NIL

Zakai Zeigler lawyers

Published

6 months ago

June 10, 2025

AI-assisted summaryFormer Tennessee basketball player Zakai Zeigler is suing the NCAA to gain a fifth year of eligibility, citing a new state law that challenges the NCAA’s authority.The new Tennessee law allows universities and athletes to bypass NCAA rules that potentially violate antitrust law, including those impacting NIL compensation and eligibility.The NCAA argues the law is irrelevant to Zeigler’s case and that the university’s support of Zeigler contradicts its agreement with NCAA rules.Attorneys for former Tennessee basketball player Zakai Zeigler are trying to utilize a new state law curtailing the NCAA’s authority to get him an additional year of eligibility.

It’s the latest twist in Zeigler’s federal lawsuit against the NCAA, which challenges the so-called “Four Seasons” rule. The NCAA allows athletes to play four seasons during a five-year period, which can include a redshirt year.

Zeigler ran out of NCAA eligibility by playing the past four seasons for UT basketball and not taking a redshirt. He wants to play a fifth season and earn millions of dollars in NIL pay. His attorneys say the NCAA does not have the authority in the state of Tennessee to stop him.

The new Tennessee law, Senate Bill 536, allows Tennessee universities and athletes to opt out of NCAA rules if they appear to violate antitrust law. The initial purpose was to shift liability toward the NCAA and conferences and away from the schools in anticipated antitrust lawsuits by athletes unhappy with new player-pay rules in college sports.

But broad language in the law – which has not been litigated in any court – strips the NCAA of its power if the association prohibits a Tennessee athlete from earning money. Zeigler’s attorneys are seizing on that portion to push for a preliminary injunction that would grant him a fifth year of eligibility.

“(The new Tennessee law is) unambiguously clear: Any NCAA action that impacts an athlete’s ability to earn NIL compensation or his or her eligibility, like the Four-Seasons Rule, is illegal in Tennessee,” Zeigler’s attorneys argued in a brief filed to the Eastern District of Tennessee federal court on June 7.

NCAA says Tennessee law is irrelevant in Zakai Zeigler case

The NCAA countered, accusing Zeigler of exploiting a law that doesn’t apply to his case.

“(Zeigler’s brief) continues his effort to dismantle the NCAA membership’s longstanding eligibility rules by any means necessary — this time through a tortured reading of an irrelevant law,” NCAA attorneys wrote in a brief to the court on June 8.

“Common sense dictates that the new Tennessee statute has nothing to do with this case.”

The law appeared to be in response to Tennessee v. NCAA, a separate federal lawsuit that challenged the NCAA’s rules that prohibited schools from facilitating NIL negotiations with players and recruits.

Tennessee and the NCAA reached a settlement in that case in January, the same month that Senate Bill 536 was introduced in the legislature. The new law was signed by Gov. Bill Lee on May 1, and it sparked a fight between UT and power conferences about whether the school had to follow new player-pay rules set forth in the House settlement.

However, a provision in the new law said the NCAA shall not “interfere with, prohibit, restrict, or otherwise adversely affect an intercollegiate athlete’s ability to earn compensation … and shall not otherwise impact an intercollegiate athlete’s eligibility or full participation in intercollegiate athletic events.”

Zeigler has used that language in his fight against the NCAA. Federal Judge Katherine Crytzer could invalidate the state law altogether if she wants.

Should Tennessee or NCAA decide if Zeigler can keep playing?

Zeigler has a guaranteed spot on Tennessee’s 2025-26 basketball roster if Crytzer allows it. The latest hearing was held in Knoxville on June 6, and both sides are jockeying for a stronger position.

Zeigler’s attorney, Alex Little, told the judge that Zeigler intends to play for the Vols and was told he had a spot on the team. But Little also said the NCAA wouldn’t be able to restrict Zeigler’s entrance into the transfer portal, presumably meaning if his injunction request was approved, Zeigler would have the option to play at another school, not just UT.

The NCAA argues that its eligibility rules are clear, and Zeigler cannot exceed them. But Zeigler’s attorneys say that the law allows UT to determine who plays on its teams, not the NCAA.“(The NCAA) argued that the phrase ‘can . . . participate’ means that Mr. Zeigler must be eligible to participate under its own eligibility rules,” Zeigler’s attorneys argued in a brief. “But this argument assumes its own premise: that the NCAA — rather than the institution — determines who gets to ‘participate in an athletic program (at an institution).’” Mar 22, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Zakai Zeigler (5) brings the ball up court during the first half against the UCLA Bruins in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images NCAA says UT can’t support Zeigler and agree to NCAA rulesThe NCAA sees a contradiction in UT’s apparent support of Zeigler and its acceptance of NCAA eligibility rules. After all, member schools like UT make up the NCAA and adopt its rules.The House settlement, which resolved three federal antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and four power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC), could strengthen the NCAA’s position in the Zeigler case. The settlement was approved on June 6, just hours after the conclusion of Zeigler’s hearing, and reinforced eligibility rules.

