West Virginia Must Find Answers with NIL

West Virginia is facing a major problem in the new era of college athletics and will need to find a solution soon

A dark cloud surrounded the West Virginia football program Thursday afternoon as head coach Neal Brown announced defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. To be honest, the cloud has been forming for quite a while and it comes in the shape of Name, Image, and Likeness.

The announcement came as a shock to all involved, and while we do not know the reasoning behind the departure, and we may never will, it leaves us to believe money is the root of the problem, i.e., the new NIL rule.

It’s been the topic of discussion over the last year. College athletes making money off of their name is something they could have done for decades.

The NIL was inevitable, and Neal Brown embraced the challenges ahead putting programs into place to educate players and help set up potential NIL offers. Then, there is Country Roads Trust. As the name suggests, a trust fund set up by multiple Mountaineer greats to raise money to keep other programs from poaching players, like Tykee Smith bolting for Georgia. However, as players continue to leave, questions begin to arise: what is the going price for these players, and how much can West Virginia truly afford? However, the lack of transparency and players' eagerness to share details, where all left in the dark as craziness unfolds.

Seeing a junior in high school offered eight million dollars by the time he’s a junior in college seems absurd, but if someone is willing to pay it, well, that’s what the open market dictates, I guess.

Mesidor is a talented player no doubt about it, but the reality is, he was a second-team all-conference defensive lineman. I’m not trying to diminish his accomplishments but if there’s a trust in place to retain this type of talent to be developed into a first team all-conference selection, what happened? 

It brings us to the next question, how is Neal Brown supposed to build a program if there’s no money to keep his talent? There must be some continuity and bringing in FCS or JUCO players for two or three years is not the formula for a consistent winner.

Currently, there’s more questions than answers, and quite honestly, it’s miserable for fans and it’s horrible for the college athletics.

I joke a lot about having a group of people to oversee the ins and outs of college of athletics, knowing damn well there sits the NCAA. Yes, that group. The same group fumbling every investigation they’re involved in, and nothing is consistent. They dragged their feet while NIL was charging in, and NCAA President Mark Emmert spent the pandemic in Washington D.C. trying to put a stop to it, which was obvious to most folks, it was wrong approach to take, because the same politicians were helping NIL along in their state so their school could have an advantage. Oh, and the conferences were left to fend for themselves during this period to put a season together. Yes, that NCAA. Another bang-up job.

Now, we all sit and watch as players go to the highest bidder pending any future guidelines, which, by then, will Power Five conferences break off if there is regulation? For now, Neal Brown has some decisions to make. Is he willing to work NIL deals in recruiting? Is he willing to overpay to retain talent? Can West Virginia even bring in that type of money? 

The bottom line is, if you can't retain the talent from a sub .500 team, what chance do you have to bring home a conference championship?

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