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NIL

Rich Rodriguez Openly Discusses NIL Issues on College GameDay Podcast

Share Tweet Share Share Email While it’s no secret that college football is in an awful spot, West Virginia‘s new head coach, Rich Rodriguez, made a powerful statement about just how tough things are. Rodriguez recently appeared on the College GameDay Podcast with Rece Davis and Pete Thamel and referred to college football’s current landscape […]

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While it’s no secret that college football is in an awful spot, West Virginia‘s new head coach, Rich Rodriguez, made a powerful statement about just how tough things are.

Rodriguez recently appeared on the College GameDay Podcast with Rece Davis and Pete Thamel and referred to college football’s current landscape as the “NFL on steroids.”

 

“The goalposts have certainly moved a long way, and you have to adapt to it,” Rodriguez said. “You just throw your hands up. It’s really hard to build a program when you have open free agency every year.”

“The NIL and paying them is one part,” Rodriguez continued. “It’s like the NFL on steroids. But the biggest part is the open free agency. There’s no rookie salary cap, there’s no three-year contracts. That makes it really, really difficult. But that is what it is.”

In his first year back in Morgantown, Rodriguez has answered the call admirably, putting together an impressive class of incoming talent through the transfer portal. The Mountaineers sit at No. 4 in the Big 12 regarding overall class rankings, and No. 31 in the country.

Rodriguez finished his thoughts by expressing his commitment to creating a positive culture, saying, “You’ve got to be open and honest with your players. We’ve done that – we’ve tried to do that in the last four or five months – and that way, our culture’s going to be set for not just now, but next year and the year after that.”

Rodriguez will get his first shot back on the sidelines in Morgantown when West Virginia kicks off their season on Saturday, August 30th, vs. Robert Morris.





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NIL

Donald Trump signs executive order on college athletes’ status

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order mandating that federal authorities clarify whether college athletes can be considered employees of the schools they play for in an attempt to create clearer national standards in the NCAA’s name, image and likeness era. Trump directed the secretary of labor and the National Labor Relations Board to clarify the […]

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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order mandating that federal authorities clarify whether college athletes can be considered employees of the schools they play for in an attempt to create clearer national standards in the NCAA’s name, image and likeness era.

Trump directed the secretary of labor and the National Labor Relations Board to clarify the status of collegiate athletes through guidance or rules “that will maximize the educational benefits and opportunities provided by higher education institutions through athletics.” The order does not provide or suggest specifics on the controversial topic of college athlete employment.

The move comes after months of speculation about whether Trump will establish a college sports commission to tackle some of the thorny issues facing what is now a multibillion-dollar industry. He instead issued an order intended to add some controls to “an out-of-control, rudderless system in which competing university donors engage in bidding wars for the best players, who can change teams each season.”

“Absent guardrails to stop the madness and ensure a reasonable, balanced use of resources across collegiate athletic programs that preserves their educational and developmental benefits, many college sports will soon cease to exist,” Trump’s order says. “It is common sense that college sports are not, and should not be, professional sports, and my administration will take action accordingly.”

There has been a dramatic increase in money flowing into and around college athletics and a sense of chaos. Key court victories won by athletes angry that they were barred for decades from earning income based on their celebrity and from sharing in the billions of revenue they helped generate have gutted the amateurism model long at the heart of college sports.

Facing a growing number of state laws undercutting its authority, the NCAA in July 2021 cleared the way for athletes to cash in with NIL deals with brands and sponsors — deals now worth millions. That came mere days after a 9-0 decision from the Supreme Court that found the NCAA cannot impose caps on education-related benefits schools provide to their athletes because such limits violate antitrust law.

The NCAA’s embrace of NIL deals set the stage for another massive change that took effect July 1: The ability of schools to begin paying millions of dollars to their own athletes, up to $20.5 million per school over the next year. The $2.8 billion House settlement shifts even more power to athletes, who have also won the ability to transfer from school to school without waiting to play.

At Big Ten football media days in Las Vegas, Purdue coach Barry Odom was asked about the Trump order.

“We’ve gotten to the point where government is involved. Obviously, there’s belief it needs to be involved,” he said. “We’ll get it all worked out. The game’s been around for a hundred years and it’s going to be around 100 more.”

The NCAA has been lobbying for several years for limited antitrust protection to keep some kind of control over this new landscape — and avoid more crippling lawsuits — but a handful of bills have gone nowhere in Congress. Trump’s order makes no mention of that, nor does it refer to any of the current bills in Congress aimed at addressing issues in college sports.

NCAA President Charlie Baker and the nation’s largest conferences both issued statements saying there is a clear need for federal legislation.

