It appears an undefeated college football team ranked in the top 30 of the AP Poll just lost its starting quarterback ... because of an NIL dispute.

[WAGopher]

I think that’s actually like the likeliest scenario. If that’s how it played out, the coach made an offer thst he could not fulfill and the player relied on that promise, I don’t blame him for leaving.

That may be true, but there is a lot of info available to help players make valid and protective NIL agreements. He’s been in college like 4 years already and you’d think he’d know how to proceed.

I also fault UNLV because they should have info available to help their athletes navigate NIL without getting burned. I’ve read a few times that many colleges, including Minnesota, do have that information for their athletes.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

I think that’s actually like the likeliest scenario. If that’s how it played out, the coach made an offer thst he could not fulfill and the player relied on that promise, I don’t blame him for leaving.

Yep, incredibly common for employers to be less than 100% honest on work conditions, support, responsibilities and/or compensation. While it’s very possible this is sour grapes on the part of the player my personal WAG is coach was incentivized to do anything to sign players, with zero repercussions (maybe sitting out versus Illinois State) so why not promise the world, or 100K. Sounds like a million to a hungry college kid.

 

[WoodburyTim]

I think that’s actually like the likeliest scenario. If that’s how it played out, the coach made an offer thst he could not fulfill and the player relied on that promise, I don’t blame him for leaving.

I am skeptical. He has played well and the team is unexpectedly undefeated so in that context the 100k makes sense now. But in the context of the 32nd ranked QB that was not even guaranteed to win the job, it seems less likely.

It also sounds like it is increasingly popular for the deals to be in writing and players and agents talk. And nothing was memorialized in writing? And this is only a story because UNLV is unexpectedly good. What if they were 1-2 and he got benched? Then it would be an even bigger gaffe to not have gotten his 100k.

I am leaning towards things went way better than expected and they decided to pounce for a payday.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I am skeptical. He has played well and the team is unexpectedly undefeated so in that context the 100k makes sense now. But in the context of the 32nd ranked QB that was not even guaranteed to win the job, it seems less likely.

It also sounds like it is increasingly popular for the deals to be in writing and players and agents talk. And nothing was memorialized in writing? And this is only a story because UNLV is unexpectedly good. What if they were 1-2 and he got benched? Then it would be an even bigger gaffe to not have gotten his 100k.

I am leaning towards things went way better than expected and they decided to pounce for a payday.

My guess is the coach said something like "you come in and play well, you could get up to $100K" or something like that.

If it was $100K to just go there, then it's been many months without payment. He committed in January. If the money was that important, why wouldn't he have changed his mind in say July, still a full 6 months without payment he was supposedly promised? It just doesn't add up.

 

[DarthGopher]

I am skeptical. He has played well and the team is unexpectedly undefeated so in that context the 100k makes sense now. But in the context of the 32nd ranked QB that was not even guaranteed to win the job, it seems less likely.

It also sounds like it is increasingly popular for the deals to be in writing and players and agents talk. And nothing was memorialized in writing? And this is only a story because UNLV is unexpectedly good. What if they were 1-2 and he got benched? Then it would be an even bigger gaffe to not have gotten his 100k.

I am leaning towards things went way better than expected and they decided to pounce for a payday.

This seems quite plausible. I'd even go so far as to suggest it is the leading theory.

"I'm better than expected." Try the extortion route. Quit if it fails.

With contracts, this all but shuts this garbage down. Brock Purdy is on a rookie deal. If he decides to up and quit playing for the 49'ers because he exceeded everybody's expectations, has become a top QB in the league and wants to extort his current team for more money, he can't sign with another team until that contract expires and/or it is terminated by both parties.

If only there were a league, ideally adjacent and perhaps even nearly identical, that had a working model the NCAA could adopt and implement. A person can dream I guess.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

according to one story I read, the $100,000 offer was supposedly made by an assistant coach. But Sluka's dad claims the Head Coach said that, because the offer didn't come from the Head Coach, it's not official.

from ESPN:
The quarterback's father, Bob Sluka, told ESPN that head coach Barry Odom later said in a phone conversation the offer wasn't valid because it didn't come from him, but rather from offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, who declined to comment to ESPN.

if that is true, then the Head Coach is admitting that an offer was made, and the Head Coach is also hanging his OC out to dry.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

NFL players aren’t paid if they aren’t on the roster on game day. Is it plausible the promise was for payments to occur during the season. I don’t know.

Without a valid contract players can and should demand whatever they can get given market conditions. Coaches certainly do. MN agreed to an absurd guaranteed salary demand or else PJ would go….somewhere. If this backfires on him and he’s left without a scholarship, NIL, and playing opportunity elsewhere well, that’s fair.

