In the last few years, there is no other sport on the planet that has changed more than college football. From NIL, the transfer portal and even the College Football Playoff, the sport we all love has gone through more changes than a woman that can’t decide what she wants to wear.
At the same time, it also reminds me of the days of the old west where the only rule is that there are no rules. Remember when boosters were handing out briefcases of cash under the table to top recruits? Now it seems like there’s no need to hide anything.
The Changing College Football Landscape
Players are getting paid, not just by NIL, but by the schools as well. Each year rosters turn over at high rates and if you go through a coaching change, you could probably count on one hand how many players stick around. Just ask Iowa State and Oklahoma State if you don’t believe me.
It’s a free for all out there and it’s about the closest thing to free agency as I have ever seen. If a player wants to play for five different schools in five years, he can do so with almost zero repercussions. Heck, there are several players out there on school number six or seven, which is just crazy.
Some schools have wised up by offering contracts, which I am totally in favor of. If you wanted to get paid like a pro then you should get treated like one too. However, that doesn’t seem to stop other schools trying to poach players from other schools even if they have signed the dotted line with a school for multiple years.
Tampering All Over
Not long ago, Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. entered the transfer portal despite signing a multi-million-dollar NIL deal to stay with the Huskies. Now why would someone want to leave after signing a deal like that? It’s simple. Another school offered more money.
Thankfully, Williams ended up sticking around and keeping his commitment to Washington, but make no mistake about it, Washington was ready to take legal action if necessary.
Believe it or not, Williams wasn’t the only player to make headlines with a similar situation. Quarterback Darian Mensah signed two-year deal with Duke after the 2024 season. While he did play last season helping the Blue Devils bring home an ACC title, Mensah decided to look elsewhere to play in 2026.
Darian ended up at Miami where he reportedly signed a $10 million dollar deal. While Duke took legal action for breach of contract, a legal resolution was reached. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that Miami was clearly tampering here.
FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt wasn’t afraid to call out the Hurricanes for tampering. “Clearly, Miami tampered,” said Klatt. “I’m not going to beat around the bush…. Mensah was under contract, a multi-year deal, and then all of a sudden, he’s in the transfer portal. Darian Mensah got offered a bag [of money].”
In regard to the NCAA, Klatt didn’t hold back at all either. “Clearly the issue in college football is that there is no enforcement”, Klatt said.
Klatt is right on the money here. Tampering is rampant across the sport, and the NCAA isn’t going to do anything about it. Do they care? Who knows, but the lack of control they have is embarrassing.
At some point, some ground rules need to be set because it seems like we keep getting further away from logic with each passing season. I understand college football has changed and it never will go back to the way it once was. But at the very least, it would be nice to have some guidelines because it seems like everyone, including the NCAA themselves, are clueless.
