of coaching for a while. How are you going to adjust to NIL?’ I said, ‘Well, it’s a minor adjustment.’ They said, ‘What do you mean?’ I said, ‘Back then, we used to walk through the back door with the cash. Now, we just got to walk through the front door with the cash.’”
The question began by specifically mentioning SEC programs. Orgeron has worked for four of those throughout his career, one of which likely involved zero recruiting. His first job within the SEC came at Arkansas as the assistant strength coach. But as Orgeron climbed up the ladder in his career, prominent roles became available.
None more memorable than being LSU‘s head coach from 2016 through 2021. Everyone remembers the famous national championship in 2019, led by Joe Burrow, and backed by one of the best rosters college football has ever seen. Orgeron was also in charge at Ole Miss beginning in 2005, lasting three seasons.
Lane Kiffin employed Orgeron as the assistant head coach, defensive line coach, and recruiting coordinator at Tennessee in 2009. Everyone knows how that ended, infamously leaving for USC, only for Orgeron to follow him.
Getting back to the present — reports indicate Orgeron might be interested in getting back into the coaching world. He has not held a position since getting fired by LSU, making it four seasons now. One even suggested Orgeron might be a candidate to link back up with Kiffin in Baton Rouge.
If something does come to fruition, a great recruiter will be joining the program. Orgeron is one of the best, even when paying players was not totally legal. But now, his job is a whole lot easier with a direct parth through the front door.
SMU has launched Mustang Partners, a new revenue-generating division focused on pursuing revenue and brand opportunities to benefit both athletes and the athletic department.
With the full-service revenue, NIL and brand unit, SMU becomes the latest school to launch such a program in recent months — joining Clemson, Kentucky and Michigan State — as athletic departments look to expand revenue streams.
Mustang Partners’ portfolio will include sponsorships in collaboration with media and technology company Learfield, philanthropy, exclusive gameday experiences and ticket sales, and it will add commercial NIL, special events and trademark and licensing.
“Mustang Partners is a bold new chapter in the story of SMU athletics,” SMU Athletic Director Damon Evans said in a statement. “Today’s rapidly evolving collegiate athletics marketplace demands programs to be more innovative, more adaptable and more resolute in pursuing new opportunities and ideas. This new venture will position SMU at the forefront of the next era of collegiate athletics.”
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SMU closed the 2025 fiscal year with “historic momentum,” according to its news release, led by a record-breaking year for the Mustang Club. The club raised $65,058,040 in cash gifts from 6,158 donors, the highest single-year cash total in SMU history.
The Mustangs also sold a record number of football season tickets in 2024, doubling 2023’s total and increasing revenue 157%. SMU also saw substantial increases in concessions (108%), parking (98%) and licensing revenue (120%).
Mustang NIL is a strategy to drive financial and branding opportunities for SMU athletes.
The division will focus on the development of new premium amenities within Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Moody Coliseum and other athletic venues. The school completed a market study to evaluate new premium areas within Ford Stadium this fall.
Mustang Partners expands on trademark and licensing activities, including the addition of the university’s first full-time director of trademarks and licensing.
The division will also focus on booking special events and concerts into SMU venues, as well as rentals of premium hospitality areas for corporate retreats, meetings and private events.
Brian Ullmann, executive director of athletics, will lead Mustang Partners’ staff of 60. The senior leadership team will include Alex Gary, deputy athletic director of external relations; Lauren Adee, deputy athletic director/chief marketing officer/chief revenue officer; and Sean Penix, senior associate athletic director/commercial strategy.
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Five-star quarterbacks typically receive between $750,000 and $1 million annually under new revenue-sharing contracts, while baseline Power 4 QB signees start between $100,000 and $300,000
Elite offensive linemen can command $700,000 or more, with Miami’s top-ranked tackle commit Jackson Cantwell expected to receive over $2 million in 2026
Most Power 4 football roster budgets range from $13 million to $15 million, while Group of 5 programs operate between $1 million and $10 million, with the majority below $5 million
Only an estimated 5 percent of high school recruits sign multi-year deals, with quarterbacks and offensive linemen receiving them most frequently
Some Power 4 recruits still sign for scholarship-only compensation, with programs terming these players as coming “free” to maximize budget flexibility
via: The Athletic | By Sam Khan Jr. and Antonio Morales
When the early signing period opens Wednesday for Class of 2026 recruits, most high school players will sign two documents instead of one. The first is a financial aid agreement that formalizes their scholarship commitment. The second, increasingly common among Power 4 recruits, is a revenue-sharing contract that details how much their school will pay them directly.
This marks a fundamental shift in college athletics compensation. Following the House v. NCAA settlement, schools can now pay players directly through revenue-sharing agreements, separate from the third-party name, image and likeness (NIL) deals that have been the primary compensation method since 2021.
To understand what recruits actually earn, The Athletic surveyed general managers, personnel staffers and agents across college football, all granted anonymity for candor. The findings reveal a complex market where recruiting rankings, position, physical readiness and institutional resources create dramatic variations in compensation.
What Elite Quarterbacks and Linemen Command
Power 4 quarterback recruits lead compensation tiers, mirroring the premium placed on the position at higher levels of football. Five-star quarterbacks typically secure between $750,000 and $1 million annually, according to three industry sources interviewed by The Athletic.
The baseline for Power 4 quarterback signees starts between roughly $100,000 and $300,000, with rankings driving the range upward. One agent noted that a top-150 quarterback in the 2026 class is receiving between $300,000 and $400,000 in his first year because he’s not expected to start immediately at his committed school.
Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood, the top recruit in the 2025 class, represents an extreme outlier with a multi-year deal worth upwards of $10 million. Sources described this as exceptional, driven by Underwood’s status as a consensus No. 1 recruit widely expected to start immediately.
