Who didn’t love football’s National Signing Day, back in the era of fax machines and relative roster solidarity?
Rabid supporters flocked to gatherings for announcements of the newest additions to the team. Those who couldn’t travel hit the refresh button repeatedly to see if any new names appeared in the signing class.
In today’s multi-dimensional circus of roster management, the refresh button is more worn than ever.
Those signing day parties still happen, but with a fraction of the fanfare.
We’ve entered the age of here and now, not wait and see.
If it came to a vote, NIL and the transfer portal would have as much appeal as tax increases.
Not many more than those who benefit from them would support.
As of Monday night, right at 2,300 college football players are in the portal, expecting or hoping to be asked to the prom in a twisted version of speed dating.
About 4,000 college staff members are tracking this insanity.
Many of the players have agents, few who are doing it for free because they want to help, but rather, they want to help themselves with a percentage of the NIL deal that goes far beyond what registered agents with pro leagues are allowed to take.
NIL and the portal were supposed to provide overdue benefits for the players. In the best cases, it works. At the elite level, it’s big money, absurdly big.
Last year LSU and Michigan fans twisted and turned following the scramble for high school quarterback Bryce Underwood, whose millions were paid in maize and blue. Monday, his new Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham and he confirmed Underwood will be back in Ann Arbor for at least another year and doubtlessly a nice raise.
This morning, Tiger Nation is on edge hoping Sam Leavitt’s visit goes great and the erstwhile Arizona State QB decides LSU’s package and the Lane Train is the right ride for 2026.
The LSU shopping list may also include a new kicker. Parkway product Aeron Burrell has been a Tiger for the last two years but after being one of the country’s top kicking recruits in 2023, has yet to try a field goal in college. He’s kicked off, very well as a freshman when he was second-team All-SEC, but had a sophomore slump as his touchback percentage dropped from 89 to 64.
He wasn’t beating out Damian Ramos, who set school scoring records, but Ramos just declared for the NFL Draft. Maybe that creates opportunity for Burrell. Maybe it doesn’t matter.
Burrell is one of 29 current LSU players in the portal. He may decide to stay put, but he’s checking his options.
LSU backup safety Austin Ausberry is, too. He has played in 16 games, mostly on special teams. Noteworthy: his dad, Verge, is LSU’s athletic director. Not saying son is disloyal; but he wants to get on the field for more than a few plays every week, and he might rate a better NIL rate elsewhere. Can’t blame him or Burrell.
Or Captain Shreve product John Hoyet Chance, either. Just congratulate him for rocketing from a Louisiana Tech walk-on to a portal prince who just moved west on I-20 to TCU, where he’ll get a nice NIL package befitting a sophomore-to-be punter whose 47-yard average will rank him in the NCAA’s top five after his breakout first season with the Bulldogs.
North Caddo graduate (class of ’23) Omarion Miller cashed in Monday. Two years ago, he got an NIL deal signing with Deion Sanders at Colorado for starring for the Titans. After averaging 18 yards on 45 catches in the Buffaloes’ disappointing season last fall, he was the No. 2-ranked receiver in the portal and will get a sweetened share of the NIL cash that Leavitt has left at Arizona State.
The only college football on TV this week until Ole Miss-Miami on Thursday night was the FCS (Division I-AA for old-schoolers) championship game Monday night. Favored Montana State won 35-34 in overtime – first Bobcats’ natty since 1984, when they topped Louisiana Tech.
Montana State junior receiver Taco Dowler caught eight passes for 111 yards and the tying TD in OT. Illinois State botched its overtime extra point, and that was the difference, despite the 13 receptions, 161 yards and two touchdowns by redshirt freshman Dylan Lord, a walk-on like Shreve’s Chance.
They’re not in the portal. Yet. Doubt either was thinking about it Monday night. Bet some snaky agent or wannabe approaches those boys today.
And count on some bigger colleges to respond.
It’ll be a few years before the superpowers come to their senses, when the dollars and cents force their hand as donors tire of paying kids who don’t pan out or don’t stay around.
They’ll finally cave to the inescapable logic but burdens of collective bargaining. Meanwhile, get used to the mess they’ve created.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com