Trent Dilfer is gearing up for his first season as head coach of the UAB Blazers. He is trying to build up the program and take them to the next level.
However, football isn’t the only thing on Dilfer’s mind. The former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst has set his sights on exposing what he perceives as unethical practices that exist in the college football world.
Dilfer is vocal about his concerns regarding Power-5 schools using big-money offers to lure players away from their current teams through the Name, Image, and Likeness system.
He believes there should be strict consequences for those involved in such practices. In a recent conversation with On3.com, Dilfer expressed his view on the matter, stating: “There has got to be a mechanism in place, where the player personnel director of said school will never work in college football again if he coerces somebody from another team [into the portal with NIL promises] and it is proven. We have evidence.”
Trent Dilfer believe there is a BIG problem with tampering using the Transfer Portal/NIL😳
“They are in my office in tears. ‘I don’t want to leave, but my dad is being told by the collective or by my high school coach, or by the frickin’ player director at Power Five school,… pic.twitter.com/Pk6vLmGHCx
— On3 (@On3sports) July 26, 2023
Despite the seriousness of the issue, Dilfer has not publicly called out specific schools involved. Instead, he has chosen to address them individually, taking a proactive approach to confront the problem.
He reveals heartbreaking stories of players coerced into entering the transfer portal against their wishes, burdened by the promises of higher financial gains at other institutions. Dilfer emphasizes that this manipulation is a form of tampering and believes it must be stopped.
The introduction of the NIL in college football has significantly changed the landscape of the sport. According to reports from Axios, the number of players entering the transfer portal has increased, with 8,699 (!) college football players making the move between August 2022 and May 2023, surpassing the previous year’s record of 8,242.
While the opportunity for players to capitalize on their NIL is undoubtedly enticing, it has also introduced a new layer of complexity to the college football scene.
Players, like coaches, are now seeking better opportunities and lucrative deals. Dilfer may not be entirely comfortable with this new reality, but he acknowledges that players have the right to make choices that can positively impact their lives and their families.
The NIL has brought about significant changes to the world of college football, and with it, some unsavory practices have emerged. However, as Dilfer rightly points out, this is the new reality, and everyone involved in college football must adapt to these changes.
Having said that, this new wild wild west world of NIL is a very, very slippery slope.
What are your thoughts on what Dilfer said?
What type of rules and guidelines should be in place to prevent and punish tampering/bribing?
How would you fix the system?Â