Nick Saban has issued a stern warning over the way that Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) legislation has been implemented in college football.
During a recent interview, the Alabama head coach said “I don’t think what we’re doing right now [with NIL] is a sustainable model.”
“I don’t think what we’re doing right now is a sustainable model,” Saban said. “The concept of name, image and likeness was for players to be able to use their name, image and likeness to create opportunities for themselves. That’s what it was. So last year on our team, our guys probably made as much or more than anybody in the country.
“But that creates a situation where you can basically buy players. You can do it in recruiting. I mean, if that’s what we want college football to be, I don’t know. And you can also get players to get in the transfer portal to see if they can get more someplace else than they can get at your place.”
Other coaches have made similar comments about NIL issues recently, but none of the other coaches are being blasted by social meida quite like Nick Saban for what he said.
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Saban told the AP that he plans to evolve wherever NIL laws go.
“I know we have to adapt to that,” said Saban. “You’re going to have kids out there that say, ‘Well, I can get a better deal going someplace else,’ and they’ll go there. But you’re also going to have people that see the light and say, ‘Yeah, they’ve got a good history of developing players. They got a good history of developing people, they got a great graduation rate and that value is more important.’
“And they’re distributing money to everybody in the organization.”
Last year, the Georgia Bulldogs defeated Alabama with a 33-18 victory over the Crimson Tide in the CFP National Championship Game. Alabama’s 15 point loss was their second-worst performance under Nick Saban.
