Nick Saban questions sustainability of unlimited player movement, NIL in college football

The current paradigm of college football has been defined by player empowerment, specifically the ability for individual players to effectively hit free agency every year. And while he’s made clear he supports players getting paid their worth, one Nick Saban is questioning if the mode of constant churn is best for all involved.

For the players, Saban questioned how jumping from school to school impacts development as a football player and for life beyond the game. And for coaches, administrators and boosters, steadier seas of roster building would surely be welcomed.

“Well I think it’s obviously good for the players if they can make that kind of money as college players, which was never allowed,” Saban said on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday. “We weren’t allowed to have anything prior to five years ago. But I do think, on the development side of it, it is not beneficial to players. I think when you have to go out and compete — and I don’t think you can be a good competitor, you mentioned it, if you can’t overcome adversity. That’s a part of being a good competitor. I don’t care what sport you’re playing or when you’re playing, if it’s golf, if it’s tennis, if it’s soccer, I don’t care what it is: There’s going to be times when you have a bad play. There’s something that you have to overcome. And I think people learn to do that in the process of development and what they have to do to get better so they can compete.”

Saban also pointed out that donor fatigue can play a factor and the people currently bankrolling NIL collectives might not be too keen on pumping money into a system that only gets them players for, perhaps, a year at a time.

“Each year, it’s gotten a little worse. Like, the first year we had name, image and likeness four, five years ago, we had a three million dollar [pool], and everybody was happy,” Saban said. “Then the next year it was seven, then the next year it’s $10 (million). Then this year it’s $13 (million). Now they’re looking at $20 (million). I mean, where does it end?

“And the people who are supporting this, they really get no benefit for it. And I’m sure that there’s going to be some instances in the future where those people don’t want to continue to support players that aren’t there. I mean how would you feel if you gave $500,000 to your program and it was pay certain players and those players all left after one year? You would say, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to continue to do this.'” 

Saban also pointed out that his preferred mode of team building — where a player might not play immediately but will have time to develop practicing against elite talent — is something that’s harder and harder to do now.

“Alls I ever promised a guy was an opportunity,” Saban said. “And I said, ‘You’re going to have an opportunity.’ I told Jonathan Allen: ‘You’re going to practice every day against Cam Robinson. He’s going to win the Outland Trophy. You’re going to win the Outland Trophy.’ But that’s how you’re going to get better and guys bought into that because they were looking to the future. How can I develop value for my future?

“Now guys are looking to ‘Where can I develop value right now? Today? What can I get today?’ So it’s less about playing and being a great player and more about ‘What can I get instantly?’ in terms of getting in the portal or going to another school. Nobody talks about the college experience anymore. Nobody talks about graduation. All these things are probably important to the future.”