There have been a lot of changes to college football in recent years, whether it’s the transfer portal or the NCAA’s changes to its name, image, and likeness policy. And it sounds like Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban thinks the sport is moving away from a pure amateur model.
During a press conference this week, Nick Saban claimed that college football is moving in “the sort of semi-pro direction” with many of the recent changes.
“We’re moving in the sort of semi-pro direction in terms of, there’s pay-for-play now. We call it name, image and likeness, but that’s pay-for-play, basically — and I’m all for the players sharing in what’s happening,” Saban said on Wednesday according to On3. “You’ve got guys transferring from one team to the next at will with very little guidelines as to how to control any of these things, and we’re gonna have a playoff very similar to the NFL.
“And I’m not saying any of those things are bad. I’m just saying they’re all completely changes from what we had five years ago, 10 years ago, whatever.”
Coaches like Saban have certainly had to adapt in recent years as the sport has been undergoing unprecedented changes.
[On3]
