Nick Saban expressed his thoughts on the current state of football, including how the NIL is encouraging players to bounce around the transfer portal depending on the type of money they're willing to receive.
Some schools have been more successful than others due to their players' ability to utilize NIL contracts, notably the Ohio State Buckeyes, which have a $20 million roster of players on NIL contracts.
Now, after stepping down as head coach at the University of Alabama last season, Saban appeared on ESPN's “College GameDay,” where he made an amusing comment while discussing the Buckeyes' roster.
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Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches the game before the game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. (Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports)
“You keep talking about $20 million rosters, and if you don't use the right players, you're just going to get unlucky,” Saban said bluntly.
WARNING: The following video contains explicit language
Saban's fellow panel members erupted in laughter when they heard him swear live on air, with veteran college analyst Kirk Herbstreit adding, “Congratulations, you've taken the Internet by storm.”
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Ohio State University athletic director Ross Bjork said in an interview with Yahoo Sports that coach Ryan Day's football team has a roster cost of $20 million.
On one hand, the astronomical fee shows the amount of talent Day and his coaching staff were able to acquire at Ohio State, but the reality that teams are now using money to acquire players rather than just selling players in their programs gives teams like the Buckeyes an advantage over others.
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches warmups before Saturday's NCAA Division I football game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. (image)
Among that talent are several players who decided to stay in college despite having a chance to be drafted into the NFL.
Running back Treveion Henderson, edge rusher Jack Sawyer and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka opted to stay with the team and continue reaping the benefits on NIL contracts while still pursuing a national title.
Day also added quarterback Will Howard, who transferred after spending four years at Kansas State and is expected to be the Buckeyes' starter in the season opener, and the Buckeyes also added a player who can contribute right away, the No. 5 ranked 2024 freshman by 247Sports.
Nick Saban speaks to a gathered crowd of friends, supporters and agents during the Knicks Kids Foundation's annual luncheon, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (image)
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The Buckeyes, the No. 2 team in the country to begin the season, will face the Akron Zips on Saturday with a shot at qualifying for the newly expanded College Football Playoff.
