Nick Saban: 'I think collectives are the issue' regarding NIL

On Wednesday night, Alabama coach Nick Saban surprised many by making poignant comments about NIL and calling out Texas A&M for allegedly buying players through NIL deals. He clarified his stance regarding NIL on Thursday during an interview with ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM — and he reaffirmed his position in favor of NIL.

However, he said there’s still an issue, and it goes back to one thing: NIL collectives.

“I don’t think NIL in its original form or what people wanted it to be is really an issue at all,” Saban said. “I think collectives are the issue, and I think one of the solutions would be if you have people that are representatives of your school that give money to a collective, then the collectives turns around and gives it to players on the team. Money.

“I’m not saying opportunities to represent. I’m saying money. Then that collective should become a representative of the institution, aight? And they should not be able to give money to a player just like an alumnus can’t give money to a player.”

Nick Saban apologizes for comments on Texas A&M, Jimbo Fisher

The comments came in the same interview Saban apologized for calling out Texas A&M and coach Jimbo Fisher during an event in Birmingham Wednesday night. Saban acknowledged he shouldn’t have called out any particular people.

“First of all, I should have never really singled anybody out,” Saban said. “That was a mistake, and I really apologize for that part of it. But I’m not against name, image and likeness. I think it’s a great thing for players. … I think the issue in college athletics in general now is the whole system of collectives and people raising money to basically pay players, whether it’s to come to their school or pay the players that are on their team.

“We’ve always strived in college athletics to make everything equal, make everything the same whether it’s scholarships, whether it’s … cost of attendance, academic support, whatever it is. Now, it’s not really that way. This has happened in basketball, it’s happened in football. I really didn’t mean to single anybody out. I apologize for that. But it’s the whole system. Is this a sustainable system? Is it really good for college football?

“I think name, image and likeness is good for college football. … I think the focus now is getting a little bit more on how much money [players] can make while [they’re] playing and where can [they] make it, and I don’t think that’s really good systematically for any of us.”