The House settlement permitted the NCAA and conferences to cap the number of years an athlete is eligible to receive payments at four years plus a redshirt year, providing that all four of those seasons must be played within a consecutive five-year period.

The SEC, which includes UT as a member, agreed to that settlement.

“The State’s flagship institution (which happens to be the school Plaintiff attended) is a member of an athletic conference that has agreed to a settlement that expressly affirms the NCAA’s Four-Seasons Rule,” NCAA attorneys argued in a brief. “That same institution, the University of Tennessee, obtained valuable legal releases pursuant to that settlement and unsurprisingly has repeatedly endorsed it.

“It is accordingly hard to imagine the Tennessee legislature passing a law so obviously at odds with the University of Tennessee’s legal position and interests.”

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Emailadam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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NIL

Kentucky Basketball loses recruiting prediction for Christian Collins as NIL looms large

Published

53 minutes ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Collins, a 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward from Bellflower, California, is widely regarded as one of the premier frontcourt prospects in the country. His blend of athleticism, scoring ability, and defensive versatility made him a major priority for Kentucky head coach Mark Pope and his staff as they work to build future recruiting classes.

According to Jacob Polacheck of KSR, Collins’ recruitment is being heavily influenced by NIL structure and contract details, a growing trend at the top of the recruiting landscape. That reality was addressed publicly earlier this month by Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart during Will Stein’s introductory press conference as the Wildcats’ new football head coach.

Barnhart pushed back strongly against the perception that Kentucky is at an NIL disadvantage, saying, “Enough about ‘have we got enough?’ We’ve got enough.” He also emphasized that Kentucky will not compromise its standards to land recruits. “We’ve got to do it the right way,” Barnhart said. “We’re not going to break the rules. That’s flat-out.”

While Kentucky no longer holds a crystal ball prediction for Collins, the Wildcats are not out of the race. However, his recruitment now appears far more fluid, underscoring the increasingly complex balance between elite talent, NIL expectations, and long-term program philosophy in modern college basketball.

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NIL

Kentucky loses recruiting prediction for 5-star forward Christian Collins as NIL looms large

Published

2 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Kentucky Basketball suffered a notable recruiting setback this week as 247 Sports national analyst Travis Branham removed his crystal ball prediction for the Wildcats to land class of 2026 5-star power forward Christian Collins. Branham originally placed the prediction in early November, fueling optimism that Collins could commit to Kentucky as the early national signing period approached. That announcement never came, and momentum has since cooled.

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Former college football star QB shuts down career move amid political rumors

Published

3 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Less than two months after announcing his intention to run for lieutenant governor in Alabama, former three-time national champion Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron has announced he will exit the race.

McCarron is seeking to rededicate himself to football, an effort that will require “100% of my focus, commitment, and attention that I was to give to the office of lieutenant governor, so it is time to end my campaign,” he said in a statement.

A historic career at Alabama

McCarron led the Crimson Tide to back-to-back BCS national championships in 2011 and 2012 and was part of the national title team as a redshirt player in 2009.

A native of Mobile, the quarterback became the first player at his position to win consecutive BCS titles and also received several of college football’s more prestigious awards, including the Maxwell, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, and Kellen Moore Awards.

As a junior, McCarron established an Alabama record with 30 touchdown passes in a season, and broke Greg McElroy’s former record with 3,063 passing yards in a season during his senior campaign in 2013.

McCarron finished his Alabama career with a 36-4 overall record, completing almost 67 percent of his passes with 77 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

McCarron in the NFL

The quarterback emerged as a fifth-round selection in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, playing as a backup for four years.

McCarron spent the next four seasons as a reserve first with the Oakland Raiders, followed by a stint with the Houston Texas, and finally the Atlanta Falcons.

From there, he played in the XFL with the St. Louis Battlehawks, a franchise that then moved to the United Football League.

McCarron’s political ambitions

The former quarterback star was running as a Republican for the second-highest office in his home state, a move he said was inspired by the murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk.

“Alabama’s conservative and cultural values are under attack from every direction,” McCarron said in his announcement for office.

