Jiffy Jeff wrote:

Really only posting here because of the alleged Oregon connection to the Vol QB situation.  From the limited articles that I have read, many pundits think this is not that big of a deal that would seismically shift how NIL works and what reforms are needed to "fix" this issue.  My understandings/takeaways from the news:

* The QB, under advisement of his agent and father, decided to "quietly" shop around for a better NIL deal.  Now.  As Spring practice is in session and the spring portal is opening shortly.
*  Unsure of the order of events, but very quickly, the QB sits out of practice while the HC receives a call from another coach that his starting QB is shopping himself.
*  QB is immediately dismissed from the team.
*  Apparently it was Lanning who called Heupel to let him know this was happening.

This is where conversation/debate comes in:

*  Who did who dirty?  Player?  HC? 
*  Could it be seen as "collusion" that Lanning called Heupel to inform him of the QB's activities?
*  If this QB was not picked up by any team this year, would there then be the hint of collusion and a case to be made by the player? 
*  Would a fanbase revolt on their team/coach for taking in a player who is nakedly only there for the money and has a foot out the door at all times? 
*  Am I naive in that I should know that every athlete in every collegiate sport has one foot out the door at all times?

To be transparent, my enthusiasm for college sports has taken a massive hit over the last few seasons as an unlimited transfer portal and now NIL have usurped the stability of programs up and down all athletic departments.  For the overwhelming majority of collegiate athletes, college is the end of their athletic careers and I get them looking for a payday, but this has eclipsed the original intent by leaps and bounds... 

Thoughts??? 
 

Thank goodness he's going to UCLA, not that I was that worried the Ducks would take him, but nothing ever seems for certain when a good QB go's to the portal. 

You bring up a lot of good points and questions. Honestly I'm in the same boat with lack of interest right now so I've only been glancing at the headlines for the most part this off season. Besides the lack of interest I'm in the process of moving and have a lot going on in my personal life so off season football has taken a back seat. I apologize to the folks still coming on here. I plan to start posting again. 

I found the quality of football to be really good and entertaining during the season. Once it was over and the Ducks got stuck playing the best team after earning the #1 seed it's hard to get enthusiastic right now. Not about the Ducks chances, but that it's hard not to look at the state of affairs and not think how the sausage is made if you will. 

While I still see some benefits of NIL and feel the players deserve a cut, this situation highlights how things are out of control with players being able to shop around as they please. 

Other sports teams getting dragged into football conference realignment just doesn't seem right among other things.

It may not fix everything, but it would really help matters to go back to having to sit out a season after a transfer unless the coaches leave, then I think you should be able to. 

With the lack of leadership, precedents from prior court cases, and money calling the shots, it hard to see any realistic fixes in the short term at least.