“The association appreciates the Trump administration’s focus on the life-changing opportunities college sports provides millions of young people and we look forward to working with student-athletes, a bipartisan coalition in Congress and the Trump administration,” said Baker, while the conferences said it was important to pass a law with national standards for athletes’ NIL rights as soon as possible.

The 1,100 universities that comprise the NCAA have insisted for decades that athletes are students who cannot be considered anything like a school employee. Still, some coaches have recently suggested collective bargaining as a potential solution to the chaos they see.

It is a complicated topic: Universities would become responsible for paying wages, benefits, and workers’ compensation and schools and conferences have insisted they will fight any such move in court. While private institutions fall under the National Labor Relations Board, public universities must follow labor laws that vary from state to state and it’s worth noting that virtually every state in the South has “right to work” laws that present challenges for unions.

Trump’s order also:

  • Calls for adding or at least preserving athletic scholarships and roster spots for nonrevenue sports, which are those outside football and basketball. The House settlement allows for unlimited scholarships but does impose roster limits, leading to a complicated set of decisions for each program at each school that include potential concerns about Title IX equity rules. Trump said “opportunities for scholarships and collegiate athletic competition in women’s and nonrevenue sports must be preserved and, where possible, expanded.”
  • Asks the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to “preserve college athletics through litigation” and other actions to protect the rights and interests of athletes — a stance that could influence ongoing lawsuits filed by athletes over eligibility and other issues.
  • Directs White House staff to work with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to protect the collegiate pipeline feeding Team USA. College sports programs produce around three-quarters of U.S. Olympians at a typical Summer Games, but some are on uncertain footing as schools begin sharing revenue with athletes and the lion’s share going to football and basketball.

AP’s Eddie Pells contributed.

Originally Published:



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Major college football head coach admits to ‘losing locker room’ over NIL

Head coach Mike Locksley and the Maryland Terrapins compiled back-to-back eight-win seasons and three consecutive bowl wins before falling to 4-8 in 2024. It was Locksley’s sixth season at the helm, and one that the former Nick Saban assistant admitted featured an underlying issue. Locksley revealed at Big Ten Media Days that he and his […]

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Head coach Mike Locksley and the Maryland Terrapins compiled back-to-back eight-win seasons and three consecutive bowl wins before falling to 4-8 in 2024.

It was Locksley’s sixth season at the helm, and one that the former Nick Saban assistant admitted featured an underlying issue.

Locksley revealed at Big Ten Media Days that he and his staff “lost” the locker room, leading to just four wins and five-straight losses to cap off the year.

“I’ll tell you, a year ago Coach Locks lost his locker room,” Locksley said at Big Ten Media Days. “For me to stand in front of a group of media and tell you that I lost my locker room – and it wasn’t because I wasn’t a good coach, it wasn’t because they weren’t good players because we were better than a four-win team.”

Locksley pointed to significant shift to the NIL era as the root of the locker room disconnect, which he believed was created by his players not playing for the collective group. He even claimed that he will put his desk inside the locker room this year if it comes to it.

“What we had to do was, we had haves and have-nots for the first time in our locker room, and the landscape of college football taught me a valuable lesson,” Locksley said. “That valuable lesson is it’s important for me, even in the midst of this change, to continue to educate our players on the importance of what playing for something bigger than yourself is all about. And I can tell you that if I’ve got to put my desk in the locker room this year, I will.”

Some players are hauling in millions of dollars in NIL funds in today’s era. But those figures aren’t distributed equally, and Locksley aims to create more of an equal environment within the program this season.

“What I’ve decided now is if you come to Maryland and you look outside of the our locker room, there’s a sign,” he continued. “That sign reads, ‘You can leave your Louis belts, your car keys, and your financial statements outside of this locker room,’ because when you enter those doors, we’ll all pay the same price for success or failure.”

Maryland’s first test will come in the season opener against Florida Atlantic at home on Aug. 30 at noon ET.



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American Conference football commissioner Tim Pernetti says transfer portal needs a revamp

The final bowl bids for the 2024 postseason had barely made the rounds last December, and Army was faced with having no foe to complete its historic football season. The American Conference champion Black Knights were slated to face Sun Belt champion Marshall in the Independence Bowl. But the Thundering Herd underwent a head coaching […]

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American Conference football commissioner Tim Pernetti says transfer portal needs a revamp


The final bowl bids for the 2024 postseason had barely made the rounds last December, and Army was faced with having no foe to complete its historic football season.

The American Conference champion Black Knights were slated to face Sun Belt champion Marshall in the Independence Bowl. But the Thundering Herd underwent a head coaching change on the same day as the announcement and suddenly dozens of players entered the NCAA transfer portal. Citing insufficient numbers to field a bowl team, Marshall withdrew ― the Sun Belt later fined Marshall $100,000 for withdrawing.

