Steve Sarkisian reacts, defends recent influx of Texas NIL programs

Steve Sarkisian is aware that the University of Texas boasts one of the biggest brands in college sports, and its student-athletes are paid as such.

Ever since the introduction of name, image and likeness (NIL) rules in the NCAA, a number of Texas players have cashed in on large marketing deals. Texas even launched the LEVERAGE initiative before the 2021 academic year, which helps student-athletes navigate the NIL world. But in recent weeks, Sarkisian’s program has received a few extra NIL boosts, initiatives that gift players substantial payments regardless of whether they sign with outside companies.

First, Texas launched the Clark Field Collective, which began with an initial pledge of $10 million from boosters to catalyze NIL activities. Then, roughly a week later, the Horns with Heart organization pledged $50,000 in NIL deals for every Texas offensive lineman, with a total of $800,000 earmarked for sponsoring the men up front — without the involvement of any company or brand. These announcements came while Sarkisian was on the road recruiting, looking to lock down elite talent, and the Texas head coach said the timing was completely coincidental.

“I really didn’t know (they were going to launch),” Sarkisian said. “I didn’t know where this thing would go. I knew we had players on our team that had NIL deals, and some of them were more successful than others. I know we had some guys on our team sign NIL deals that, halfway through the season, were like, ‘This is a burden, I wish I hadn’t done this deal.’ That’s part of growing up and signing contracts and making commitments.”

Sarkisian claims to have had little knowledge of when these programs would launch, despite the date coinciding with Texas’ biggest recruiting period. And he adds that these deals — even in Texas’ case, which many believe helped the Longhorns’ recruiting process — could end up harming the camraderie in the locker room, given the substantial discrepancy in earnings from player to player.

“Clearly, the direction of NIL and where it goes, I don’t know. And to what capacity this thing is going to go to — my concern with NIL has always been that your locker room could get disengaged, where you have a handful of players that are making a bunch of money, and you’ve got the rest of your roster that isn’t,” Sarkisian said. “My concern in college football — and it still is to this dauy — is that we’re starting to, in some way, shape or form, kids are starting to get much bigger deals, and there’s other guys in that locker room or in that position room that aren’t getting any. That’s the imbalance that I’m concerned about. So, hopefully as we navigate this thing and move forward, we’re just conscientious of that.”

Sarkisian added that in most cases, Texas players will receive NIL opportunities that serve them well. That is, the deals “don’t hinder them from being a great football player” and “don’t hinder them from being a great student.” In those cases, he said he’s “all for it.” But not every deal looks that way, and moving forward, the NIL space is as unpredictable as ever.

“Every day it’s about wrapping your head around what this might look like and where are we headed,” Sarkisian added. “And I don’t think any of us really know.”