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Federal Judge Approves $2.8B Settlement For College Athletes To Be Paid Millions

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Last week, a federal judge signed off on what is being referred to as one of the biggest changes in the history of college sports. US Judge Claudia Wilken approved the final proposal that has cleared a path for schools to start paying their athletes millions of dollars.

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football

NCAA Announces New Rules To Combat Players Faking Injuries

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The NCAA announced this week that the Playing Rules Oversight Panel has officially approved changes to the injury timeout rules beginning this fall. The new rules were made in an effort to prevent players from faking injuries, a predominant issue in college football, according to ESPN. 

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The new rule was approved officially on Wednesday, and it stated that if medical personnel enter the field to evaluate a player that has been potentially injured after the ball is spotted by the officiating crew, the player’s team will be charged with a timeout, Heather Dinich wrote.

The initial proposal was created due to an increase in teams faking injuries in order to stop their opponents’ momentum. 

Steve Shaw, the NCAA secretary-rules editor/national coordinator of officials, is the individual who was in charge of accepting requests from teams when they believed their opponents had faked an injury, and would then take disciplinary action.

According to the NCAA’s release, the rule change next season will allow fake injuries to be called out mid-game because “Football Rules Committee members think these actions negatively affect the overall perception of the game.”

Shaw told ESPN that while he still will review film if asked, his role is now to determine if a team is taking advantage of an injury timeout to gain an advantage. 

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With the new rule, the committee compiled a nine-minute video highlighting moments that could have been considered fake injuries from last season. 

Shaw stated that this video “shows an integrity issue in our game that needs to be addressed.”

“When you watch that video, action is required,” Shaw said. 

“Sometimes players may do it on their own because it feels accepted, and that’s what we want to stop. I’m not sure there is a perfect solution, but I think this is a good first step. 

This will have an impact on those that are very obvious and are late and looking to the sideline and going down. Coaches do not want to risk a timeout under any circumstances. Those are very valuable commodities in the game.”

“If it doesn’t have an impact, there will probably be another step, but it’s a good starting point and hopefully this will clean it up.”

NC

Super Bowl Winning Coach Bill Belichick To Coach At University Of North Carolina 

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“It would be an NFL program at a college level and an education that would get the players ready for their career after football, whether that was the end of their college career or the end of their pro career.”

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More Plaintiffs Join Lawsuit v. NCAA Claiming Student Athletes Deserve Pay

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Former Villanova University football player Ralph “Trey” Johnson sued the N.C.A.A. in November 2019, claiming that college athletes should be considered employees at the schools they play for under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The case has grown since then, with several former athletes joining as plaintiffs and seeking to form a class-action lawsuit.

This case is one of many blows the N.C.A.A. has taken to its current model of the relationship between athletes, their schools and the N.C.A.A.

In a statement, Johnson said that the lawsuit was “not about being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars.” The case was also not restricted to a few select athletes with endorsement deals.

“We are simply asking the N.C.A.A. to pay its student-athletes the basic minimum wage as required by federal law. They pay the students who tear the tickets and sell popcorn at our games. The least that the N.C.A.A. can do for those who bring so much money to the N.C.A.A. and its schools would be to pay them the minimum wage.”

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In June 2021, the Supreme Court passed a unanimous decision in the case N.C.A.A. v. Alston to uphold a lower court’s ruling that the N.C.A.A. restrictions on “education-related benefits” for college athletes violated antitrust laws. These benefits included scholarships for graduate school, payment for academic tutoring and paid post-eligibility internships.

Though the Supreme Court case did not debate the issue of compensation, it was one of the first major blows to the N.C.A.A.’s status quo. Over the last two years, several states have passed legislation that challenged the N.C.A.A.’s rules prohibiting athletes from profiting off their NIL—name, image and likeness. Congress in both parties have proposed new legislation that would grant student athletes long-term medical care and a portion of the revenue they generate.

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The National Labor Relations Board’s General Counsel, Jennifer Abruzzo, released a memo stating that she considered college athletes employees under federal law. The memo states that Abruzzo would consider referring to the “employees as mere student-athletes,” violating the Fair Labor Standards Act. It was a sign that the N.L.R.B. would be willing to pursue claims against colleges, conferences and the N.C.A.A. on behalf of the students.

