In the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of college football, few stories capture the imagination and inspire as much as that of Ryan Puglisi. Before even taking a snap on the Bulldogs’ field, Puglisi is already a name that resonates beyond the boundaries of traditional sports narratives. His journey is not just about athletic prowess; it’s a testament to the modern collegiate athlete’s potential to blend academic excellence with commercial success. With a burgeoning Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) portfolio valued at an impressive $165,000 and an equally remarkable GPA, Puglisi is redefining what it means to chase greatness in the realm of college football.

The Rise of a Modern Collegiate Athlete

Ryan Puglisi’s ascent is a narrative of ambition, discipline, and strategic foresight. As a quarterback with a rocket arm and a recruiting ranking that places him among the elite, his physical talents on the field are undeniable. However, what sets Puglisi apart in the crowded landscape of college football is his holistic approach to his career. Balancing a rigorous academic schedule with the demands of high-level athletics, he not only excels but also leverages his growing fame to build a substantial NIL portfolio. This strategic move not only underscores his understanding of the modern sports industry but also highlights the evolving dynamics of athlete branding and marketability.

A Balancing Act: Academics and Athletics

The significance of Puglisi’s impressive GPA cannot be overstated. In a world where athletes are often stereotyped for prioritizing sports over academics, he shatters these preconceived notions. His academic achievements speak volumes about his dedication, time management skills, and the importance he places on education. This commitment to academic excellence not only enhances his personal development but also adds a layer of respectability and influence to his growing brand. It sends a powerful message to aspiring athletes everywhere: success on the field is paramount, but intellectual growth and education hold equal, if not more, value.

Navigating the NIL Landscape

The introduction of NIL rights has revolutionized the college sports industry, offering athletes unprecedented opportunities to monetize their personal brands. Puglisi’s impressive NIL portfolio, valued at $165,000, is a beacon for what’s possible when talent meets opportunity. Through sponsorships, endorsements, and contracts, he is not just preparing for a future in professional sports but also building a financial foundation that transcends the game. This foresight and entrepreneurial spirit are what make Puglisi’s story so compelling. It’s a narrative that underscores the changing tide in college athletics, where players are now empowered to take control of their destinies, both on and off the field.

A Glimpse into the Future

As Ryan Puglisi continues to prepare for his collegiate debut with the Bulldogs, his journey is a powerful reminder of the multifaceted nature of success in modern sports. His story is not just about a promising athlete with a bright future in football; it’s about a young man who is navigating the complexities of fame, education, and entrepreneurship with remarkable poise and vision. Puglisi’s journey is a blueprint for the next generation of athletes, showcasing the potential to achieve greatness not only in their chosen sport but also in life beyond the game.

In reflecting on Ryan Puglisi’s burgeoning career, it’s clear that his impact extends far beyond the football field. As he continues to balance the demands of academics and athletics while navigating the lucrative waters of NIL opportunities, Puglisi is not just chasing greatness; he’s redefining it. His story is a testament to the power of ambition, the importance of education, and the endless possibilities that await those willing to embrace the evolving landscape of college sports. As we look to the future, Ryan Puglisi stands as a beacon of what it means to be a modern collegiate athlete, and his journey is one that will undoubtedly inspire generations to come.

A huge new report claims that SEC schools like Alabama, Texas, and LSU could soon push to have conference rivals from the state of Tennessee removed from the league over potential resistance to sign a new NIL loyalty document.

Name, image, and likeness rules have forever changed college sports. No longer can colleges get away with making billions from sports and not fairly compensating athletes. Now, millions have flowed into amateur sports from NIL collectives. However, a new settlement between the government and the NCAA will lead to schools paying players directly. As well as put salary cap limits on how much can be spent on college sports.

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However, Tennessee is looking to circumvent that and benefit its college sports teams with a new law that will protect universities in the state from antitrust lawsuits by athletes and NIL collectives unhappy with the updated player-pay rules. It would essentially allow those schools to compete without the guardrails being used by the rest of the universities around the country.

Could SEC powerhouses like Alabama and Texas kick Tennessee out of the conference?