Fortunately for Army, days later the Independence Bowl turned to local favorite Louisiana Tech for the Dec. 28 game in Shreveport, the committee settling for a sub-.500 team to fill the ledger. The Black Knights went on to prevail 27-6.

Eight months later, several parties are still seething over the fiasco, the product of an ill-timed transfer portal schedule. For 2024-25, the winter filing window was Dec. 9-28 and spring window was April 16-25 ― the first period landed right between the end of the regular season and bowl games, and the latter came right after most college spring games were held.Commissioner Tim Pernetti speaks at the American Conference Football Media Day in Charlotte, N.C., on July 25, 2025. AMERICAN CONFERENCE“A transfer portal window between the end of the season and bowl games?’’ a question posed by American Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti. “What are we doing?”Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

“The current structure is a threat to the game, to team culture, to coaches building programs and student-athletes as constant motion de-emphasizes commitment and the true benefits of collegiate athletics.

“We need one portal window at the appropriate time of the year,’’ he added.

Ironically, Army lost star running back Kanye Udoh to the portal (he signed with Arizona State) less than two weeks after the bowl announcement and a week before the I-Bowl.

Dec 6, 2024; West Point, NY, USA; Army Black Knights running back Kanye Udoh (6) runs the ball against the Tulane Green Wave during the second half at Michie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Earlier this year, the Football Bowl Subdivision coaches voted in favor of a proposal that would allow for a single 10-day period in January.

Pernetti said he fully believes student-athletes should be able to transfer one time freely, like the old rules.

“Coaches change, family situations change, it’s reasonable,’’ he said. “But any transfer beyond that should perhaps require a year in waiting.’’

The explosion of the transfer portal has radically changed the football landscape, forcing coaches to recruit their own players for a second time and scouring the wires for potential replacements and step-ups.“I can assure you,’’ Army coach Jeff Monken quipped, “not being able to sign a guy to an extended contract forces you to change every year.’’Academies like Army, Navy and Air Force cannot play on the same recruiting field, more likely to lose a player to the portal than receiving one since candidates need Congressional appointments, not to mention stringent academic standards.Dec 14, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Army Black Knights linebacker Elo Modozie (18) celebrates his sack with defensive back Chance Keith (2) during the first half of the the 125th Army-Navy game at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images“Guys have always been able to leave West Point before their junior year … that hasn’t changed,’’ said Monken. Army also lost Elo Modozie to Georgia; wide receiver Isaiah Alston to Iowa State in 2024 and running back Anthony Adkins to UCLA in 2023. Rising junior cornerback Jaydan Mayes entered the portal but withdrew later and has been reinstated to the Army roster. “What’s changed is now they can leave for money, and so it makes it a little bit more enticing.’’

kmcmillan@th-record.com

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UNC joins changing times in college sports under House settlement

To compete in the new world of college athletics, the University of Northern Colorado will need creativity, strategy and the involvement of the local community, athletic director Darren Dunn said this month. In early June, the chaotic college sports landscape changed again. A federal judge in California finalized the settlement of a 5-year-old antitrust lawsuit […]

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UNC joins changing times in college sports under House settlement

To compete in the new world of college athletics, the University of Northern Colorado will need creativity, strategy and the involvement of the local community, athletic director Darren Dunn said this month.

In early June, the chaotic college sports landscape changed again. A federal judge in California finalized the settlement of a 5-year-old antitrust lawsuit between six former Division I student-athletes and the NCAA — allowing schools to begin directly paying athletes as of July 1.

Over the past four years, Division I college athletes had been permitted to earn money through sponsorships, endorsements, social media and other business arrangements — but not through the schools themselves. In addition to allowing direct pay from schools, the settlement will change how these NIL payments are regulated.

UNC decided to opt into the terms of the settlement.

“It’s a massive change in our world,” Dunn said. “It is a significant milestone in college athletics, and it means a lot more work for our staff — staying up with trends, providing opportunities for our student-athletes and to keep winning. Quite frankly, that’s what this is about.”

University of Colorado men's basketball coach Tad Boyle, left, stands with University of Northern Colorado athletic director Darren Dunn during Boyle's induction into the UNC Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 at the University Center at UNC in Greeley. Boyle, a Greeley native, coached UNC from 2006-10 in his first Division I head coaching job, turning around the program as it transitioned from Division II. (Woody Myers/University of Northern Colorado).
University of Colorado men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle, left, stands with University of Northern Colorado athletic director Darren Dunn during Boyle’s induction into the UNC Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 at the University Center at UNC in Greeley. Boyle, a Greeley native, coached UNC from 2006-10 in his first Division I head coaching job, turning around the program as it transitioned from Division II. (Woody Myers/University of Northern Colorado).

