“They’re just trying to get a piece of the American dream, just like everyone else. Except they don’t have the money to buy it.” College Football is slowly turning into a money game and it begs the question if all of this is even worth it or not. Let’s start with the crux of the issue: the NIL landscape. “Well, I’m not sure if the system is great for development of players,” was what former HC Nick Saban had to add regarding NIL. The entire Bryce Underwood contract kind of opened the floodgates of further scrutinization of how “sustainable” it is to throw millions on players. Is this an arms race? If it is, then it sure as h-ll explains the overall disparity between the FCS and the FBS. The big dogs get the most money and hence can build the perfect roster.
However, for the underdogs, and especially members of the FCS subdivision, building a $20 million roster is still a distant dream. “Certain point there’s going to be a split and I’m not saying that based off of any information, I’m saying that based on opinion,” Zips HC Joe Moorhead pointed out. You have your Power 5 schools/conference getting their millions and continuing to grab the best players off of the portal. Then there are the people below that level who are getting pocket change to build a winning team. Take the 12-team bracket as an example. $3 million to cover expenses. $4 million for reaching the 12-team bracket. Another $4 million for the quarterfinals. $6 million for the semi-finals and a final $6 million for the natty game.
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The rewards look justified, but have you ever wondered how this is only for the Power 5 conferences? Do you think someone from Mid Eastern Athletic has a shot at landing in the playoff spot? How will they if they don’t even have the funds to build a roster that can compete with massive teams like Penn State, Georgia, Vols, etc?
And then you come to the coach’s salaries. On the Top 10 list, you will only find Power 5 team coaches. Kirby Smart leading the charge with a $13 million payday and on the 10th spot is Lane Kiffin with his $9 million paycheck. The argument that these coaches have proven their worth and hence have a right to get paid this big is valid.
However, this unfair reality sets a very unfortunate scenario for any HC who is dreaming of starting a new era in one of the underdog conferences. And this brings us to the Michael Vick and Norfolk State situation.
Ruining the redemption arc at Norfolk State
4x Pro Bowler. All down the drain in 2007 with the connection to a dog fighting ring and then subsequent months in federal prison. Almost 2 decades all of this happened and we finally see Michael Vick get the second chance he deserves.
The Spartans pulled quite the card when they announced that Vick would be joining as the HC. This was a perfect new start and the figurehead who guided Vick was happy and proud. “I love you, and I know you’re going to do a great job for them,” Andy Reid had mentioned.
All of these point towards the perfect fairy tale beginning, but for how long? Vick could’ve been the next Deion Sanders for all we know, but getting stuck at the FCS level means years of grinding.
If we are to go off of how the NIL scape is switching over and how dominant teams with “money” have become, this journey with Norfolk is going to be a hard one. Unless another governing body takes over and regulates the funding, the top colleges are going to take away the best high school players, leaving the “less fortunate” divisions with the scraps.
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