The entire roster of 85 scholarship athletes from the Utah Utes football team is cruising in style with their brand-new Dodge Ram 1500 Big Horn trucks, worth around $60,000 each, per Front Office Sports. Kudos to the Crimson Collective app, for making this exciting upgrade happen, showcasing their unwavering support for the athletics program.
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The Utes sit on a 4-1 record in the 2023 college football season at this point. An exclusive video on the Utah Football team’s Twitter recently showcased the players’ heartwarming reactions to this generous gesture.
Crimson Collective Surprises Utah Utes Scholarship Players with Brand-New Dodge Ram Trucks
The Crimson Collective, backed by generous donors, is gifting 2024 Ram 1500 Big Horn trucks with Night Edition packages to every Utah football scholarship player. The donors fully fund the lease and insurance expenses, with players only responsible for taxes.
FTW360 CEO Derek Mattsson highlighted the significance of addressing students’ transportation needs. United Fleet Management manages the fleet of nearly 100 trucks, cementing the collective’s commitment to these athletes and their school, per Forbes.
Crimson Collective Stuns Utah Utes Scholarship players with Brand-New Dodge Ram Trucks after NIL deal
“The three biggest needs of every student are education, housing and transportation. No one has addressed this transportation need comprehensively before today.” FTW360 CEO said pic.twitter.com/eGWawcWd3M
— Yagya Bhargava (@YagyaBhargava) October 5, 2023
“The three biggest needs of every student are education, housing and transportation. No one has addressed this transportation need comprehensively before today. We’re here to enable change by celebrating the Crimson Collective, the athletes, and everyone who loves their school,” FTW360 CEO Derek Mattsson said.
Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports added details to the NIL deal. The Utah Utes have scored big with a deal estimated in seven figures. Each truck, valued at $61,000, is a testament to their 4-1 record and stellar defense. The Utes have allowed only 11.8 points per game in Division 1 FBS.
The Utes Players React to the Mind-blowing Surprise
Observing the players’ enthusiastic sprint towards the Dodge Ram trucks, following the news, was heartwarming. Their sheer excitement was palpable, and it was evident that each player was thrilled to the maximum.
“Honestly, I can’t even believe it. It still seems unreal, man, but just grateful for the opportunity that we’re able to get one.” Said defensive tackle Junior Tafuna. ““I don’t feel lucky — more so blessed, Two years ago, three years ago, if people would have asked me [about something like this], I wouldn’t have believed it.”
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Thank you so much to @UtahCrimson for this incredible opportunity for our players! pic.twitter.com/BwhMmaYMA2
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 4, 2023
“Yeah, definitely. If I saw, as a [high school] senior coming into college, every scholarship player just got a truck, I mean, I’m not sure if many other programs are doing that,” added Utah DE Jonah Elliss. “Honestly, I was thinking about that,” said Fano on the confusion about which truck belongs to which player. “I was listening to what everyone wanted to get.”
Those football players fortunate enough to explore the vehicles on the field couldn’t deny that such a promotion would undeniably influence their recruitment decisions if they were prospects once more.
