NIL
Kansas State turning heads with $2.5M NIL power play
When a 6-foot-5 Serbian guard lands $2.5 million to play college ball, it’s not just a signing—it’s a statement. Kansas State basketball has turned heads once again with its aggressive NIL strategy, securing international standout Andrej Kostic with a reported deal worth $2.5 million. The move not only eclipses the Wildcats’ previous record set by […]

When a 6-foot-5 Serbian guard lands $2.5 million to play college ball, it’s not just a signing—it’s a statement.
Kansas State basketball has turned heads once again with its aggressive NIL strategy, securing international standout Andrej Kostic with a reported deal worth $2.5 million. The move not only eclipses the Wildcats’ previous record set by Coleman Hawkins last season, but also cements K-State as a serious player in the escalating arms race of college basketball recruiting.
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A New NIL Era at Kansas State
Kostic, who averaged 15.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in Serbia’s U18 league for Dynamic Balkan Bet, enters the Big 12 spotlight under an even brighter microscope than Hawkins did. Hawkins’ $2 million NIL deal in 2024 drew national attention—and criticism—especially when K-State’s performance didn’t meet inflated expectations. “If I could go back, man, I’d definitely do some things differently,” Hawkins admitted in March. The pressure, both internal and external, weighed heavily on him.
Kansas State Wildcats’ guard Brendan Hausen (11) and forward Coleman Hawkins (33) celebrates after winning 61-80 over Iowa State in the Big-12 men’s basketball showdown at Hilton Coliseum on Feb 1, 2025 in Ames, Iowa.© Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
But the narrative may shift with Kostic. As the NCAA prepares for a potential revenue-sharing model capped at $20.5 million per school, $2.5 million no longer feels like an outlier. Players like Texas Tech’s JT Toppin are reportedly landing NIL deals upwards of $4 million. In this new financial landscape, Kostic’s price tag reflects not extravagance, but market value.
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Jerome Tang’s High-Stakes Blueprint
Head coach Jerome Tang isn’t just building a team—he’s investing in a future. Kostic joins a high-upside recruiting class that includes Akron’s Nate Johnson and Monmouth’s Abdi Bashir. The message is clear: Kansas State is willing to pay for potential. And with the Big 12 growing more competitive, paying to win is becoming a necessity, not a luxury.
Still, the challenge remains—can Kostic perform under the weight of a multi-million dollar spotlight?
As NIL reshapes college sports, K-State fans should ask not if the deal was too much—but whether the program has finally embraced the cost of contention.
Related: South Carolina QB turns heads with latest NIL deal
Related: Proposed bill could force huge pay cuts for most FBS football coaches
NIL
2025 SEC Baseball Tournament bracket, seeds officially set
With the regular season in the books, the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament is on the horizon. Teams will converge on Hoover Metropolitan Complex next week, and the full bracket and seeds are officially set. Texas secured the regular-season title Thursday night with a victory over rival Oklahoma. That gave the Longhorns the No. 1 seed […]

With the regular season in the books, the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament is on the horizon. Teams will converge on Hoover Metropolitan Complex next week, and the full bracket and seeds are officially set.
Texas secured the regular-season title Thursday night with a victory over rival Oklahoma. That gave the Longhorns the No. 1 seed in their first season in the SEC, and the rest of the bracket came into focus throughout the weekend.
Now, the field is in place. Here is the full bracket and seeds for the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament, which gets underway Tuesday from Hoover Met.
2025 SEC Baseball Tournament bracket
Tuesday, May 20
Game 1: No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 16 Missouri – 10:30 a.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 2: No. 12 seed Oklahoma vs. No. 13 seed Kentucky – 1:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 3: No. 10 seed Florida vs. No. 15 seed South Carolina – 5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 4: No. 11 seed Mississippi State vs. No. 14 seed Texas A&M – 9 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Wednesday, May 21
Game 5: No. 8 seed Tennessee vs. Winner of Game 1 – 10:30 a.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 6: No. 5 seed Georgia vs. Winner of Game 2 – 1:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 7: No. 7 seed Ole Miss vs. Winner of Game 3 – 5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 8: No. 6 seed Auburn vs. Winner of Game 4 – 9 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Thursday, May 22
Game 9: No. 1 seed Texas vs. Winner of Game 5 – 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 10: No. 4 seed Vanderbilt vs. Winner of Game 6 – approx. 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Friday, May 23
Game 11: No. 2 seed Arkansas vs. Winner of Game 7 – 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 12: No. 3 seed LSU vs. Winner of Game 8 – approx. 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Saturday, May 24
Game 13: Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10 – 1 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 14: Winner of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 12 – approx. 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Sunday, May 25
Championship Game: Winner of Game 13 vs. Winner of Game 14 – 3 p.m. ET, ESPN2
It all comes down to next week at Hoover Met as the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament gets underway. From there, it’s off to the NCAA Tournament as the road to Omaha begins.
NIL
Urban Meyer believes the Big Ten has passed the SEC
During his career as a head coach, Urban Meyer coached all over. That included with the Florida Gators in the SEC and the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten. Now, as an analyst, he believes the Big Ten has passed the SEC as a football conference. Meyer made an appearance on Another Dooley Noted […]

