Mickey Joseph, in his second year as Grambling State’s head coach, is proposing a compensation system for players who transfer to larger programs after a successful season. Joseph, a former Nebraska assistant and interim coach, believes that when an FCS player moves to a higher-level football program, a buyout should be paid to him or another coach in a similar position. He emphasizes that he supports players seeking opportunities for more NIL earnings and acknowledges the trend of coaches moving to bigger and higher-paying positions without much backlash.
Joseph explains that if a player excels at Grambling State and is approached by a Group of Five or Power Five team with superior financial resources, it is expected that the player may choose to transfer. In such cases, Joseph suggests the need for a buyout to compensate the previous coach for the player’s departure to a higher-tier program. While Joseph’s comments may have been made with a hint of humor, the underlying message reflects the evolving landscape of college athletics, where players are increasingly benefiting from their image rights and transfer freedoms.
Implementing a buyout system would necessitate the establishment of contracts between schools and athletes, a step the NCAA has been hesitant to take due to concerns about athlete classification. Nonetheless, as the dynamics of college sports continue to evolve, the concept of buyouts for transfers may gain momentum, despite the challenges associated with its implementation.
