Now that the NIL ensures student athletes get paid like professionals, their coaches are beginning to expect that they also behave as pros. Fran Brown and the Syracuse Orange ensure it by issuing fines for unprofessional behavior.
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During a recent discussion on the State of the Orange podcast, one of the team’s players explained exactly how Brown’s system operates. “We’ll get fines if you get more than two absences in class, we have class checkers. If you don’t have your jug or your tablet, that’s $50, every time a coach sees you without it,” he said.
“You weigh in three times a week. On Monday, it’s more lenient. On Wednesday, you kind of want to be there. On Friday, if you’re not there, that’s a quarter of your monthly check,” added the student athlete. While some are viewing this as a ridiculous attempt at controlling players, some believe that this may be the natural response from college programs who wish to get the most out of their investments.
Carolina Panthers legend Cam Newton feels this should be the new standard. According to the 2015 regular season MVP, major paydays come with responsibilities.
Newton suggested that players have essentially traded away their right to be a lackluster student in exchange for cash. He hinted that the days of attending more practice sessions than classes may soon be coming to an end.
“We have to stop acting as if these athletes aren’t professional athletes. They are no longer amateurs. They are getting real salaries. Anything above six figures is a real salary,” said Newton.
“I love that they are holding these players accountable, because when I was playing college, the programs were led off of fear. Fear of early morning workouts, fear of punishment workouts, [and] fear of just not playing,” he added.
While those old-school coaching tactics certainly worked more often than not, they’re just that, old school. According to Newton, times have changed. Simply put, modern-day problems call for modern-day solutions.
“Nowadays, what are you going to tell a kid when the coach is making $400,000 and somebody else is making just as much, if not more? That’s the remedy of the league,” said Newton.
“I’m not about to go back and forth with you, dude. I’m not going to argue with you. I’m going to hit you where it hurts most. Imma go in them pockets,” added Cam, reiterating the logic in the Syracuse coach’s system.
Brown’s fine-based system has yet to be implemented for any substantial period. So it may be a while before the team can gauge meaningful results from its implementation. Nevertheless, the idea appears to be sound on paper.
If players are going to command their fair share of dollars, then programs and coaches are going to expect an equal amount of production from them, both on and off the field. Much like a professional at an office in any industry, the organization that is paying you will also hold you to a certain standard.
In a time where dollars have eroded countless players’ willingness to make any sort of a long-term commitment to a team, perhaps it’s those same dollars that will allow coaches to instill some sense of accountability into them once again. Regardless of whether it’s “fair” or not.