During his career as a head coach, Urban Meyer coached all over. That included with the Florida Gators in the SEC and the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten. Now, as an analyst, he believes the Big Ten has passed the SEC as a football conference.
Meyer made an appearance on Another Dooley Noted Podcast. There, he argued that the Big Ten has passed the SEC. At least, he believes the top of the conference has done so, even if it doesn’t have the same kind of depth.
“Well, you know what the SEC’s done? It’s raised the level,” Urban Meyer said. “But the Big Ten has passed the SEC at the upper part. If you would have told me that 10 years ago, I would’ve said it’s not even close. Because it’s not.”
The Big Ten has won the last two national championships, with Michigan and Ohio State going home with titles. This past season, the first year of the expanded College Football Playoff, the Big Ten got four teams in compared to only three SEC teams. That’s after a run where the SEC won five out of six national championships from 2017 through 2022.
For his part, Urban Meyer got to Ohio State in 2012 and coached the Buckeyes through 2018. Along the way, he won a national championship and likes to think that he helped change the Big Ten’s approach at the top.
“When I first got to the Big Ten, even Shelley said, ‘What in the world? This is a slow man’s game up here,’ and I like to think that the Buckeyes really changed that. Then everyone else started investing in their schools,” Meyer said. “And started recruiting the best player, not just the footprint. As a result, the Wolverine team two years ago was one of the best teams I’ve seen. The Buckeyes team this year is one of the best I’ve ever seen. You’re seeing Penn State, and some of these teams have great success.”
Narratives can shift quickly in college football. All it’s going to take is another SEC team win it all next season to resolidify the SEC atop college football. Certainly, the SEC has the depth to do so too. It’s just a matter if someone at the top can pass the Big Ten at the top.
“So, I’m anxious to see the SEC fight back for that because next year’s another year. And I’ll close with this. The SEC, that SEC-Big Ten fight, the top obviously the last two years goes to the Big Ten,” Meyer said. “But still, that middle to the bottom, it’s the SEC by far. You’ve got eight teams, nine teams in the SEC that think they can go win a national title, no other conference has ever had that.”
NIL
Hunter Dickinson Reveals Major Personal News on Sunday
Hunter Dickinson recently capped off his college basketball career, having played for the Kansas Jayhawks and Michigan Wolverines. Dickinson spent his last two seasons at Kansas, playing under head coach Bill Self. Advertisement They entered last season as the No. 1 team in the nation. The Jayhawks showed promise, yet streakiness, in Dickinson’s last season, […]

Hunter Dickinson recently capped off his college basketball career, having played for the Kansas Jayhawks and Michigan Wolverines.
Dickinson spent his last two seasons at Kansas, playing under head coach Bill Self.
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They entered last season as the No. 1 team in the nation. The Jayhawks showed promise, yet streakiness, in Dickinson’s last season, leading to a first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament.
While the end of Dickinson’s career may have left a sour taste, he recently shared some exciting news.
On Sunday, Dickinson took to social media, reposting the Kansas Jayhawks’ announcement of the class of 2025 men’s basketball team, highlighting those who graduated from the university.
Dickinson didn’t just graduate, however; he has earned his master’s degree from the University of Kansas.
“Master’s Degree,” Dickinson said.
Hunter Dickinson, Instagram Hunter Dickinson, Instagram
During Hunter Dickinson’s last season with the Kansas Jayhawks, he posted 17.4 points, 1.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
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In his five-year college basketball career, the former blue-chip recruit, averaged 17.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Early into his career, Dickinson established himself as one of the best centers in the nation.
Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson (1).Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Hunter Dickinson began his career with the Michigan Wolverines in 2020. He committed to Michigan as a four-star recruit, ranked as the No. 10 center and the No. 43 overall player in the nation, per 247Sports.
Dickinson played under former NBA star Juwan Howard at Michigan before the Wolverines head coach was fired from the program.
After the 2023 season, Dickinson made the unexpected move to Kansas and wound up finding success on and off the court with the Jayhawks.
Related: Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson Makes NIL Announcement Amid NCAA Tournament
Related: No. 1 College Basketball Recruit’s Father Almost Brought to Tears by Kentucky’s Mark Pope
NIL
Washington Softball's season comes to a close in 11
The Washington Huskies‘ season came to an end in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday night after an 11-10 loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Coach Heather Tarr’s young team did all it could against the experienced SEC team’s lineup and showed plenty of promise, but came up just short. After freshman Sophi Mazzola stole the show […]


