New Tier for D1 football

[HawkNole09]

And what levels the playing field for Tier 2 schools to compete? ESPN has already partnered up with the SEC. What prevents Apple, Google or Nike from ‘advertising’ with the Top 7 and enhancing their advantage?

It’s absolutely pitiful that this is the direction College Football is being pushed. Money. Money. Money.

The only way this works is with a salary cap.
And even then we’re back to under the table payments.

The alternative is to let the top tier breakaway, while the next tier returns to relatively competitive amateur college football.

My thought is that the Top Tier would bleed out, being stuck between the majority of college FB and the NFL.

 

[HawkNole09]

You’re ki

From a financial aspect...maybe. But those big name teams got all the 5-star players anyway. So the fact that Bama can pay their best player $5MM and iowa can pay $1MM, that player was going to bama before NIL anyway. Because hes paid more doesnt mean hes gonna now play better. There are only so many 5-stars to go around and only 22 players can start. IMO, as much as it helps the blue bloods, it hurts them as well. Their depth is being destroyed by teams like iowa. Think about Cade mcnamera and Kaleb Brown. Pre-transfer portal days and NIL they would have never gone to iowa and would still be at UM adn OSU

I don’t think that’s the right read. In fact the Transfer Portal enhances the ability of the Top Tier to attract and fill holes and upgrade their depth chart. Iowa can do this to a certain degree, but the proposition is still a net loss for Hawkeye fans, I think.

 

[IsaacHarrison]

You’re ki

I don’t think that’s the right read. In fact the Transfer Portal enhances the ability of the Top Tier to attract and fill holes and upgrade their depth chart. Iowa can do this to a certain degree, but the proposition is still a net loss for Hawkeye fans, I think.

But schools like Iowa can also fill deficiencies from a stud from Bowling Green. Yes, Id rather steal a player from a P5 than a MAC school, but again, OSU/Bama etc will ALWAYS have better players than Iowa. That fact hasn't changed.

I think Iowa has been a pretty big net positive with NIL and transfer portal. Havent lost anyone to a better team but have gained from better teams.

 

[doughuddl2]

Really? The XFL and USFL are taking players right out of High School?

The NFL isn't either. I don't see a league of 18-20 year olds being of interest to anyone when competing against college footballs 150 year history.

 

[JRHawk2003]

The NFL isn't either. I don't see a league of 18-20 year olds being of interest to anyone when competing against college footballs 150 year history.

Right, but school has nothing to do with it. The universities need to get themselves out of this. They can spin off the programs as subsidiary corporations so still maintain ownership, but just pay the players. No more pretense of school.

I am ready for my alma mater, The University of Iowa, to be done with this farce.

 

[kceasthawk]

From a financial aspect...maybe. But those big name teams got all the 5-star players anyway. So the fact that Bama can pay their best player $5MM and iowa can pay $1MM, that player was going to bama before NIL anyway. Because hes paid more doesnt mean hes gonna now play better. There are only so many 5-stars to go around and only 22 players can start. IMO, as much as it helps the blue bloods, it hurts them as well. Their depth is being destroyed by teams like iowa. Think about Cade mcnamera and Kaleb Brown. Pre-transfer portal days and NIL they would have never gone to iowa and would still be at UM adn OSU.

This. I don't think NIL has really changed much at Iowa. Now the portal has certainly made it easier for guys to leave, BUT we can also replace guys faster who haven't been contributers anyway, so not really a loss anyway.

 

[kceasthawk]

It’s amazing to me how the professional leagues work incredibly hard to creat parity and college athletics works so hard against it.

True but there are some big differences. The pro's know that they need interest in whom the top teams are playing to keep ticket sales up. Even so lots of people love having a villian, (Patriots, etcc) who win all the time. Still they need the fans in the other 30 markets to stay interested, watch games, and buy gear. In college many of the fans have some type if affiliation with the teams. Either they, or a family member has attended, or its the state school and family have been "fans" for generations.

 

[HawkNole09]

This. I don't think NIL has really changed much at Iowa. Now the portal has certainly made it easier for guys to leave, BUT we can also replace guys faster who haven't been contributers anyway, so not really a loss anyway.

So, you think it does enhance competition or does it favor the biggest payors? My contention is that the gap between haves and have nots will just spread with unrestricted Free Agency..

 

[iowahawkeyes1982]

And I would argue it’s even more broad than that. I agree with your point that the gap will continue to grow larger and larger, but let’s be honest: northeastern, etc, can’t compete now. In a few years even Iowa, Wisconsin, and Nebraska will feel a mile away from Ohio State and Michigan.

As I said previously, there will be 15 to 20 teams miles ahead of everybody else.

And then there will be teams like Iowa and the bottom 2/3 of the B1g, SEC, etc.

And then the Northwestern, Vanderbilts, Iowa States, and the MAC teams.

Obviously no one knows how this would play out, however, I can see a world in which a program like Northwestern benefits from all of this. If there are only 35 programs (including ND) with the financial means to put themselves above and beyond everyone else, that shrinks the landing spots for top talent recruits. Which would in turn (and in theory) help to level the playing field some.

 

[IsaacHarrison]

So, you think it does enhance competition or does it favor the biggest payors? My contention is that the gap between haves and have nots will just spread with unrestricted Free Agency..

Do you think NIL and the portal has helped or hurt iowa? I would consider iowa a fridge program. Top20-25 type program. I think programs outside of the power 5 and maybe even those on the bottom 3-5 of each conference are screwed. Which is the point of a new league.

 

[squeezebox]

So, you think it does enhance competition or does it favor the biggest payors? My contention is that the gap between haves and have nots will just spread with unrestricted Free Agency..

