The current landscape of college sports, especially in football and basketball, seems quite shaky at the moment. With the rising costs of NIL deals—often funded by fans—and the chaotic nature of the transfer portal during the winter season, plus the attempts of professional players wanting to rejoin college teams, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to maintain the enthusiasm many once had for these games.
But, you know, I’m not alone in feeling this way. Even ex-college athletes from relatively recent times are expressing their concerns about the shifts in college football.
One such voice is Lee Brice, the country music star and former scholarship player at Clemson. He sat down with Tomi Lahren to share his frustrations about the sport he loves.
“Honestly, I’m not a fan of how things have changed,” Brice remarked. While he acknowledges that college athletes who generate significant revenue for their schools deserve to be compensated, he feels there should be more regulations governing the process.
He pointed out, “In the NFL, you sign a contract, and you can’t just up and leave.” But in college, athletes can receive lucrative offers and then decide to transfer at will. This, according to Brice, fosters a lack of commitment and doesn’t instill the essential values these young men need as they grow older.
The dissatisfaction around college sports has spurred Congress into action, leading to debates around the Save College Sports Act, a measure that’s ignited discussions across the political spectrum.
Brice’s passion for the game has waned to the point where watching college football has become difficult for him. “It’s tough these days to watch college football because it used to be all about passion,” he confessed. “Players would dedicate themselves to one team for several years, and now… well, it feels like there’s no devotion left. It really takes away the magic of what college football used to represent.” He doesn’t hold back in saying he dislikes the current state of the game and thinks improvements could have been made.
Another issue that sparked his ire is the trend of players from NFL rosters attempting to make a return to college football. “It’s like you can be gone and still have an edge going back to college,” he pointed out. Once a player has reached a certain level, returning to a lower level comes with an unfair advantage.
Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, and LSU didn’t take on any of the NFL players they were considering. But Brice notes that if that had happened, it would have given their coach, Lane Kiffin, a significant advantage.
Brice wrapped up his thoughts by shaking his head, exclaiming, “That’s just not right.” And it seems many share his sentiments.