The House v. NCAA settlement includes nearly $2.6 billion in back pay over the next 10 years to all Division I athletes who competed in college sports from 2016 to 2024. This money in part will come from the NCAA by withholding a variety of fund payments annually made to schools and conferences.

At UNC, this will equal a loss of about $310,000 per year for the next decade. The Big Sky Conference, of which UNC is a full member, will lose about $2.7 million per year over the length of the payout from the 10 full-member schools’ reductions and the conference office, according to deputy commissioner Dan Satter.

“You always want a seat at the table and a chance to voice your perspective,” Satter said. “To not have that and to have financial repercussions that are disproportionate to the athletes impacted (in the Big Sky Conference) and reflected in the settlement is certainly frustrating.”

The defendants in the lawsuit were the NCAA and what were once the five major, or power, conferences: the Pac-12 Conference, the Big Ten Conference, the Big 12 Conference, the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The plaintiffs, the six former Division I student-athletes, represented the three classes of the settlement according to the 76-page agreement: Grant House, Sedona Price, Tymir Oliver, Nya Harrison, DeWayne Carter and Nicholas Solomon.

University of Northern Colorado guard London Gamble dribbles in front of teammate Tatum West during a women's basketball summer practice at UNC in Greeley. (UNC Athletics)
University of Northern Colorado guard London Gamble dribbles in front of teammate Tatum West during a women’s basketball summer practice at UNC in Greeley. (UNC Athletics)

The settlement classes consisted of football and men’s basketball; women’s basketball; and the additional sports class. The classes in the settlement are differentiated based on the athletes’ earning potential in the sports.

The settlement money will be split into two funds: $1.976 billion for NIL claims and $600 million for the additional compensation claims, according to the agreement.

Inside the NIL claims money is $71.5 million for video game usage or injury for football and men’s basketball; $1.815 billion for broadcast usage for football and men’s and women’s basketball; and $89.5 million for third-party injury for all three classes who received NIL payments after July 2021.

The $600 million for the additional compensation is comprised of $570 million to the Power 5 football and men’s basketball athletes and $30 million for the additional sports athletes.

University of Northern Colorado men's basketball player Zach Bloch dribbles the ball during a 2025 summer workout at Bank of Colorado in Greeley. Bloch, a graduate student and guard, will play a fifth season with the Bears in the 2025-26 season. (UNC Athletics).
University of Northern Colorado men’s basketball player Zach Bloch dribbles the ball during a 2025 summer workout at Bank of Colorado in Greeley. Bloch, a graduate student and guard, will play a fifth season with the Bears in the 2025-26 season. (UNC Athletics).

All schools in the defendant conferences were bound by all of the terms of the settlement. Schools in other Division I conferences were only bound to the settlement if they opted into the terms. No representatives of Division I schools outside of the Power 5 Conferences were involved in the settlement, according to Satter.

He said the conference is encouraged by its place in college athletics because the Big Sky appeals to what attracted fans to the sports.

“We’re going to be more and more what people fell in love with about college athletics, and we’re going to have more of what is a traditional model as opposed to the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) level and certainly the Power 4,” Satter said.

UNC head football coach Ed Lamb said the impact of the opt-in won’t be significant for the Bears’ program. Lamb said it was important for him to know university leadership from President Andy Feinstein to Dunn and himself were in “alignment to do everything we can do to be competitive.”

Lamb also said he wanted to know the university leaders were interested in continuing to play at the Football Championship Subdivision level and that the Big Sky Conference is the right place for UNC.

“And I feel that from the people who run the university,” Lamb said.

Lamb said the biggest revenue stream he can control is trying to win games. The coach soon begins his third season with the Bears, and the team has won once in 23 games the past two seasons. Preseason practices begin Monday.

“It’s going to produce more butts in the seats and ticket sales,” Lamb said of winning. “When there’s a winning football program, student enrollment tends to increase. Those are the things I’ve got to keep my focus on.”

The University of Northern Colorado football team going through a practice at UNC fields in Greeley. (UNC Athletics)
The University of Northern Colorado football team going through a practice at UNC fields in Greeley. (UNC Athletics)

UNC men’s basketball coach Steve Smiley also said he was glad the university opted into the terms of the settlement.

For a while, UNC officials had hesitations about going along with the terms. The sticking point for the university was a component of the settlement impacting roster sizes. The settlement does away with scholarship limits. Roster limits are in place for schools that opt in, but this mandate comes with a grandfather clause.