Iowa landed 1 significant contributor on defense this year and had a top 5 defense. Developing kids, and having them stick around is the key factor. Iowa has often struggled to land the national recruit types in state, so I don't think it will make a big difference.

 

[HawkNole09]

Ok, just as an example —

Michigan loses JJ to the draft this year. Usually that means a developmental year for the program as they break in the new 4 / 5 *
Now, they go and get a guy that already has collegiate experience from UCLA and the train keeps rolling.

Ohio State looks to upgrade from McCord to Cam Ward (NFL mid-round if he came out this year).

Is Iowa upgrading from Hill? Not without a better OC. And at the same time their best DT prospect Thompson looking for a better deal.

I guarantee free agency is a net negative for Iowa. And you’ll really hate it when a Cooper DeJean-like player transfers to Michigan to increase his chances of play for a Natty or to increase his Draft stock.

 

[squeezebox]

Is Iowa upgrading from Hill? Not without a better OC. And at the same time their best DT prospect Thompson looking for a better deal.

Is Cade not coming back? Thompson is their best DT prospect, not Graves? I mean, wow.

 

[HawkNole09]

Iowa landed 1 significant contributor on defense this year and had a top 5 defense. Developing kids, and having them stick around is the key factor. Iowa has often struggled to land the national recruit types in state, so I don't think it will make a big difference.

Iowa did not have a Top-5 defense because of Nick Jackson.

In the past you wait your turn and develop behind the JRs and SRs.

Now you pop and look for the biggest payday (Anterio Thompson)

I don’t mind playing on a slightly tilted playing field, but with less fertile recruiting grounds, less NIL, less eyeballs on TV sets, and now uncapped Free Agency — you really think Iowa’s going to hold their own??

And the ultimate point is that the Top Schools have to have the Majority Schools for this all to work. So now is the time to demand fairness, transparency and caps — in the spirit of competition.

Otherwise it just comes down to who can pay more for their Championship.

 

[HawkNole09]

Is Cade not coming back? Thompson is their best DT prospect, not Graves? I mean, wow.

Anterio = Prospect. Graves = Proven.

 

[squeezebox]

Iowa did not have a Top-5 defense because of Nick Jackson.

Now you pop and look for the biggest payday (Anterio Thompson)

re-read the post for the first part, stating that Iowa didn't need the transfer portal to be a top 5 defense.

The second point you make, you have zero evidence for. It may be true, but disparaging a kid is getting tiresome.

 

[squeezebox]

Anterio = Prospect. Graves = Proven.

Graves is a sophomore, Thompson is a sophomore. So?

 

[Iron Doc]

So it will be legalized pay to play. That will be the tipping point for me.

Actually, about time!

If you want so-called "Pure" amateur FB, go watch Wartburg play.
EXCELLENT quality FB without massive amounts of cash required.

 

[Iron Doc]

Why not just have teams for all theses schools where they are not students. They are just athletes. I mean who the hell are they fooling. As fans we are left with cheering for the uniform…not the players. Strike a deal with the NFL and make it a NFL development league on college campuses. Who gives a shit at this point. College football is gone baby gone.

DO THIS!!!

End the charade of amateurism.

 

[Iron Doc]

3rd parties make it so much better

Don't forget the Old Skool BAGMEN!!!!

 

[Iron Doc]

Really? The XFL and USFL are taking players right out of High School?

I must have missed that also.

 

[Iron Doc]

Our biggest concern should be where is Hawkisoaker (in this thread) when we (don't) need him?

 

[IsaacHarrison]

Ok, just as an example —

Michigan loses JJ to the draft this year. Usually that means a developmental year for the program as they break in the new 4 / 5 *
Now, they go and get a guy that already has collegiate experience from UCLA and the train keeps rolling.

Ohio State looks to upgrade from McCord to Cam Ward (NFL mid-round if he came out this year).

Is Iowa upgrading from Hill? Not without a better OC. And at the same time their best DT prospect Thompson looking for a better deal.

I guarantee free agency is a net negative for Iowa. And you’ll really hate it when a Cooper DeJean-like player transfers to Michigan to increase his chances of play for a Natty or to increase his Draft stock.

You can fill holes with a guy here and there from the portal. But you still have to have most your players develop and come through the HS ranks via recruiting. The blue bloods use to load up this way but now that is being undermined. There is alot of talent leaving these schools because these kids want to play right away. The more 5-star you have on your roster, the more people you have that think they can play right away. So sure you can plug a few holes but your foundation isnt as solid as it used to be and you dont have the depth to replace guys mid-season. Also its not guaranteed that a guy his going to play weel at your team because he played well at another.

Imagine if the QB OSU is going after in the portal goes down for the season in week 3. Everybody left the team behind him. See Iowa this season.

 

[StallmanCurse]

Is Iowa upgrading from Hill? Not without a better OC. And at the same time their best DT prospect Thompson looking for a better deal.

I guarantee free agency is a net negative for Iowa. And you’ll really hate it when a Cooper DeJean-like player transfers to Michigan to increase his chances of play for a Natty or to increase his Draft ststock.

1. You have no idea why Thompson is leaving; don't pretend that you do. Is a blue blood going to pay top dollar for someone who isn't currently in the rotation at Iowa? That makes no sense.

2. We have lost exactly one player to upward mobility, and that was because he got the opportunity to play for his favorite childhood team. Additionally, we brought in an equivalent talent to replace him. Everyone else has left for playing time or just didn't like it here.

So far, NIL and the portal has been a net positive for Iowa. Will that remain? I have no idea. But to *guarantee* it will be a net negative is baseless.