Ross Dellenger & Dan Wetzel discuss the recent agreement in the three antitrust cases against the NCAA and the settlement that would expand college football rosters to allow for 105 scholarship spots. While this is a win for student athletes, Dan and Ross argue that this could hinder competitive balance in the sport and that the power conferences’ blue blood schools could be even more effective at poaching athletes away from the mid and lower-tier universities. Hear the full conversation on the “College Football Enquirer” podcast – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
Football wise, if you can have 20 more scholarships, however, you’re capped at 100 and five players.
I’m trying to, trying to figure it out.
I don’t want to jump to a conclusion.
Does that leave more talent at the top?
Because obviously, like if Ohio State had 100 and five, now, that’s 20 more kids that are Ohio State full scholarship players, that’s 20 less kids, that would say.
All right, I’m gonna go play at the middle of the big 10, right?
And it, and it filters down, however Ohio State might have 100 and 30 guys in its program right now.
So there’s actually 25 guys that are now actually more free to be anywhere.
Does it balance out or is this, uh my, my, my, my initial reaction is this will make it very difficult, not just for the Midamerican conferences and the, the, the Mountain West and stuff, but even the, the middle of the pack, right?
You don’t need Ryan day running around with five more scholarships to offer each year.
What are, what are you hearing or?
What are your thoughts?
Yes, for sure.
Um I think, you know, every rule change that we’ve seen Dan over the last few years just grows the gap, uh, pretty much between a lot of the top of the sport, the blue bloods of the sport and everybody else.
And this is another one.
There’s a reason that the big 10 and SEC, uh, recommended higher roster limits, uh, specifically for football.
120.
And I think 110, uh, as opposed to the AC C big 12 in the G five who are more in the 90 to 100 range.
There’s a reason for that.
Right.
Uh, they, yeah, they, so they would, they basically settled in the middle as close in the middle, I guess as they could get at 105.
But I, I think you’re right.
Um, I think, you know, an extra 20 scholarships, um, is an extra 20 players that are taken away from the middle of the power four and then that’s an extra 20 players, Dan for the middle of the power four to take away from the G five and it goes down.
Right.
It’s probably a four team all the way down for the 64.
It’s 70 with Notre Dame, I think, not dame players, not the best at math.
So I’ll, I’ll leave you to that.
But, you know, here’s a, here’s a note though.
Uh, right now it depends on where, but there are probably at least 10 in maybe 20 major college football programs who have a paid roster of at least 95 100 maybe 100 and five players, right?
Because the NIO collect the walk ons are not really walk ons.
Right.
They’re, they’re getting paid tuition by the NIO Collective.
Um, and that’s happening quite a bit.
Now, you’ll have it right.
You’ll have the ability.
Yeah, officially offer scholarships and then on top of that Dan, all red and then they’ll be red share and that, that will be uh significant.
Now, the thing is, uh, you can only put so many guys on the court in the, in the field, but this should, in recruiting wise.
I mean, that’s, that’s 1400 scholarships that are available that would go and, and there’s tiers in the big 10 and there’s tiers in the sec.
That’s why I don’t.
The last thing most of the big 10 wants is, is Michigan Ohio State with an extra 20 guys.