Well, the NCAA and all the major conferences, including the SEC, have concerns about schools sticking to the news guidelines. On Thursday, Knox News reported that a loyalty document is being circulated in the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and the SEC. It requires schools to agree to follow the guidelines from the House vs. NCAA settlement. Despite new laws giving them the freedom to circumvent the rules.

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The loyalty document also requires schools to waive their right to sue the NCAA or conferences over issues with those rules. There is reason to believe schools like Tennessee or Vanderbilt could forego signing the document because of how much the law benefits their sports programs. Well, if they decline signing, Knox News claims a serious penalty could be levied on those universities.

“The document has not been finalized. But potential consequences of not signing it include expulsion from the conference. Or participation in playing games against other power conference schools,” the outlet claimed.

Tennessee claims it will follow the new guidelines of ‘House vs. NCAA’ settlement

In a statement to Knox News, Tennessee claimed it would comply with the settlement. However, it is still no guarantee that they will sign the SEC loyalty document.

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“The University of Tennessee has committed to following the House settlement if it is approved,” UT said in a statement. “That commitment has not changed. We appreciate the Tennessee General Assembly’s forethought in passing NIL legislation that provides future protections for student-athletes and institutions beyond the House settlement.”

Also Read:: Highest paid college football players 2025: Top NIL valuations right now

It’s May, and with college football in the midst of its summer offseason, it’s officially Ranking Season. CBS Sports did its part Thursday with the unveiling of its annual Power Four head coaches ranking.

CBS Sports polled its college football experts to rank the Top 25 head coaches from the Power Four conferences — ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC — with few surprises in the Top 5. That includes at No. 1 where two-time national championship winner Kirby Smart of Georgia held onto the top spot for a second straight year. CBS Sports actually went as far as to rank all 68 Power Four college football coaches, but this breakdown will focus on the Top 25 names on their list.

Check out CBS Sports full Top 25 Power Four college football coaches below:

There was absolutely no disagreement at No. 1, where Smart was the unanimous selection by every CBS Sports expert polled, holding onto the top spot for the second straight season following the retirement of his mentor, former Alabama coach Nick Saban.

Georgia’s 2024 season might have been viewed as a disappointment by some fans after failing to advance to the CFP national semifinals, but the Bulldogs still managed to win the SEC despite losing starting quarterback Carson Beck at halftime of the SEC Championship game. That effort keeps Smart at No. 1.

To no one’s surprise, college football’s newest national championship-winning head coach lands at No. 2 on the list, the same spot he held after leading the Buckeyes to four straight wins in the 2024 College Football Playoff.

In fact, Day was the consensus No. 2 pick on all but one CBS Sports ballot, and landed at third on that one. Day, who is an astounding 70-10 in six seasons at Ohio State, is now just one of three active CFB coaches with a national title to their credit, and all three land in CBS Sports’ Top 3.

As mentioned, Swinney is the lone remaining active head coach with a national championship, having led the Tigers to titles in 2016 and 2018, and thus rounds out CBS Sports’ Top 3.

Despite losing at least two games each of the last five years, Swinney won his eighth ACC championship in the last 10 years in 2024, returning to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2020.

Sarkisian finally accomplished what his two previous predecessors couldn’t and returned Texas to national prominence as the 2024 SEC runner-ups advanced to the CFP national semifinal for the second-straight year.

By all accounts, CBS Sports’ experts believe Sarkisian is the next most-likely P4 head coach to win a national championship. And with former 2023 No. 1 overall recruit Arch Manning as the Longhorns’ new QB1, that might become a reality sooner that later.

CBS Sports rounded out its Top 5 with the only Power Four coach who went undefeated through the entire 2024 regular season: Lanning, who is an astounding 35-6 as a head coach.

In just his third season, the 39-year-old Lanning guided the Ducks to an outright Big Ten championship in his first year apart of the league and made the CFP national quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Ohio State in a regular season rematch.

The 39-year-old Freeman climbed the national ranks in short order, including jumping 18 spots from CBS Sports’ 2024 ranking. This comes after the third-year Fighting Irish coach won 13-straight games in 2024, including three in the CFP, before falling to Ohio State in the national championship game.

