Former Texas player calls out Oklahoma's NIL Collective

Texas and Oklahoma are not exactly the biggest fans of each other. A rivalry running through the Red River, the passion between the two sides can go a lot further than the football field and sometimes come out off the field. A former Texas offensive lineman was the latest example on Friday.

Oklahoma announced their new NIL Collective on Friday, 1Oklahoma, where football players can make up to $50,000 by working with non-profit organizations. Former Texas offensive lineman Tope Imade responded to a tweet comparing the NIL collectives between the Sooners and the Longhorns. He called Oklahoma out not only for the NIL deal but also for their pending move to the SEC.

“We have enough to pay players and exit the conference,” Imade said. “They definitely can’t say the same.”

Texas and Oklahoma were voted into the SEC last summer but as of now, are not scheduled to make the move until the 2025 season. The two Big 12 schools could transition earlier if they wanted to but would have to pay their current conference a hefty buyout to do so. Imade claims the Longhorns have the means and it’s the Sooners holding everything back.

The two schools are set to compete in the Big 12 this season and continue their on-the-field rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX. The difference this year is that both teams will be on the receiving end of NIL deals, making money while still in college. Oklahoma will benefit from 1Oklahoma, while Texas currently has the Clark Field Collective.

Oklahoma reveals new NIL Collective, 1Oklahoma

Former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Barry Switzer announced a new NIL collective program on Friday evening. Naming it 1Oklahoma, football, men’s basketball, and softball players will have the opportunity to make money through the collective. Every football player on the roster could make as much as $50,000 according to Switzer.

“We changed the game in 1981 at the University of Oklahoma by being a pioneer for schools to negotiate their own contracts and generate additional revenue,” Switzer said in a statement. “We are changing the game again with 1Oklahoma Collective. Through NIL, every OU football player will have the opportunity to earn between $40,000-$50,000 a year while positively impacting the community.”

In the press release, Oklahoma and Switzer call 1Oklahoma the “most comprehensive and impactful NIL offering in the country.” Athletes will be working with non-profit organizations throughout the state of Oklahoma by using their Name Image and Likeness.