Kentucky Wildcats Football Coach Reveals Not All Players Love NIL Landscape

At least one Kentucky Wildcats football player would like to go back to the pre-NIL days of collegiate sports.

Oct 26, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops runs onto the field before the game against the Auburn Tigers at Kroger Field. / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The world of collegiate sports was forever changed when name, image and likeness deals were allowed. It gave athletes a chance to profit, something that had never been allowed previously without losing their amateur status.

There have been a lot of positives in the NIL era, as players are now staying in college because there isn’t as much of a rush to make money as a pro. Of course, highly-touted players are leaving for massive paydays, but stars who don’t have as bright of pro prospects are now prospering as well.

As with any big change, it takes time to adjust to the new landscape. A few years into NIL, some programs and schools have adapted better than others.

Powerhouses such as the Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks are benefitting greatly. Others are coming along slowly but will need to adapt soon, or else they will be left in the dust as money is king now in recruiting.

NIL was a main topic of discussion during the SEC teleconference call on Wednesday. Coaches were asked how they were adjusting, and Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops provided an eyebrow-raising answer.

He revealed that some of his own players haven’t bought in fully, and if the opportunity every presented itself, they would go back to how things were previously.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces, as you know,” Stoops said. “And there’s a lot of very intelligent, lot of people smarter than me, trying to figure this out. I think as coaches… heck, I had a long conversation with a player yesterday that is a phenomenal young man and a great human being and is frustrated by the way things are. He wants them to go back. If you ask him, he’d give the money back and just go old school and build the camaraderie and have the team and things of that nature.”

It would be fair to say whoever that player Stoops talked to is in the minority. A majority of athletes love that they can make some money with NIL deals, but there are now more responsibilities for student-athletes.

Appearances need to be made to fulfill NIL commitments and earn money. With so much already on their plate, it can be draining to have more things to do as practice and class already take up so much of their time.

“So it’s not just us. It’s not just coaches,” Stoops said. “It’s not us coaches whining or crying like people are saying. I’m not doing that right now. It’s just a fact. There’s a lot of moving pieces that we all have to make sure we’re staying up with.”

Hopefully, things get better for that player and Stoops. They will have to adjust as NIL is here to stay. 

Things are only going to get more complicated once revenue sharing becomes a part of collegiate sports as well.