The planned presidential commission on college athletics has reportedly been put on pause.

The move comes just a week after former Alabama football coach Nick Saban, who was reportedly selected to be the commission co-chair with Texas Tech billionaire booster Cody Campbell, downplayed the need for such a commission.

“To be honest with you, I don’t really know much about this commission. I don’t really know what this commission would do,” Saban told reporters. “You know, I think we know what needs to be done, I just think we’ve got to figure out who’s got the will to do it.”

According to On3, President Donald Trump will eventually form the commission to reform name, image and likeness (NIL), but the president wants to wait until after U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) pushes through his federal legislation. Cruz has pushed for change in the NIL world, likening it to the “Wild, Wild West.

“Donald Trump’s presidential commission on college sports has been paused,” On3’s Pete Nakos posted on X. “Expectation is commission will eventually be formed, but is being delayed as U.S. Senator Ted Cruz works to push through federal legislation.”

Nakos added that Cruz led the pause.

Saban left Alabama’s head coaching position in January 2024. He later cited the landscape of college football with NIL, the transfer portal and other aspects for retiring.

The legendary coach reportedly told Trump that he believed that the flood of money had damaged college sports.

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Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

College football’s NIL Era has created plenty of headaches for teams, especially smaller programs that don’t have the means to compete with bigger schools. Based on what Richmond coach Russ Huseman had to say, that problem has reared its head yet again thanks to the series of events that led to his kicker unexpectedly transferring to Maryland.

The NCAA had years to prepare for the seemingly inevitable day its student-athletes would be allowed to profit off of their name, image, and likeness, but the approach it opted to take after essentially flipping the switch overnight in the wake of the landmark Supreme Court ruling that forced its hand has left a lot to be desired.

It’s no surprise that schools have done everything in their power to exploit the current NIL landscape that has essentially created a market where many players are constantly on the hunt for the highest bidder—a reality that obviously benefits the programs with the deepest pockets.

The football team at the University of Richmond is pretty far from that end of the spectrum thanks to its status as an FCS squad at a school with less than 4,000 students. It is able to take advantage of the NIL fund known as The Spiders’ Collective, but most of its players aren’t exactly swimming in cash.

However, based on what head coach Russ Huesman had to say earlier this week, former Richmond kicker Sean O’Haire has managed to secure a pretty sizeable payday courtesy of the Maryland Terrapins, who he accused of tampering after losing the redshirt freshman at the start of May.

O’Haire hails from Ireland and had never played football before arriving at Richmond on a scholarship last year but quickly proved he could hang as a kicker by making all 12 of the field goals he attempted in the five games he appeared in.

All signs pointed to the Irishman playing for Richmond in 2025, as he’d been partaking in practices and participated in the team’s spring game before announcing he was transferring to Maryland at the start of the month—a development Huseman is not thrilled with based on what he had to say via the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

“Maryland tampered with our kicker and gave him $50,000. They came in, they tampered. The kid had zero interest in transferring, they offered him money. It happens all over the country, and there’s nothing the NCAA’s going to do about it.

“So, Maryland just decided to come in. They liked our kicker and offered him money…It’s ridiculous, pretty frustrating… He’s got an unbelievable future.

This was not on him. This was on Maryland. This was on his handlers. It was on a lot of other people that I’m not real happy with.”

At the end of the day, this is par for the course when it comes to the current state of college athletics, but it’s pretty easy to understand why Huseman is frustrated.

Last Updated on May 22, 2025

The ACC drove in record revenue from the fiscal year 2023-24, as tax documents reported that the conference brought in  $711 million, up from last year’s $706 million. In turn, the conference was able to award a record-high average of $45 million to its 14 full-member schools. The two teams that received the highest payout were Florida State, which earned $46.3 million, and Louisville, which earned $46.4 million. Additionally, Notre Dame received $20.7 million as a football independent. 

It’s worth noting that the ACC’s record-breaking year did not include ACC newcomers SMU, California, and Stanford. Despite the milestones reached on revenue and school payouts, the ACC remains behind the SEC and Big Ten.

To close the gap, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips implemented a “success initiative” that rewards schools with more revenue if they make the postseason. Starting next year, the ACC will enact its new TV revenue-sharing plan, allowing schools to receive bonuses for the games that draw the most viewership, particularly in football and men’s and women’s basketball. 

Another critical aspect of the shared ACC tax documents was that the conference reportedly spent $12.3 million on legal fees, starkly contrasting the $7.2 million spent the previous year. That spending largely stems from legal disputes involving Florida State and Clemson, where both schools filed lawsuits over financial disparities that threatened their membership in the conference. With a new ESPN media rights deal extension locked in until the 2035-36 season and the additions of SMU, Cal, and Stanford, the ACC looks to forge a new chapter. 

“I just think you’ve got to settle down,” Phillips said. “I think college athletics needs to settle down, not just the ACC. I think we’ve positioned ourselves for that. The chaos and constant wondering of what’s happening here or there, that distracts from the business at hand.”

Phillips emphasized that the ACC is in a good place despite some of the recent legal headlines.

“I feel good about where we’re at, and while I do take things one day at a time, I think there’s a period of time where let’s settle in and get things done,” Phillips said.