 

[MilosRevenge]

I am skeptical. He has played well and the team is unexpectedly undefeated so in that context the 100k makes sense now. But in the context of the 32nd ranked QB that was not even guaranteed to win the job, it seems less likely.

$100,000 seems reasonable for a school at UNLV's level if he had P4 offers like his dad said he did. UNLV was good last year and figured to be even better this year if they could replace their QB that left for USC.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I am skeptical. He has played well and the team is unexpectedly undefeated so in that context the 100k makes sense now. But in the context of the 32nd ranked QB that was not even guaranteed to win the job, it seems less likely.

It also sounds like it is increasingly popular for the deals to be in writing and players and agents talk. And nothing was memorialized in writing? And this is only a story because UNLV is unexpectedly good. What if they were 1-2 and he got benched? Then it would be an even bigger gaffe to not have gotten his 100k.

I am leaning towards things went way better than expected and they decided to pounce for a payday.

I don't think it was likely that UNLV was going to ever pay the kid the $100K. However, I don't think the promises made by some coaches ever match reality.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

according to one story I read, the $100,000 offer was supposedly made by an assistant coach. But Sluka's dad claims the Head Coach said that, because the offer didn't come from the Head Coach, it's not official.

from ESPN:
The quarterback's father, Bob Sluka, told ESPN that head coach Barry Odom later said in a phone conversation the offer wasn't valid because it didn't come from him, but rather from offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, who declined to comment to ESPN.

if that is true, then the Head Coach is admitting that an offer was made, and the Head Coach is also hanging his OC out to dry.

This entire charade is only possible because we are all pretending that this would also be against the rules.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

This entire charade is only possible because we are all pretending that this would also be against the rules.

technically, it is supposed to be against the rules.

but it's like the guy driving down the freeway at 100mph in the middle of the night. the driver is technically breaking the law, but if there's no State Trooper clocking it on radar, it's like it never happened.

 

[Tech Machine]

No. Can you get sued at your job for not performing?

I can be fired or demoted, can the player be “let go” for underperforming? Just seems to only be a one way street.
I just wish I had your screen name!

 

[MNVCGUY]

I can be fired or demoted, can the player be “let go” for underperforming? Just seems to only be a one way street.
I just wish I had your screen name!

Players can't really be let go during the season but they can be buried on the bench and not get playing time.

I just really hope this quitting within 4 weeks does not become a thing

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

according to one story I read, the $100,000 offer was supposedly made by an assistant coach. But Sluka's dad claims the Head Coach said that, because the offer didn't come from the Head Coach, it's not official.

from ESPN:
The quarterback's father, Bob Sluka, told ESPN that head coach Barry Odom later said in a phone conversation the offer wasn't valid because it didn't come from him, but rather from offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, who declined to comment to ESPN.

if that is true, then the Head Coach is admitting that an offer was made, and the Head Coach is also hanging his OC out to dry.

While I wouldn't want it to happen. If OC really did make promises that weren't kept and the HC just now has to deal with this.

Yeah that's on the OC.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Might end up being the best thing for them.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Might end up being the best thing for them.

No kidding. These situations will begin to shape NIL offers. Everyone is replaceable. Guessing this kid will have a tough time getting picked up by a program willing to offer him NIL $$.

 

[denguegopher]

No kidding. These situations will begin to shape NIL offers. Everyone is replaceable. Guessing this kid will have a tough time getting picked up by a program willing to offer him NIL $$.

UNLV might have to open the upper deck of Allegiant in subsequent games if they keep winning. I have tix to the Boise & San Diego St games. Go Rebs!

 

[Wally]

100% this. Great post.

The NCAA cannot, legally, do pretty much anything. People blame the NCAA because it’s some amorphous entity ruining sports when in truth it’s the courts and schools.

You could blame the NCAA and the schools for setting up an illegal system to profit off the players.

This will get worked out, it's going to take time.

 

[Hotrod56425]

This whole NIL crap reminds me of the old John Wayne movie, “Trouble Along The Way”.

 

[PMWinSTP]

I do like the "next player up" mentality of UNLV... didn't skip a beat and moved forward.

 

[denguegopher]

I do like the "next player up" mentality of UNLV... didn't skip a beat and moved forward.

Odom has been lucky or very good at finding QBs when in a pinch. The Rebs play Friday night and there has been a nascent effort to have a sellout (vs. Syracuse). I doubt that will happen, but it will still be one of the bigger paydays the UNLV athletic dept has had in a while. Rebels! Rebels!

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

You could blame the NCAA and the schools for setting up an illegal system to profit off the players.

This will get worked out, it's going to take time.

You could do a lot of dumb things.