Until discussions and negotiations between the sides working out the settlement were held, there was a possibility schools opting into the settlement would have been required to cut roster spots. Schools that opt in don’t have to decrease roster sizes at this point.

At UNC and other Big Sky Conference schools, the matter of roster sizes was a concern because of a loss of enrollment revenue. That was not a direction UNC wanted to go. The university has been working for several years to improve its financial stability through higher enrollment.

Dunn said UNC teams would’ve lost about 50 roster spots under the previous version of the settlement. This equals about $1 million in enrollment revenue, he said.

“Losing head count is not a good thing,” Smiley added, also noting his team is set for the 2025-26 season and the impacts of House will be factored into plans for future seasons. “In my circles and talking to people, it appears it will give the most flexibility in operating in the future. And I think that’s a good thing. There was not a downside with our department, knowing we didn’t have to lose student-athletes.”

UNC decided to opt into the settlement for a couple of other reasons, Dunn said. For one, the university wants to participate at the highest level of Division I athletics. The university also wants to provide additional resources to athletes. How UNC compensates athletes remains in the discussion and planning phases. This is where UNC’s interest in being more creative and strategic becomes a focus.

University of Northern Colorado junior Krista Francia runs down the Sacramento State runner for the out while playing at Gloria Rodriguez Field in Greeley on Friday. (Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)
University of Northern Colorado junior Krista Francia runs down a Sacramento State runner for an out during a 2025 Big Sky Conference game at Gloria Rodriguez Field in Greeley. (Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)

Dunn said the university had not made any NIL payments to student-athletes as of July 18. This does not include payments from the Bear Pride Collective, summer school scholarships or Alston academic awards.

Dunn said the university will have to self-generate revenue to pay athletes, and there are a few ways this can be accomplished. Among the simplest of these options are finding sponsorships, fundraising and game guarantees. Game guarantees are when a larger school, such as the University of Colorado, pays a sum of money to a smaller school such as UNC to play at the bigger’s school’s home site.

This will happen in 2028 and 2031 when the Bears football team returns to Folsom Field in Boulder for games against the Buffs. UNC will receive a total of $1.05 million for the two games. UNC football will receive $825,000 for two games against Wyoming in 2026 and 2030, according to FBSchedules.com earlier this month.

The women’s basketball team last year played a guaranteed game at Brigham Young University. These games can generate anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $50,000, Dunn said.

This is the type of money that could go toward paying athletes under House. Dunn said he’s also heard of other schools putting a fee on tickets to generate additional revenue.

In a statement on House v. NCAA, UNC said this new era will require unprecedented collaboration with the athletic department, alumni and the Greeley community.

“For us to continue to be competitive in this environment, we’re going to have to get more people involved,” Dunn said this month. “There are a lot of people who live in the area who are not alumni. There are a lot of businesses that are successful here. I think the better we are, the better we can promote Greeley and the better we can promote the Weld County area.”

The Bear Pride Collective was established in 2023, after athletes were allowed to begin receiving NIL payments. The collective works through a third-party organization to facilitate NIL opportunities or transactions between UNC student-athletes and fans, donors and businesses, the university said at the time.

University of Northern Colorado wrestler Andrew Alirez shows love for the Bank of Colorado crowd during his last home match Sunday Feb. 23, 2025 in Greeley. (Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)
University of Northern Colorado wrestler Andrew Alirez shows love for the Bank of Colorado crowd in February 2025 during his last home match in Greeley. (Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)

The collective is not officially affiliated with the UNC Athletic Department. Though it’s recommended by UNC to support its student-athletes, the collective is a separate entity. At the time the Bear Pride Collective was established, it was run by an Atlanta-based company called Student Athlete NIL.

As of now, Dunn does not see a change in how the Bear Pride Collective operates, he said. The collective is another option for donors to give to UNC athletes. A representative from the Bear Pride Collective couldn’t be reached for comment about its role under the House settlement terms.

“I think at some point down the road, there might be less options, but right now, I see it as a benefit,” Dunn said.

Under the House settlement, booster collectives may pay student-athletes for NIL as long as all of the payments are for valid business purposes, according to Ropes & Gray. All NIL transactions with a total value of $600 or more must be reported to the newly created College Sports Commission. The commission was set up to oversee the new system under the settlement.

Another term of the settlement stipulates schools may share revenue with athletes at an annual capped amount of $20.5 million per school for this year. The cap is expected to increase by about $1 million each year after 2025-26 to an estimated $32.9 million in 2034-35.

UNC won’t give athletes $20 million, but the university will do “the best we can with the resources we have,” Dunn said.

