Randy Peterson
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April 13, 2025
Did Tennessee coach Josh Heupel just save college football? The sport has been cannibalizing itself since the NCAA was so afraid of being sued, that it has allowed darn near everything that its players want.
Free agency?
Check.
Un-regulated name, image and likeness?
Check.
And that brings us to the drama surrounding Huepel’s former quarterback.
When Nico Iamaleava informed the team a day before the Vols’ spring game, that he was holding out for more NIL money, the former quarterback-turned-coach said the redshirt freshman’s time as a Tennessee football player was over.
He was off the team.
"This program has been around for a long time," Heupel told reporters. "There are a lot of great coaches, a lot of great players, who came before that laid the cornerstone pieces -- the legacy, the tradition that is Tennessee football. It's going to be around a long time after I'm gone and after they're gone."
I agree that players should be paid. I’m not saying that Iamaleava didn’t deserve the reported $2 million raise he was seeking. What I’m saying is that the NCAA had better get its stuff together quickly, because all-hell already is breaking loose.
If Huepel doesn’t boot Iamaleava from the team, just a few days before Wednesday transfer portal re-opening, then who’s to say others won’t follow? And, no one is guaranteeing that a team will even claim someone off the free agent wire, this late into spring.
How ironic (or unfortunate) would that be, a quarterback going from starter at a tradition-rich SEC school, to a non-rostered player when the 2025 season opens.
Expect anything and everything, in this new world where players (and agents) could chase so much money, that they price themselves right out of the game.
**
I don’t know how much of a raise Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson received, nor do I care. Ditto with Texas Tech’s J.T. Toppin, the Big 12’s reigning men’s basketball player of the year. Same with how much BYU’s super basketball recruit, A.J. Dybantsa, is getting. Five Million? $even million?
I presume Bennett Stirtz’ bank account has increased, too, after transferring from Drake to Iowa. I don’t give a hoot what he’s making, either, but I do know this:
The cumulative NIL offers for men’s basketball stars seem to be going bonkers right now – and I don’t see it changing. BYU supporters look to be supporting their Cougars more than they ever have. Same with Texas Tech – and almost everyone, for that matter.
Good for the sport? That’s up for discussion, but this is not debatable:
College athletes are reaping so much financially these days, that some are making more money than their coaches – and, quite honestly, there’s really nothing wrong with that. Fans pay to see players, not to see the coaches.
Most of what I read on the social media – I don’t believe. I mean, how do you know agents are telling the truth when confronting a head coach or a team General Manager about how much someone is (allegedly) offering his client to leave.
And when you consider the percentage cut for an agent and taxes – just how much of that outside income is left?
Regardless, college athlete price tags are getting higher and higher. And you know what, they’ll be off-the-charts high between now and July 1, when schools (probably) will be allowed to pay athletes from a pool of around $21 million. Revenue sharing. Whatever you call it – it implies professionalism.
And in that respect, I’m hoping athletes getting this money have trustworthy representation. Furthermore, let’s hope they’re formalizing the agreements by signing rock-solid contracts (if even there is such a thing).
They’re professionals. They soon may be university employees – just like the people that coach them.
Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard, a visionary in many ways, told reporters this, at a Cyclones Tailgate Tour stop in Carroll in 2022:
“I was reminded that in 1929, the Carnegie Foundation did a report on college athletics,” he told us. “There were three findings — No. 1, that student-athletes aren’t students; No. 2, that coaches are paid too much, and No. 3, we need to get the government involved to help control college athletics.
“That’s really fascinating. That was 92 or 93 years ago. You can argue that not much has changed.”
I’ve been harping on this topic for years. I’ll keep saying it for as long as my fingers can locate the correct laptop keys – and for as long as we’re living in this Show Me the Money age of college athlete.
A handshake loyalty agreement isn’t enough. Someone must be accountable, with this much money being thrown around. We cannot trust the NCAA’s Department of Revenue Sharing, or a financial clearinghouse (or whatever it’s called) to be that overseer. The NCAA already made a mess of the transfer portal, so why should we expect this to be any different?
Therefore . . .
Contracts.
I don’t even know if that’s legally possible, but if it is, my idea of a typical binding agreement between athlete and school might include:
** Staying in academic good graces, which I sometimes wonder about, given the here today, gone tomorrow pace that some players change schools.
** A clause that prevents opting out of regular and postseason games, unless not medically cleared to play. That might make athletes think twice before choosing not to play in non-championship level postseason games. That’s been a trend in football for a while. It’s been a trend across the nation.
** Athletes should bear the responsibility that goes along with being paid – of fulfilling obligations not only for regular seasons, but also their postseason. If they don’t, then become subject to an NIL contract buyout. Coaches have buyouts. So should the athletes.
It’s just a thought.
(Award-winning columnist Randy Peterson can be, and has been, reached at randypete4846@gmail.com or at any Okoboji-area beverage/food establishment between the hours of open and close.)