“The broad language of Section 2(3) of the Act, the policies underlying the N.L.R.A., Board law, and the common lawfully support the conclusion that certain Players at Academic Institutions are statutory employees, who have the right to act collectively to improve their terms and conditions of employment.”

The case is currently in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. If the case is ruled in favor of the athletes, it will counter the Seventh and Ninth circuit’s rulings. The conflicting rulings would increase the likelihood that the Supreme Court would step in to make a final decision.

In 2021, the N.C.A.A. made $1.15 billion in revenue and distributed the bulk of it to its 1,200 member schools.

Football

Jimbo Fisher Fires Back At Nick Saban: ‘Some People Think They’re God’

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Even in the offseason, college football rivalries never disappoint. Jimbo Fisher shot some fiery comments back at Nick Saban after the Alabama coach stated that Texas A&M “bought every player” in its top-ranked 2022 recruiting class.

“We never bought anybody,” Fisher angrily said in a press conference Wednesday night. “No rules are broken. Nothing was done wrong. It’s a shame that you’ve got to sit here and defend 17-year-old kids and families and Texas A&M. Because we do things right. We’re always going to do things right. We’re always going to be here. We’re doing a heck of a job.”

Among Texas A&M’s class of 30 commitments and two transfers includes eight five-star prospects — including defensive linemen Walter Nolen, the second-ranked player nationally — and 20 four-star prospects. As ESPN notes, the class is regarded as the top class in the era of recruiting rankings.

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The 56-year-old head coach didn’t name the seven-time National Champion Saban personally, but wasn’t coy about who he was referring to either. “It’s despicable that a reputable head coach can come out and say this when he doesn’t get his way,” Fisher said.

“The narcissist in him doesn’t allow those things to happen. It’s ridiculous when he’s not on top.” Fisher also signaled that Saban — whose own 2022 recruiting class is ranked second by 247Sports with three five-star players — has his own skeletons in the closet.

“Some people think they’re God. Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out a lot of things you don’t want to know. We build him up to be the czar of football. Go dig into his past, or anybody’s that’s ever coached with him. You can find out anything you want to find out, what he does and how he does it. It’s despicable.”

Fisher, who was the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach on Saban’s staff at LSU from 2000 to 2004, negatively compared that time to his time spent learning under Florida State’s Bobby Bowden. “There’s a reason people I ain’t back and worked for [Saban]. Don’t wanna be associated with him.”

Saban’s comments first arose during a meeting with business leaders Wednesday night. “I mean, we were second in recruiting last year. A&M was first,” Saban said. “A&M bought every player on their team — made a deal for name, image, likeness. We didn’t buy one player, all right? But I don’t know if we’re gonna be able to sustain that in the future because more and more people are doing it. It’s tough.”

Saban stated that Alabama players made $3 million doing it the “right way” and that only 25 players were able to leverage NIL (“name, image, and likeness”) deals. Saban also claimed the problem with the NIL deals — which were established in 2021 after a long fight over college players’ entitlements to financial compensation — is that coaches are “trying to create an advantage for themselves.”

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Saban isn’t a stranger to controversy. He previously rebutted claims that Alabama used NIL deals to entice prospects to the school. “We never cheated to get a player. We never paid players to come to our school,” he said.

It’s not the first time Fisher has blasted NIL claims, either. In February, he defended the school after Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin took a dig at them, saying Texas A&M would incur a luxury tax on the 2022 class. Nick Saban made comments similar to the ones said Wednesday at that time as well, though he later said he “wasn’t accusing anybody.”

Suffice to say, the off-field drama will certainly contribute to the SEC schools’ bitterness against each other. While Alabama holds an 11-3 all-time record versus Texas A&M, the Aggies broke an eight-year losing streak in 2021, winning 41-38. The teams will face off this year in Tuscaloosa on Oct. 8.

Football on Field

Alabama’s DeVonta Smith Wins Heisman Trophy 

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DeVonta Smith had a killer season playing as wide receiver for Alabama’s Crimson Tide, so much so that he has been rewarded with this year’s Heisman Trophy. Up against fellow teammate Mac Jones, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, and Florida’s Kyle Trask – all phenomenal players who had amazing seasons even though they had to endure playing a season in the middle of a global pandemic – Smith’s win of the trophy was thought to be a relatively unanimous, and unexpected,  decision. 

