Texas football: Sam Ehlinger Weighs in on NCAA Name, Likeness Rights

The Longhorn quarterback has a clear stance on players being compensated for their image

Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger took a few minutes during his Tuesday meeting with the press to address his stance on California Senate Bill 206, otherwise known as the Fair Pay to Play Act. 

The legislation, which was signed into law on Monday, allows college athletes to profit off their own name and likeness. 

While the law won't go into effect until 2023, Ehlinger - a longtime advocate for player compensation - believes it is "a step in the right direction." 

"Yeah, I think it's a it's a great start," Ehlinger said. "I still believe that the players should benefit off their likeness and things of that nature."

"There's so much attention so much time and effort and value that young athletes and student-athletes put into their lives dedicating four or five years of their college lives. And the industry so popular that you know every other industry in the world, you get paid for your value. And I believe that should be equal everywhere."

His head coach Tom Herman echoed this sentiment during his Monday meeting with the press. 

“I have been on record as saying I do believe that we need to find a way to get student-athletes more for their name, image and likeness,” Herman said.

Herman believes the language should be written into the national letter of inentent each player is required to sign to receive a scholarship.

“They own it and we don't own it and they need to be able to use it like anybody,” Herman said. “Just like the first-chair trombonist in the jazz band, he can he can go use his name, image and likeness all he wants and promote 'Johnny's Trombones' if he wants to.” 

While Ehlinger is a proponent of players being compensated for likenesses, he didn't go as far as to endorse direct pay-for-play from the universities themselves. 

I will never take the scholarship, dining or anything for granted," Ehlinger said. "And I don't believe that necessary, really, that institutions should have to have to compensate because they're doing their part. I mean, they're providing kids education that maybe wouldn't have had that opportunity. And so I think that the universities are doing a great job in that aspect."

While the landmark legislation is seen as a step forward by people like Herman and Ehlinger, it has drawn plenty of criticism as well, particularly from the NCAA. 

"Unfortunately, this new law already is creating confusion for current and future student-athletes, coaches, administrators and campuses, and not just in California.," the NCAA said in a statement. "We will consider next steps in California while our members move forward with ongoing efforts to make adjustments to NCAA name, image and likeness rules that are both realistic in modern society and tied to higher education."