Offensive and defensive linemen attract similarly substantial offers, though compensation depends heavily on physical development. “If you’re talking about a developmental player it could be $100,000 to $400,000-$500,000 (for offensive linemen),” a Power 4 personnel staffer told The Athletic. Defensive linemen fall into similar ranges, though edge rushers typically receive slightly less than interior linemen.
Upper six-figure and seven-figure offers aren’t unusual for five-star linemen. “Seven-hundred (thousand), that’s the number for a premium tackle,” a Power 4 personnel director said, adding that keen evaluators can still find quality prospects for half that amount.
Texas Tech’s commitment from Felix Ojo, the No. 2 offensive tackle nationally, came with a three-year deal paying $775,000 annually, a school source confirmed to The Athletic.
Position Value Reflects Playing Time Projections
Receivers occupy the next compensation tier because they can contribute immediately. “We have receivers as freshmen who are making $300,000 to $400,000 because you can play right away at a much higher clip than offensive linemen,” one agent explained. “You’re paid closer to the starting market at receiver because teams are more confident that they can play you right away.”
Receivers who aren’t immediate contributors typically fall into the high five-figure or low six-figure range. Cornerbacks follow similar compensation scales, with pay tied directly to college readiness upon arrival.
Running backs, tight ends and safeties comprise a third tier, with compensation starting in the mid-to-high five figures and reaching around $200,000. Elite players at the top of their position can exceed these ranges significantly. USC tight end commit Mark Bowman, ranked No. 3 at his position, is believed to be receiving a multi-year deal worth above seven figures annually, according to On3.
One Power 4 general manager operates by a simple formula: whatever a top-tier starter receives in the transfer portal, the high school equivalent should cost roughly half as much.
Multi-year contracts remain relatively rare for high school prospects. An agent estimated just 5 percent of high school recruits sign multi-year deals, with quarterbacks and offensive linemen most likely to receive them. “We see more two-year deals for O-linemen because it’s understood that you’re going to have to develop physically in Year 1,” the agent said.
The “Free” Player Strategy and Budget Realities
Despite the compensation trend, some recruits still sign for scholarship-only deals. Industry insiders term these “free” players, meaning they receive no additional NIL or revenue-sharing money beyond their scholarship.
One Power 4 general manager with a roster budget exceeding $20 million said three scholarship recruits joined his program for free this summer. A second personnel director confirmed his incoming class also includes several free players.
This approach is more common at non-blue-blood Power 4 programs with tighter resources. “Everyone knows everyone else is getting paid so they want a little piece,” a Power 4 personnel director said. “Now not everyone’s six figures, but everyone’s getting something.”
One Power 4 assistant coach questioned whether every high school recruit warrants extra compensation beyond scholarship. Projecting teenager development remains unpredictable, making it difficult to hit on more than half of any recruiting class.
Most Power 4 athletic departments operate at or near the revenue-sharing cap of $20.5 million, with 65 to 75 percent allocated to football rosters. Power 4 football roster budgets typically range from $13 million to $15 million, with top spenders exceeding $25 million.
Group of 5 Programs Take Different Approach
The Group of 5 landscape looks dramatically different. No G5 programs operate near the revenue-sharing cap. Most G5 roster budgets in 2025 ranged between $1 million and $10 million, though the majority stayed below $5 million.
This resource gap means G5 recruits typically receive annual compensation in the five-figure range, if they’re paid at all. Top G5 recruits might reach upper five figures. One agent noted that $3,000 monthly for a G5 recruit isn’t uncommon.
With limited budgets, these schools prioritize retaining current players and portal additions over high school recruiting investment. “Unless you’re a QB or special kid, I don’t think you’re gonna give kids six figures (out of high school),” a Group of 5 general manager said. “It’s such a gamble with high school kids. There’s just so many things you can’t account for when they make the transition to college. We’ll pay you more if you come in and earn it.”
Strategic Value of High School Recruiting Investment
Portal spending attracts more attention because proven players command higher prices. “You’re paying for snaps,” the Power 4 general manager explained.
However, industry sources unanimously agree that landing quality high school recruits remains essential for program building, even at increased cost. “You feel better paying a college kid who you’ve seen play and has snaps and starts and all that stuff than you do a high school kid,” a second Power 4 personnel director said. “But the high school kid you almost have to pay a recruitment fee because there’s all these other schools bidding on them.”
The tension emerges when new recruits sometimes earn more than established players on the two-deep roster. Yet hitting on high school recruits costs less long-term than building primarily through the portal. Homegrown recruits often remain more comfortable at their school, having bought into coaches and schemes, sometimes accepting less compensation to stay.
“It’s like the NFL Draft,” one personnel director said. “No one wants to live in free agency. You want to live in the draft, build your core there and supplement it with positions that are needs (in the portal).”
When bidding wars occur, market dynamics take over. “The market is what the highest person is willing to pay,” the director noted.
What This Means for College Football’s Future
The revenue-sharing era has created transparent compensation structures that vary dramatically by position, recruiting ranking, physical readiness and institutional resources. The disparity between Power 4 and Group of 5 programs will likely widen as top talent follows larger budgets.
Programs must now balance paying for proven portal talent against investing in high school development. Those that successfully identify undervalued high school prospects while strategically supplementing through the portal will likely find competitive advantages.
The market remains fluid as programs, agents and recruits navigate these new dynamics. As one agent summarized: “The reality is any school is gonna pay any amount of money that they deem worth it. If a school deems a guard worth $750K, they’ll pay it.”
This analysis is based on reporting by Sam Khan Jr. and Antonio Morales for The Athletic, published December 2, 2025.
Photo: USA TODAY
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