Smith received a total of 1,856 points, giving him a comfortable lead over Lawrence, who won second place with 1,187 points; Jones received 1,130 points and Trask 737. After Smith was announced the winner he spoke with some press to thank his teammates and praise them for helping him have such a successful season. He also wanted to offer some inspiration for any young football fans who may be watching at home:

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“To all the young kids out there that’s not the biggest, not the strongest: just keep pushing because I’m not the biggest. I’ve been doubted a lot just because of my size. And really it just comes down to if you put your mind to it then you can do it.”

Smith’s win is actually quite unexpected in the realm of college football. Before this season Smith was always a good player, but never one that really stood out when compared to his fellow teammates. The last time he made college football headlines was his freshman year when he caught a pass from Tua Tagovailoa during overtime, securing Alabama with a national title win against Georgia for the 2017 season. 

Even at the beginning of his senior year season, Smith was initially overshadowed by teammates Jones, running back Najee Harris and fellow receiver Jaylen Waddle. However, when Waddle was injured back in October during a game, Smith had to take on the role of being the go-to receiver for his team. Within the three games that followed Waddle’s injury Smith caught 27 passes for 518 yards and eight touchdowns. 

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However it was the way that Smith carried this success streak into the end of the season that secured him with the Heisman Trophy. In the game against LSU Smith carried out 231 yards and three touchdowns, and when he gave his team two touchdowns in the SEC title game against Florida, securing their unbeaten streak, voters knew that Smith was the one who should receive the trophy this year. 

In total, Smith had 1,511 receiving yards by the end of the season and 17 touchdown catches in the regular season. He’s only the seventh player in history to receive the award without primarily playing the season as the quarterback or running back; he’s the first receiver this century to receive the trophy as well. 

Overall, Smith played an amazing season as Alabama’s wide receiver, but he remained humble when accepting the trophy and praised his teammates for remaining so strong within his four years at Alabama: “I thank my teammates, with team success comes individual success so without you all, I wouldn’t be where I am today, winning this award.”

Football on Field

The Future Of College Football Remains Unclear As Season Kicks Off This Week

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The college football season is kicking off this week, however, many individuals still have a lot of questions as to what this season will look like and what new procedures will be put in the place to protect all parties involved. 

The biggest and most general question is if fans can expect a full season of football. The answer is the same for all other sporting events occurring currently in the US; it’s to be determined. This virus has proven to all of us that the way it moves and grows is unpredictable, and the way it impacts college campuses is completely uncharted territory for everyone. 

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There have already been multiple games rescheduled due to outbreaks on the teams, which is likely to continue as the season progresses. The Big Ten and Pac-12 both announced that they wouldn’t be participating in this season, which is fairly historic in itself. Without the Big Ten alone the entire season is going to be restructured and different. Many college campuses have already shut down due to a spike in cases, so the thought of restarting training and practicing just didn’t seem worth it for Big Ten or Pac-12, and many other teams are likely to follow suit in the coming weeks. 

Many big name players on these teams have personally opted out of playing this season out of personal fears of contracting the virus. Additional players are also likely to follow suit as the weeks progress, as juggling sports, a full class schedule and living during a global health crisis would be overwhelming for anybody. 

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is allowing every player to have another year of eligibility when it comes to playing on the team, which they believe will help motivate players to stay on for the season, despite it already having the opposite effect. All players are also required to be tested multiple times for Covid as well as endure additional heart testing after myocarditis concerns rose. 

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Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that can weaken the entire organ relatively fast and lead to sudden death. It’s brought on mainly by extensive viral infection within the body, such as contracting Covid-19, and has been a major concern among healthcare professionals across the world. The worry with testing football players is that it’s likely many other underlying health issues will reveal themselves with the type of testing involved for the upcoming season. 

The College Football Playoff plans to go ahead with a four-team playoff, however, the idea of playing “bowl-games” also complicates how the season will work. There are currently 80 bowl slots available for the season with only 76 teams playing. This means it’s likely that every team could receive a bowl game this season to fill the slots needed to air college football, however, it’s yet again unclear whether that will work or not. 

Finally, another major concern regards the Heisman Trophy, as it typically goes to the most prestigious individuals in college football, however, it’s unclear as to whether or not the Heisman Trust will focus only on players who participate in a traditional fall season, or the more limited number of players. There’s no decision from The Heisman as to what they’ll do, as they likely want to see if an entire football season will even be able to play out.