The Washington Huskies‘ season came to an end in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday night after an 11-10 loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Coach Heather Tarr’s young team did all it could against the experienced SEC team’s lineup and showed plenty of promise, but came up just short.
After freshman Sophi Mazzola stole the show earlier in the day against Brown, right fielder Alycia Flores was the offensive catalyst in game two, going 3-for-4 with 5 runs batted in, including a grand slam in the fourth inning. Left fielder Ava Carroll’s RBI double later in the frame gave the Huskies a 5-3 lead, but Mississippi State responded with 4 runs in the top of the fifth to retake the lead.
The Bulldogs had already jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead against starter Sophia Ramuno in the first inning and held the lead until Florers’ big fly sparked an intense back-and-forth that made for arguably the best game of the NCAA Tournament so far.
Catcher Jadyn Glab added her 15th home run of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning, before Mazzola added a three-run double in the sixth, and Flores brought her in with an RBI single.
However, all of that wasn’t enough for the Huskies couldn’t keep pace with Mississippi State’s high-powered offense, which was led by designated player Jessie Blaine, who went 3-for-4 with 5 RBI and 2 runs scored.
Blaine started her day with a two-run home run in the first inning, and added an RBI single in the fifth, along with a bases-clearing double in the sixth. She was only credited with 2 RBIs even though three runs crossed the plate, due to an error on Carroll in left field.
Rylee Rehbein took the loss for the Huskies after working 4 innings and letting up 6 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts after coming in to relieve Ramuno after the Cal Poly transfer recorded just 2 outs in the first inning. Ramuno would eventually re-enter in the sixth, finishing her day with 2 1/3 innings pitched, 6 hits, 4 runs, and 2 strikeouts.
Although this is the second straight year that coach Heather Tarr’s team has been ousted without reaching a regional final, this season feels different. After accruing a 35-19 record with a very young team following eight departures for the transfer portal, if Tarr can keep her young core together, the Huskies should be primed to take a big step forward in 2026.
NIL
Current NIL system has ‘become pay for play,’ ‘a little bit off the rails’
Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban was in Hoover last week for the Regions Tradition, and the legendary coach spoke with the cast of local radio show “The Next Round” about the state of college football. Saban, who has been vocal about the landscape of college football with name, image and likeness (NIL), the transfer […]

Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban was in Hoover last week for the Regions Tradition, and the legendary coach spoke with the cast of local radio show “The Next Round” about the state of college football.
Saban, who has been vocal about the landscape of college football with name, image and likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, and other aspects leading to his seemingly abrupt retirement, has been rumored to help lead President Donald Trump’s commission on college athletics.
RELATED: Saban: ‘I don’t really know’ what presidential commission on college athletics would do
In speaking with “The Next Round,” Saban criticized what NIL has become, saying it had gone “a little bit off the rails. He emphasized the importance of getting all state laws to mirror each other to “level the playing field.”
“Look, I want everybody to know. I’m not against players making money. I think they deserve to do that. I think name, image and likeness is no longer name, image and likeness; it’s become play for pay. So, the system that we’re paying players right now probably is a little bit off the rails. And we probably need to do something to get all the state laws the same so that everybody competes on a level playing field, authentic name, image and likeness, which means it really and truly is like a marketing opportunity. And when this House settlement comes down, there will probably be some revenue sharing and some guidelines that we can build around hopefully to make the game a little better.
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NIL
IU football recruiting
Class of 2026 4-star defensive lineman Gabe Hill announced his commitment to Indiana Saturday on his Instagram page. The 6-foot-2 and 295-pound Hill is a 4-star, the No. 261 overall player in the 2026 class, and the No. 26 defensive lineman according to the average of the national recruiting outlets. He projects to play defensive […]


Class of 2026 4-star defensive lineman Gabe Hill announced his commitment to Indiana Saturday on his Instagram page.
The 6-foot-2 and 295-pound Hill is a 4-star, the No. 261 overall player in the 2026 class, and the No. 26 defensive lineman according to the average of the national recruiting outlets. He projects to play defensive tackle but should be a versatile college defensive lineman.
Based on the 247Sports Composite, Hill is one of the 15 highest-rated players to ever commit to Indiana in the rankings era.
Hill attends Naperville North H.S. in Naperville, Ill. His teammate, quarterback Jacob Bell, signed with IU in the 2025 class. Hill posted 44 solo tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 10 QB hurries, and 9 sacks as a junior in 2024.
Hill visited IU in late April and chose the Hoosiers over offers from Rutgers, Texas A&M, LSU, Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Illinois, Louisville, Iowa State, Tennessee, Kansas and others.
Indiana now has nine total verbal commits in the 2026 class. Hill is the third defensive lineman and joins the following group:
- Gabe Hill, Naperville, Illinois, DL (4-star)
- Henry Ohlinger, Columbus, Ohio, LB/RB (4-star)
- Kasmir Hicks, Indianapolis, Indiana, CB/WR (3-star)
- Jay Timmons, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, DB (3-star)
- Blake Smythe, Franklin, Indiana, DL (3-star)
- Sam Simpson, River Falls, Wisconsin, IOL (3-star)
- Jacob Savage, Union, Kentucky, LB (3-star)
- Trevor Gibbs, Crown Point, Indiana, TE (3-star)
- Rodney White, Towson, Maryland, DL (3-star)
For complete coverage of IU football recruiting, GO HERE.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
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