Fans ruthlessly sound off on Urban Meyer's "cheating" comments - "Well he is the expert on cheating" 

Former Ohio State head coach, Urban Meyer, has expressed his opinion on NIL collectives. He believes that they are being utilized as a means to bypass state laws that forbid pay-for-play incentives.

This is because universities and these organizations operate under distinct circumstances, creating a loophole. The two-time national championship-winning coach stated that collectives are a strategic way deployed to cheat the system.

In a recent interview with sports commentator and former college basketball assistant coach, Dan Dakich, Meyer stated the concept breaks the NIL rule:

“I’m not saying it’s all that way, but from my understanding, it’s a fancy word for cheating. When I hear that word I kind of cringe right now and I hear the stories behind it that they’re going to go to donors and boosters and ask for a lot of money and then decide who gets that money based on ability level. Which, I think is 1A of the rule of NIL, you can’t do that.”

Fans widely criticized Meyer for his "cheating" comment. This is due to several controversies he has been involved in as a coach.

Urban Meyer is a board member of a NIL collective called "THE Foundation"

Ironically, Meyer himself is a board member of "THE Foundation," a NIL collective of Ohio State Football and Basketball student-athletes. It aims to compensate athletes for utilizing their name, image, and likeness to support charitable causes and make positive a impact on the community.

Collectives function independently of a university's jurisdiction. Although in certain states, university officials, including coaches and athletic department personnel, may be permitted to endorse collectives. However, individuals currently employed by the university are prohibited from making financial contributions to a collective.

Given its early stages, the NIL concept presents a potentially slippery slope when it comes to its integration into college football recruiting and player retention. This has placed it under intense criticism since its introduction.

A few years ago, the term 'collective' wasn't even part of the college athletics lexicon. However, today, having a well-funded collective has become crucial for schools to stay competitive, and those without one are at risk of falling behind.

The current NIL landscape in college football has been compared to the Wild West by notable figures like Penn State coach James Franklin. There is also a growing movement that includes Alabama coach Nick Saban and other prominent figures in college football. They seek to establish federal regulations for the concept.