It was Notre Dame’s second-consecutive double-digit win season, with Freeman racking up an impressive 33-10 record in his first three seasons as a head coach, as the Irish are once again back in the annual national title conversation.

Franklin finally managed to put it all together in Year 11 in Happy Valley, guiding the 2024 Nittany Lions to a Big Ten runner-up finish and the CFP national semifinals before falling to Notre Dame.

Fresh off that finish, Franklin jumped into CBS Sports’ Top 10 after just missing out a year ago and could be primed for another jump if QB Drew Allar can take his game to the next level and help Penn State do the same in 2025.

The fourth-year Tigers coach is our first faller in CBS Sports’ ranking after entering last season at No. 4 on the national list.

Yet, despite a disappointing 2024 in which LSU failed to reach double-digit victories for the first time under his tenure, the 63-year-old Kelly still has the elite talent to have the Tigers back in the CFP national championship race in 2025.

Replacing a legend is never particularly easy or simple, and DeBoer learned that the hard way in 2024 after taking over for the retired Nick Saban following two highly-successful seasons at Washington.

Still, despite the disappointing 9-4 first-season, DeBoer still had the Crimson Tide in the thick of the CFP race all season before becoming the first-team out when the final rankings were revealed. All eyes will be on DeBoer to see if he can right the ship in Year 2 in Tuscaloosa.

CBS Sports rounds out its Top 10 list with the second-highest climber from a year ago, with Campbell jumping 15 spots after guidling the Cyclones to a program-best 11-3 mark in 2024.

The 45-year-old Campbell has been a hot name on college football’s annual coaching carousel and could undoubtedly earn himself a nice promotion if he manages to lead Iow State to its second-ever double-digit winning season in 2025.

11. Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes
12. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss Rebels
13. Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans
14. Chris Klieman, Kansas State Wildcats
15. Lance Leipold, Kansas Jayhawks
16. Josh Heupel, Tennessee Volunteers
17. Jeff Brohm, Louisville Cardinals
18. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State Sun Devils
19. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa Hawkeyes
20. Mario Cristobal, Miami Hurricanes
21. Curt Cignetti, Indiana Hoosiers
22. Rhett Lashlee, SMU Mustangs
23. Bret Bielema, Illinois Fighting Illini
24. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri Tigers
25. Mike Norvell, Florida State Seminoles

“Winners get washed.”

That quote alone tells you everything you need to know about Fran Brown. Unfiltered. Unshakable. Unapologetically real.

Now, the rising star head coach of Syracuse is bringing that same energy to the NIL world—becoming the first college football coach to ink a deal with Network, a high-profile sports marketing agency known for athlete partnerships, not play-callers.

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Brown’s unprecedented move signals a shift in the Name, Image, and Likeness era. While players chase endorsements, Brown is carving out space for coaches to build brands just as boldly. “I’m thrilled to work with Network and take the next step in building my personal brand, exploring new partnership opportunities and business ventures,” Brown said.

The deal isn’t just about exposure—it’s about evolution. Brown’s coaching philosophy, centered around the acronym D.A.R.T. (Detailed, Accountable, Relentless, Tough), has been embedded into merchandise and messaging by Network, giving fans a tangible connection to his leadership style.

Network’s Chief Strategy Officer Doug Scott told Front Office Sports, “It really was the energy and essence of who Fran was, to where we decided that, yes, this is somebody that we really want to see be successful. And we think there’s a little bit of a void in the marketplace right now.”

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Brown’s authenticity has resonated with fans across the country. His viral interviews—like the one where he skipped showers after a loss because “winners get washed”—have racked up millions of views and given Syracuse a fresh identity on social media.

And it’s not just flash. Syracuse closed the 2024 season with a 10-3 record and a statement 52-35 win over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl. With that momentum, Brown isn’t just chasing trophies—he’s building a movement.

In an NIL era where athletes dominate headlines, Fran Brown is proof that coaches can be just as marketable—if not more. This is more than a deal. It’s a blueprint.

If you thought NIL was just for players, think again.

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Related: NCAA faces $4 million lawsuit by former player over lost NIL