“That’s why Charlie Kirk’s assassination affected so many of us so deeply. His example convinced me to get off of the sidelines, get into the game, and stand tall for our conservative beliefs.”

McCarron currently serves as a college football commentator as part of The Dynasty podcast, which he presents with fellow Alabama alum Trent Richardson and Crimson Tide broadcaster Chris Stewart.

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Jayden Maiava returning to USC on new NIL deal

Published

4 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Dec. 17, 2025, 1:41 p.m. ET

USC will get its starting signal-caller back in 2026.

On Tuesday, the program announced that quarterback Jayden Maiava has signed a new NIL deal to return to the Trojans next season. Maiava, who previously played at UNLV, would have had a significant transfer portal market and also ranked as a top-10 quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL draft, per ESPN’s Mel Kiper.

Maiava started 11 games at UNLV in 2023 before transferring to USC, where he ultimately lost the starting job to Miller Moss ahead of the 2024 season. However, amid subpar play from Moss, coach Lincoln Riley made a change as he started the final four games.

Though his numbers during that stretch weren’t stellar, he did guide the Trojans to a 3-1 finish to the season.

Riley opted not to take a transfer quarterback this offseason and stuck with Maiava, who started all 12 games in a 9-3 season. He took a major leap, completing 66.2% of his passes for 3,431 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

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A new era of NIL at Oklahoma State

Published

4 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State is taking a significant step forward in the modern landscape of college athletics with the formation of the OSU NIL Alliance.

Created to fully-fund revenue share and to grow endorsement opportunities for Oklahoma State student-athletes, The Alliance pairs the POSSE Excellence Fund with Learfield’s Cowboy Sports Properties.

The POSSE Excellence Fund provides more than $31 million in scholarships and revenue share for student-athletes across all of OSU’s ticketed sports. Cowboy Sports Properties integrates NIL opportunities for student-athletes into OSU’s existing sponsorship, media and marketing ecosystem.

“The OSU NIL Alliance will streamline how our supporters can maximize new opportunities for our student-athletes and continue to position OSU for championship-level success.” Athletic Director Chad Weiberg said.

Weiberg appointed Brakston Brock to lead this next step in OSU’s NIL evolution. Brock has climbed the ranks during his six years in Stillwater and now elevates into the role of Senior Associate Athletic Director for NIL Strategy and Revenue Generation.

For more information on the OSU NIL Alliance, visit https://okstate.com/nil.

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Bailey, Rodriguez named to Sporting News’ All-America Team

Published

5 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech seniors David Bailey and Jacob Rodriguez were named first-team selections to the Sporting News 2025 College Football All-America Team, as announced Wednesday by the organization. The Sporting News is the fourth of five NCAA-recognized selectors to name the Red Raider duo as first-team All-Americans toward the NCAA’s consensus All-America team.

If Bailey and Rodriguez receive first-team honors Thursday from the final selector, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), they would join Mark Bounds (1991), Zach Thomas (1995), Byron Hanspard (1996), Michael Crabtree (2007–08), and Jace Amaro (2013) as Texas Tech’s all-time unanimous All-America selections.

Bailey, an edge rusher, and Rodriguez, a linebacker, were previously named first-team All-Americans by the Walter Camp Football Foundation on Friday, the Associated Press on Monday, and the AFCA on Tuesday. The NCAA will officially recognize its consensus All-America selections on Friday.

Before the 2025 season, 27 Texas Tech players had earned first-team All-America honors, accounting for 49 all-time All-America selections (first-, second-, or third-team). In addition to Bailey and Rodriguez’s first-team recognition, the Associated Press named A.J. Holmes Jr. to its second team and defensive tackle Lee Hunter to its third team on Monday, marking an unprecedented season of national honors for the Red Raiders. Texas Tech’s most recent All-American prior to 2025 was Tyree Wilson, who earned first-team honors in 2022.

Texas Tech, which earned its first bid to the College Football Playoff, will face the winner of the first-round matchup between Oregon and James Madison on Dec. 20. The Red Raiders will play the victor in the CFP quarterfinals on Jan. 1 at the Capital One Orange Bowl.

To view the complete Sporting News All-America first and second teams, visit SportingNews.com.

Sporting News History

Founded in 1934, the Sporting News All-America Team—then awarded by The Sporting News—has long been one of college football’s most respected individual honors. Originally selected by panels of sportswriters, the team later incorporated evaluations from scouts and football observers as the sport evolved. Today, Sporting News is one of the NCAA’s five recognized selectors, with its first-team selections counting toward Consensus and Unanimous All-America status.

– TECH –

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