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How Texas football is navigating recruiting in new NIL era

Cedric Golden, Austin American-Statesman  |  Hearst – Austin Transition It’s been 20 years since Vince Young, Mack Brown and Co. captured a national championship and 16 since the Texas Longhorns have played in a title game, but the program has been knocking on the door these last two seasons under coach Steve Sarkisian. The head […]

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It’s been 20 years since Vince Young, Mack Brown and Co. captured a national championship and 16 since the Texas Longhorns have played in a title game, but the program has been knocking on the door these last two seasons under coach Steve Sarkisian.

The head Texas football coach covered several topics at the Texas High School Coaches Association’s Convention and Coaching School in San Antonio.

While NIL and revenue sharing have dominated the college football conversation this spring, it still begins and ends with recruiting. Sark has hit big on some prime out-of-state recruits like California wideout Xavier Worthy, Colorado tight end Gunnar Helm, Louisiana edge rusher Barryn Sorrell and new face of the franchise Arch Manning from Louisiana, but he understands the importance of mining the nation’s most fertile recruiting area within these borders.

The program is in the middle of a renaissance of sorts with 23 players having been drafted into the NFL over the last two years while producing a 25-5 record. Nineteen of those picks played high school ball in Texas.

MORE CEDDYTexas LB Anthony Hill poised for breakout year

When the Horns beat Southern Cal at the Rose Bowl to win it all in January 2006, Brown stood at the podium with Young and defensive star Michael Huff — hailing from Houston and Irving, respectively — and gave a shoutout to Texas high school coaches, arguably the best piece of recruiting in program history. At that point, Texas stood atop the sport and every high school coach in the state wanted to send his best player to Austin.

Sarkisian is still landing some great Texans year in and year out, but his latest commitments — linebacker Tyler Atkinson and Chaminade-Madonna — are from Georgia and Florida, respectively. NIL opportunities and social media have made the country a lot smaller and these blue-chip athletes are much more comfortable leaving their home states to play for a winner. 

So it’s on Sark and his staff to navigate these recruiting streets —  in and out of state — with the understanding that while it’s important to bring in homegrown players, there are no guarantees.

“The fine line of we have to make sure that we’re recruiting a roster that can compete for national championships, but at the same token, make sure that we’re that we’re continually recruiting the best players in the state  of Texas,” Sarkisian said in San Antonio. “We don’t get to sign them all, and there’s a lot of really good schools in our own state, and I’ve touched on this numerous times. I think as much as people view us and maybe some other schools in our state for recruiting out of the state, I think a lot of schools are recruiting in our state as well, and a lot of players are a lot more apt to leave the state.”

MORE CEDDY:  What I learned from SEC Media Days 

Sarkisian also gave props for what in-state coaches like Texas A&M’s Mike Elko, Baylor’s Dave Aranda, SMU’s Rhett Lashlee (SMU), Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire and Houston’s Willie Fritz are doing to build their programs. He sees them on the recruiting trail, but those cities have historically been heavily visited from out-of-state recruiters looking to cherry pick potential program changers.

Texas has always been a national brand and now more than ever, and that brand is allowing Sarkisian expand his operation with the changing tide of how the recruiting game has changed.

He has hit what looks to be a home run with Manning and if this winning continues as expected. more imports are coming this way.

Which college football team has the most value?

Since I pay them $7.99 a month, I figured I had better get over to “The Athletic” to see what they were working on with the season coming up and I hit an interesting piece: a listing of the most valuable Power Four college football programs, and guess who checked in at No. 1?

Texas came in at a valuation of $2.38 billion, well ahead of second-place Georgia ($1.92 billion) followed by Ohio State ($1.9 billion), Notre Dame ($1.85) and Michigan ($1.83).

MORE: Texas star Michael Taaffe uses his platform to help others

The Longhorns are printing money through ticket sales, merchandising and donations. It also didn’t hurt to join the SEC with its lucrative television contracts. Texas and Oklahoma each received $27.5 million in transition payments and refundable application fees after joining the league in July 2024.

One interesting tidbit from the story: Texas’ valuation is in the neighborhood of the $2.3 billion that Dave Tepper paid for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers in 2018.

‘Night Train’ Lane documentary on tap 

It’s long overdue, but a documentary on legendary NFL star Dick “Night Train” Lane has been completed.

His sons Richard Walker, Sr. and Richard Lane, Jr.  have teamed with acclaimed director Eric Herbert to produce “Train: The Dick ‘Night Train’ Lane Story,” the definitive piece on Austin’s first Pro Football Hall of Famer.  

Thanks to the Original L.C. Anderson Alumni Association — which is kicking off its its 12th annual all-school reunion Wednesday by organizing the event— the filming will take place 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Austin Film Society (AFS) Cinema at 6259 Middle  Fiskville Road. We will get an up-close view of the backstory behind the man who eventually redefined the cornerback position in the NFL. 

