Tennessee College QB Demands Raise, Gets Fired, Loses $2.5M

This story was hilarious. The Tennessee QB had a deal to get paid $2.5M/yr. He demanded $4M/year. They said no, he stopped showing up to practice as a holdout, so he got kicked off the team. (They have a few weeks of Spring practice.) Allegedly, before Tennessee's playoff game, he demanded more money or he would no-show the playoff game.

He was an above-average QB by SEC standards, but not an elite superstar player. He wanted to get paid like he was Tim Tebow, but he was merely above average.

College football players can get paid now. It used to be under-the-table, but now it's legal to do NIL deals. What happens is rich alumni who want their team to succeed throw wads of cash at the players. The reason some teams suddenly got good last year is their alumni spent a fortune hiring all the best players. For example, a rich alumni can pay a student-athlete $2M to make an ad for his car dealership, or whatever other business he owns.

The alumni are starting to balk at the price tag. "You mean we have to spend this much money EVERY YEAR?" They opened their checkbooks in the first year, but some of them are getting sticker shock. It's normal now that, in addition to paying $$$ for season tickets, fans are also expected to kick some money into the pool of NIL money for players.

The QB's name literally is "I am a leaver". He can enter the transfer portal and switch schools, but every school that can pay $2M+ for a QB has their starter already. Allegedly, UCLA is the biggest name with an opening, but their budget is allegedly $1M, which is less than the $4M he was demanding and less than the $2.5M he could have gotten by not bluffing and losing. Are they really going to sign a player for $1M who was demanding $4M and could have had $2.5M? How would that work out? He'll be pouting the whole season.

Tennessee's coach looks like the hero of the story in the media. A player who says "$2.5M isn't enough." is just looking too greedy. The difference between $0 and $2M is much bigger than the difference between $2M and $4M. There are a lot of college players that are stars in college, but not good enough for the NFL. It's nice that they can graduate with a couple million in the bank now (if they don't waste it), but it is a chaotic mess. Due to various laws and lost lawsuits, there is very little the NCAA can do. It isn't like a pro league, where there's a commissioner and CBA that can make and enforce salary rules and player movement rules.

The transfer portal rules mean a player is a free agent after every season. The players do have the leverage. Tennessee is being portrayed as heroes by turning down unreasonable demands, even if it means they're forced to tank next year without a good QB.

The Tennessee QB really blew it and ruined his reputation in the process. Colleges have opened a Pandora's box by allowing football players to get paid such big sums of money. Especially because they become a free agent after every season because of the rules. The alumni that thought they could buy the best players deserve what they got.

The Tennessee coach definitely is the hero of the story. He was the only one to stop the money grab by the greedy QB.

Colleges have opened a Pandora's box

It isn't an intentional policy. A combination of lost lawsuits by the NCAA led to the current messy system. The NCAA deserved it, exploiting student-athletes for decades, saying they weren't entitled to anything other than their scholarship.

Students sued over NIL and won - NIL is allowed now.

Students sued over transfer restrictions and won - students have unlimited transfers now. This makes every student-athlete a free agent after every season.

It's also one reason the NCAA basketball tournament had so few upsets this year. Before NIL, if you were a star player at a mid-major school, you had no financial incentive to leave, so you stayed until graduation. Now, a benchwarmer/backup on a power conference team can make $100k-$500k+, so all the good players from less wealthy schools transfer for the $$$$.

There's one solution, which the NCAA is resisting: A national collective bargaining agreement with the players. That would let the NCAA override all the court losses, because a CBA takes priority over antitrust law. If they had a union and CBA, then the NCAA could impose uniform sensible rules. There would be benefits for the players also in a CBA, as it would likely lead to guaranteed contracts for the players in exchange for transfer restrictions.

I didn't realize the policy didn't originate with the NCAA. I can understand why students want compensation if their NIL is used, but unlimited transfers really makes college sports all about the money. I know it always was behind the scenes, but now its out in the open.

The money they pay to these college QBs is obscene. A CBA really needs to happen to keep it under control. There has to be rules.

It started with the coaches.

Some college courses are paid just as much if not more than NFL coaches.

Serves him right.

I can't add any more, I think you covered it.

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P.A.G.A.N. - People Against Goodness And Normalcy

Tennessee College QB Demands Raise, Gets Fired, Loses $2.5M (Public Board)