🏅Coach Prime is fining players for bad grades

Hey there,

It’s the last weekend before the National Championship, and you can feel it in the air. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves – there’s plenty of movement happening in the NIL world regardless.

First, Miami just landed Georgia’s ex-QB Carson Beck with a massive NIL deal. Then, Coach Prime is taking money out of his players’ NIL checks because of… academic requirements? And lastly, why 2025 may have been the biggest NIL spending season we’ll ever see. It’s all coming up right now – let’s get into it!

Want to get in touch? Hit reply or send us an email at [email protected].

— Cole, Justin and Collin

The Big 3

Here’s How Miami Landed Carson Beck

The Miami Hurricanes just landed a commitment from ex-Georgia QB Carson Beck last week thanks to a massive NIL offer that’s set to pay him $4 million in 2025. Beck will likely become one of the highest paid – if not the highest paid – players in all of college football next season. 

Beck’s 2024 campaign was a slight regression from his 2023 season, but he still played great football for the Bulldogs. Beck threw 12 interceptions over the course of the year, which isn’t great, but he also posted a career high 28 TDs. In other words, a mixed bag.

Beck is joining his girlfriend and NIL basketball influencer, Hanna Cavinder, at Miami. Estimates are currently putting his 12-month NIL earnings at about $10 million, which includes roster compensation and brand deals. (More)

Coach Prime Cuts NIL Compensation for Bad Grades

Can schools cut money off of a player’s NIL check for missing class? What about for getting bad grades? Although he says he generally stays out of NIL financials, Coach Prime is doing just that with his Colorado players. 

“When you stop going to class, now you’re affecting me,” the Buffs coach said to his team in a meeting, “So we’re going to affect your check… that’s the way it is in the Pros. When you stop doing certain things that you’re supposed to do, that you signed up to do, you’re going to be affected.”

You might be wondering…Is this even allowed? Let’s be real – the NIL market let’s just about anything happen right now. According to sports lawyer Darren Heitner, there’s no rules preventing schools from providing these sorts of academic incentives. (More)

Will 2025 Become NIL’s Market Peak?

Of course, 2024 brought NIL price tags higher than we’ve ever seen. But with further regulation coming as a result of the House Settlement, some are wondering whether the largest era of NIL spending is already behind us. Is 2025 the pinnacle of payment?

“There’s a massive rush to spend money to beat the butcher and get ahead of whatever regulation comes our way,” one unnamed college football source said, “What was interesting is you had some big blue blood programs that haven’t been spent much come out of the gates early.”

In the near future, NIL collectives will have to report most financial deals to a clearinghouse, which will evaluate whether or not it’s “legitimate” NIL – and not just enticing a player to play for the school. That could change the calculus on spending drastically. (More)

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ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Poohpha Warakulnukroh

School: UCF

Sport: Basketball

Position: Guard

Class: Redshirt Junior

 Accolades: 

•  Played in six games, coming off the bench in each and playing a total of 10:02 of game time

• Earned first career block against Jacksonville (Dec. 6)

• Made a pair of free throws against Bethune-Cookman (Dec. 29) as well as pulling in his first career rebound in the contest

NIL: He’s a fan favorite and his NIL is taking off landing deals with companies like Escape Insoles. 

NIL BLITZ

♦️ Ohio State’s TikTok star was just dismissed from the team days before they play in the National Championship

♦️ Apparently Quinn Ewers turned down an $8 NIL million offer from another school, opting to enter the NFL draft instead

♦️ Hollister is partnering with Postgame to help student-athletes affected by the L.A. wildfires

♦️ Dropback just raised $1.6M to build the Teamworks General Manager tech – putting them on the forefront of college sports’ next evolution

♦️ Wesleyan pole vaulter Brynn King just signed an NIL partnership with Adidas

♦️ The IRS is doubling down on their stance opposing non-profit NIL collectives

♦️ UNLV is partnering with Learfield’s College Rodeo division to get more exposure

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BATTER UP

Today’s Poll Question:

Last Edition’s Poll Results:

Who are you picking in the National Championship Game?

• Notre Dame - 45%

• Ohio State - 55%