Over the last few years, College Football has struggled to figure out guardrails for NIL compensation. After several lawsuits, NIL became a legal way for collegiate athletes to be compensated. Even now, there are still too many pitfalls.
Teams are able to tamper with other players without suffering any real consequences. Recruits are picking schools based on the compensation package instead of the best fit. Multiple college football coaches have talked about the need for more unified rules.
Texas A&M coach Mike Elko is one of those coaches. He called out leadership at the NCAA in a pretty specific way in a recent interview.
GettyTexas A&M coach Mike Elko looks on. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Mike Elko Calls for College Football Leadership
While speaking in an interview with JD Pickell of On3, Elko was asked what the biggest tweak he would make to fix college football. His answer was simple.
“Put someone in charge. It’s a $1.2 billion industry, but not a singular voice in charge of it, making decisions for the betterment of college football. I think until we get that, we’re going to continue to flounder in some of those areas. What’s best for the SEC isn’t always best for the other conferences. What’s best for the other conferences isn’t always what’s best for the SEC.”
Elko then talked about the enforcement of the rules and how important that is.
“At some point, we’re going to have to have somebody who’s capable of making rules for the betterment of college football, enforcement of rules, all of it. Until we get that, I think we’re all at risk of this thing not lasting like we want it to last.”
Elko isn’t the only one who has called out the NCAA for some leadership and guidance. The NCAA has asked Congress for help, but no one seems to agree on what to do. Until there are unified rules across the sport, things are going to continue to happen.
GettyIndiana Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti raises the championship trophy. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
College Football Has Many Issues That Need to Be Fixed
NIL isn’t the only thing that college football has to address. They have to figure out eligibility rules that are being challenged. There is the issue of CFP expansion, as well. Of course, keeping programs from tampering with current players is also an issue.
All of these things need to be tackled, but it doesn’t seem like there is a singular figure in college football who is willing to help them with these issues. There is no commissioner of the sport, and the president of the NCAA is only interested in lawmakers fixing things.
Until someone is put in charge of the sport, these issues will continue to persist for every program and every conference in the country. The leadership void is perhaps the single biggest issue plaguing the sport, and there doesn’t look to be any solution on the horizon.
Elko is just the latest coach to call out the problems.
Prominent College Football Coach Demands NCAA to ‘Put Someone in Charge’