The Super Regionals are underway during the 2025 NCAA Tournament following an action-packed Regional weekend. Now, each team are two wins away from qualifying for the 2025 Women’s College World Series.

Matchups in the 2025 NCAA Softball Super Regionals kicked off with two top-16 matchups on Thursday. That includes the Tallahassee Super Regional between Florida State and Texas Tech, as well as the Austin Super Regional between Texas and Clemson. After that, the six other series will begin on Friday.

The second stage of the tournament will feature eight best of three series between the Regional champions crowned last weekend. These matchups will begin play on May 22 and conclude on May 26, if a game three is necessary. The winners of these two cities will meet for the NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City at the WCWS later this month. Here’s how those series shape up:

Eugene Super Regional: Liberty vs. No. 16 Oregon

Game 1: Friday, May 23 | 10:00 p.m. ET | ESPNU
Game 2: Saturday, May 24 | 7:00 p.m. ET
Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 25 | TBD

Norman Super Regional: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Alabama

Game 1: Friday, May 23 | 5:00 p.m. ET | ESPN2
Game 2: Saturday, May 24 | 3:00 p.m. ET
Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 25 | TBD

Gainesville Super Regional: No. 3 Florida vs. Georgia

Game 1: Friday, May 23 | 11:00 a.m. ET | ESPN2
Game 2: Saturday, May 24 | 11:00 a.m. ET
Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 25 | TBD

Fayetteville Super Regional: No. 4 Arkansas vs. Ole Miss

Game 1: Friday, May 23 | 8:00 p.m. ET | ESPNU
Game 2: Saturday, May 24 | 9:00 p.m. ET
Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 25 | TBD

Game 1: Florida State def. Texas Tech 3-0

Texas Tech took a 1-0 series lead over the Super Regional host Florida State on Thursday night, officially kicking off the second stage of the 2025 NCAA Softball Tournament. Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady carried a no-hitter through 4.1 innings pitched, and finished the game pitching a scoreless complete game against the Seminoles. Florida State was ultimately held to two hits during the opening matchup behind Canady’s 79-pitch outing. It’s the first Super Regional win in Red Raiders history.

Game 2: Friday, May 23 | 3:00 p.m. ET | ESPN2
Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, May 24 | TBD

Austin Super Regional: No. 6 Texas vs. No. 11 Clemson

Game 1: Thursday, May 22 | 9:00 p.m. ET | ESPN2
Game 2: Friday, May 23 | 9:00 p.m. ET | ESPN2
Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, May 24 | TBD

Knoxville Super Regional: No. 7 Tennessee vs. Nebraska

Game 1: Friday, May 23 | 7:00 p.m. ET | ESPN2
Game 2: Saturday, May 24 | 5:00 p.m. ET
Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 25 | TBD

Columbia Super Regional: No. 8 South Carolina vs. No. 9 UCLA

Game 1: Friday, May 23 | 1:00 p.m. ET | ESPN2
Game 2: Saturday, May 24 | 1:00 p.m. ET
Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday, May 25 | TBD

All times ET.

2025 Women’s College World Series

May 29 through June 5 or 6 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

In a groundbreaking move that has the college football world buzzing, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed has just secured a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal that only three other players in the nation can claim. Details remain closely guarded, but Reed’s latest partnership is already making headlines.

Texas A&M Quarterback Marcel Reed Lands Private Jet NIL Deal With ENG Aviation, Joins Exclusive Group of CFB Stars

ENG Aviation and Marcel Reed made their NIL partnership official with a stunning post on Instagram that caught the attention of Aggies fans and college football fans worldwide.

Reed’s photo with a private jet next to him in the post requires readers to guess some of the luxurious features included. Many people are speculating right now about what this image suggests about Reed’s future in the NFL and elsewhere.

ENG Aviation, a Houston-based company known for its private jet charters and organ transplant flights, has previously partnered with only three other elite quarterbacks in the nation.

Everyone is keenly watching to see the outcome of this partnership. Though we don’t know all the details, Reed is expected to gain valuable travel benefits and also use this association to make a difference outside football.

Reed’s popularity keeps increasing, as seen by the engagement on the post about the NIL deal.

The Elite Club: Only Four College QBs Have This Deal

What sets this deal apart is its rarity—only four college quarterbacks nationwide have secured a private jet NIL partnership with ENG Aviation.

Marcel Reed now joins the ranks of Quinn Ewers (Texas), Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss), and Carson Beck (Miami/Georgia), all of whom have become synonymous with both on-field excellence and off-field opportunity.

ENG Aviation President Steve Hofmann commented on the partnership, saying: “Marcel is a standout athlete whose determination, discipline, and leadership reflect the very values we live by at ENG—Earned. Never Given.”

This statement underscores the mutual respect and shared values between Reed and the company, hinting at a collaboration that goes beyond simple sponsorship.

KEEP READING: 2025 Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25 Power Rankings

For Reed, this deal is more than just a symbol of status—it’s a platform for influence. As he prepares for the upcoming season, all eyes will be on how he leverages this partnership to further his career and contribute to causes that matter to him and the ENG Aviation team.

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