Lane died in Austin at age 73 in 2002.

Lane followed Negro League baseball legend Willie Wells as a sports icon at the all-Black high school in East Austin before integration. He enjoyed an historic career as a ball-hawking cornerback for three different teams — his 14 interceptions in his rookie year with the Los Angeles Rams remain the standard for the position — that came against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement. As a son of the South, he was confronted with systemic barriers of racism and prejudice that were a product of the times. Yet he persevered and excelled.

I’m excited to team with local archivist Jacqueline Smith-Francis on a panel discussion featuring Herbert and community leaders following the film to discuss the making of the piece along with Lane’s enduring impact on and off the field.

The OLCAAA has long strived to preserve and restore African-American history in our city and its objective is to “create an awareness of this rich heritage by maintaining a collection of memorabilia of the contributions of students and faculty, and providing funds and/or volunteers for scholarships, tutoring, safe social activities, etc.”

Donations for the association can be submitted electronically, via Zelle, or by check to Original L.C. Anderson Alumni Association, Inc., P.O. Box 14162, Austin, TX 78761.

Iconic Messi was a no-show at MLS classic 

Condolences to those who paid hefty ticket prices in hopes that soccer icon Lionel Messi would show in Austin for Wednesday’s MLS All-Star game.

The league released an updated roster sheet late Wednesday morning and Messi wasn’t on it. Worse yet, he was nowhere to be found at Q2 Stadium. The hope was he would at least make an appearance, sign some autographs and kiss a couple of toddlers, but it was not to be. It would have been a nice show of support for the league and its fans, but the most recognizable face in the league decided to sit this one out.

One year after missing the 2024 all-star game with an injury, a healthy Messi — who has reportedly played 90 minutes in 17 straight games for Inter Miami CF — joined teammate Jordi Alba in missing the annual gathering of the league’s top players.

At 38, Messi has logged plenty of minutes in a brutal schedule for the Herons, who have played eight matches in the last six weeks, including a torrid stretch in the last half of June where they played four in 16 days.

I can’t blame him for not playing, but it would have been cool to see him in our city promoting this league and the sport. 



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From a job shadow to the coaching spotlight

During her final years at FIU, she also worked with Next Level (nXlvl). It was a new NIL app geared toward student athletes and bringing them together with fans, brand marketers and recruiters. The CEO of the company was Tom Broering – she called him “a family friend” – and she became his executive assistant […]

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During her final years at FIU, she also worked with Next Level (nXlvl). It was a new NIL app geared toward student athletes and bringing them together with fans, brand marketers and recruiters.

The CEO of the company was Tom Broering – she called him “a family friend” – and she became his executive assistant even as she was a shooting guard for the Panthers.

Although Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities were not yet permitted for college athletes when she was at BGSU, they were when she was at FIU.

Along with some deals she got with Walgreens and CVS pharmacies, she developed her own line of clothing – called OT2 – which incorporated her initials and her jersey number in college.

Ordered online, the hoodies and shirts came with a Scriptures reference: “Be Strong and Courageous”

It’s part of the Bible verse – Joshua 1:9 – that says:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

As for her, after grad school she went to Ann Arbor, Michigan and became a players’ liaison with University of Michigan athletes and an onsite marketing manager for nXlvl.

She helped Wolverines athletes with NIL deals, especially by assisting them to create content for the nXlvl app.

But by last fall she was beginning to miss her involvement in basketball and after going to a couple of early-season FIU games, she knew she wasn’t done with the sport.

And no wonder.

She’s a Trice.

And they are one of the best-known and most-accomplished basketball families ever in the Miami Valley.

Her dad, Travis Trice Sr. – now an assistant coach of the Wright State Raiders men’s team – had played collegiately at Purdue and Butler and was the longtime leader of Wayne High basketball.

He had coached the boys’ team for a decade and in 2015 he led the Warriors to the Division I state title. He then switched to the girls’ team at the school – in part to coach Olivia – and one team made it to the regional finals.

In all, 24 of Travis Sr.’s players got Division I basketball scholarships. Three of them went to his and wife Julie’s children – Travis II, D’Mitrik and Olivia.

Travis II became Wayne High’s all-time leading scorer with 1,555 points. He then helped guide Michigan State to the Final Four and finished his collegiate career with 1,135 points.

Since then, he’s flirted with the NBA – through Summer League and preseason stints – and has been playing professionally overseas for the past decade.

D’Mitrik became a starting guard for the Wisconsin Badgers and in five seasons scored 1,430 points. He has played professionally overseas since 2021.

Another brother, Isaiah, played at Sinclair Community College.

