No NIL No Problem for the "Unicorn" Miltary Service Academies

The military service academies are subject to different rules than other college football programs, and this year, it has not hurt them.

Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Name, Image, and Likeness is something that has taken over the collegiate athletic landscape since its inception in 2021.

You can not turn on any sports talk show on any channel without at least one segment dedicated to some form or fashion of NIL talk.

Regardless of how you feel about how it has changed the collegiate athletics landscape, NIL is here to stay for the time being, and many schools have benefitted from its inception bringing about more parity in the college football landscape.

That is, those that are able to take advantage of the programs and systems that have been put in place.

For the military service academies, their players are not eligible to accept any form of compensation for their contributions on the field.

"We are a unicorn," Navy Midshipmen head coach Brian Newberry told Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports.

And in a world where student-athletes are now being paid to play, they are one of three unicorns along with the Army Black Knights and the Air Force Falcons.

For the Midshipmen and the Black Knights, not being able to utilize NIL has not hurt the programs this season.

Both teams enter Saturday ranked in the top 25, the first time that has happened since the 1960s, and both teams also enter Saturday undefeated, the first time that has happened this late into a season since World War II.

If both teams win out, they will meet in the American Athletic Conference Championship, with the winner having a legitimate opportunity to represent the Group of Five in the newly expanded College Football Playoffs.

For the Falcons, who call the Mountain West Conference home, their season has not been as great, as they currently hold a 1-6 overall record with an 0-4 record in conference play.

There are interesting circumstances surrounding the military service academies and the separate rules that restrict them from utilizing NIL to bring in big-name players, but they offer other benefits to their student-athletes outside of being paid to play a sport.

“You sell your school,” Newberry said. “The NIL for us is on the backend: a degree from the No. 1 public school in the country, a guaranteed job when you graduate and you’re making six figures three years into your service.”

While the rest of the college football landscape continues to entice recruits to join their program with ever-rising NIL deals, the three "unicorns" remain under the old ways.

And if you ask Brian Newberry, he would not have it any other way.