I'm curious. I assume NIL applies to non-scholarship athletes too. I mean, how can you deny non-scholarship kids the chance to make money off their names like the scholarship players can. In that case, why do we need scholarships if NIL money can be funneled to walk-ons to cover their expenses? I've noticed the football team "signing" preferred walk-ons recently, and Coach Napier saying he wants 50 walk-ons in the program. I know there are perks to being under scholarship, but given enough money, does it matter that much?
In 1939 the University of Chicago stopped playing football when they were at the top of the game bacase it was becoming too commercial. Good for them.
About the only thing that seems appropriate, besides trying to remain connected with "the good old days", is for the middling programs (maybe 80-90 percent of all programs) who can confiscate public funds for something "noble" as academic scholarships. And athletics get a majority of those funds.
Interesting question @ApexNC . . . More bodies would seem to be more useful in football . . . but I can see a use for a few extra in hoops so you have an entire practice squad, even a practice squad plus. If I want to run my starters and bench I could keep putting-in fresh bodies on the practice squad pressing and fast-breaking. Could even practice 5-on 7 or 5-on-8 and have an entirely new 7 or 8 available. @GatorTodd . . . I don't ever count on the NCAA to do anything either good or right. They'll have to check with those who are really in-charge (i.e., Alabama/Ohio State in football and UNC/Duke/Kansas in hoops).