With her family so deeply rooted in the sport, Olivia was open to the offer from Scott Johnson, the program director and head coach of the West Virginia Thunder, the AAU team she’d played for as she was finishing her own stellar career at Wayne.

Johnson asked her to coach one of the Thunders’ elite teams and another one involving the younger girls in the program.

Thanks to her dad, she also met Clint Sargent, who took over the WSU program when Scott Nagy left.

She said Sargent allowed her to “job shadow” the coaches last season and she promptly immersed herself in Raiders basketball.

She was at most early-morning practices and sat a couple of rows behind the bench at Nutter Center home games. She went on a few road trips with the team and often talked to players, coaches and WSU administrators, including new athletics director Joylynn Brown.

“I learned the ropes at Wright State.” Olivia said. “I learned what it took to be a coach and see if it was something I’d like to pursue.”

She hit it off with Sargent and saw how he ran the program: “He’s a great coach; a great man; and a great father. I can’t say enough about him. He has integrity.”

Offering that same type of salute when talking about her dad, she soon realized what others already knew.

Some people thought she’d be a good coach from the way she approached the game as an athlete.

“I wasn’t always the strongest or fastest or most athletic player, but I could think through the game pretty well,” she said.

Olivia Trice playing at Florida International University in the 2023-2024 season. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

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After her season at WSU, she was planning to take the AAU job in West Virginia when she got a call from Raiders’ women’s coach Kari Hoffman, who had tried to recruit her when she entered the transfer portal on her way from Bowling Green to FIU.

This time Hoffman’s offer was a dream come true.

She brought the now 24-year-old Trice onto her staff as the director of basketball operations and an assistant coach.

‘They didn’t get off easy’

Growing up, she said people compared her to “the coach’s daughter in Remembering the Titans.”

In that movie, Coach Bill Yoast’s daughter Sheryl – played by Hayden Panettiere – is a passionate and fully-engaged follower of the high school football team her dad guides alongside head coach Herman Boone, played by Denzel Washington.

“On my Instagram page I do have a picture of me in the gym with my dad and I can’t be more than about two,” she said.

She said her parents didn’t push her into sports and let her develop her own love.

“I was a girlie girl, too,” she laughed. “I had princess heels, and I tried to put on makeup when I could.

“I remember making my brothers join me in little tea parties,” she said with delight. “They didn’t get off easy.”

Soon, though, she put down the cup and saucer and picked up a ball and that’s when the party really began.

She won All-Greater Western Ohio Conference honors three years in a row; was a good student and ended up being named Miss Wayne High School.

After two seasons at Bowling Green she said she wanted to get a new, more expansive experience of life and found that with FIU and the city of Miami.

“I loved all the diversity,” she said.

At FIU, she was one of just four players on the roster from the U.S. She saw considerable playing time there and would end up playing 139 games in her college career.

Across the hall

When we spoke late Wednesday afternoon, she’d just returned from the airport where she picked up Travis II, who’d come in from Puerto Rico where he’s played the past couple of seasons, while also playing in China.

D’Mitrik already was home from his team in Slovakia. His girlfriend had just given birth to their daughter, Londyn, and now the whole Trice family – including Travis II’s son, also named Travis, but known as Trace – was together for the first time in a while.

“I’m a family girl and that’s why I’m so excited being back home,” Olivia said.

While she feels a special connection with her dad, she also has a bond with her mom.

“My mom is a super mom,” she said. “She was always rippin’ and runnin’ with us kids when we were a young age. She made sure we all got where we were supposed to be – at games, practices, wherever. And she made sure we had someone there to give us support.

“At one time my parents had one of their kids in college, one in high school, another in middle school and one in elementary school. And my little sister Ace (Acelynne) was in preschool.

Olivia Trice with her mom, Julie, and dad, Travis, at her graduation for her master’s degree at Florida International University in Miami. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

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“When I had Senior Night at FIU, she and my aunt made the 19-hour drive to get there.”

She said her mom – who has been an interpreter for the deaf for almost 27 years – taught her sign language and now she’s fluent in it. She said that’s important to her and she’s proud of it.

“It just feels good being back around my family,” she admitted.

And at WSU that means being right across the hall from her dad’s office in the Raiders practice facility.

“We can go to lunch together or I can walk across and pick his brain on how to handle different things, both on and off the court,” she said. “It’s been amazing. I just feel really blessed to be here.

“Kari is a great boss to have and I believe we have a special group of girls for this season. I’m just a few years older than the players and I can connect with them on some levels.

“I’m really looking forward to our season.”

More and more, Olivia Trice is realizing she’s not done with her basketball involvement.

She’s just getting started.





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