Mark Few delivers powerful message on college sports chaos: ‘We really, really need help’

Few joined lawmakers and other college coaches Monday in Washington, D.C., to support legislation aimed at bringing more stability to college sports

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few. | Photo by Myk Crawford

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs are in the midst of an incredibly frustrating offseason, and while there are a lot of factors, the primary issue is confusion and uncertainty regarding the eligibility of five players on the roster.

Three seniors hoping to play a fifth year in college - Chauncey Wiggins, Javon Bennett, and Xaivian Lee - as well as international recruits Nathan de Sousa and Izan Almansa are all in eligibility limbo. Lee is the only one of the five who is currently eligible, thanks to a TRO granted in California, but that could change, as it did for Wiggins and Bennett when cases in Georgia and Ohio were stayed while the NCAA fights them on appeal.

Meanwhile, de Sousa is in Spokane but has yet to be cleared by the NCAA despite being within the age range for another year of eligibility. Almansa is only 21 years old, but the NCAA is looking into his professional career with the G League Ignite, in the NBL, and with Real Madrid - despite multiple players with a similar level of professional experience getting to play last season.

Mark Few wants Congress to step in

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few. | Photo by Erik Smith

Coach Few, like many others in the college basketball world, is fed up with the NCAA's inconsistent application of rules regarding international recruits and the current class of 2022 seniors.

Few believes the best hope for a return to normalcy in the world of college hoops is through congressional intervention, and he said as much at a speaking event in Washington, DC, in support of the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan bill brought forth by senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell.

"You can sense the desperation in everybody's voices," Few said in front of gathered student-athletes and media members. "We really, really need help. We need it from Congress. This bill might not be perfect, but it's far and far away the best thing we've got out there right now."

Gonzaga coach Mark Few on Capitol Hill earlier today offering his support of the Protect College Sports Act: “This bill might not be perfect but it’s far and far away the best thing we’ve got out there right now.”

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— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) September 14, 2026

What the Protect College Sports Act would change

The Protect College Sports Act, or PCSA, intends to establish a uniform framework to govern college athletics in light of the many lawsuits that have destabilized the rules and regulations over the last few years.

Included among the many provisions in this bill is NIL rights becoming codified into federal law - eliminating state-by-state patchworks like we are currently seeing - and requiring NIL compensation to be reported and entered into a public tracking database.

Sep 12, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Ted Cruz walks on field before the game between Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Other aspects include guaranteeing student-athletes one free transfer but restricting multiple transfers, barring certain conditions, capping revenue-sharing limits aligned with the House settlement, protecting Olympic and women's sports, and attempting to prevent or eliminate tampering between opposing coaches and players.

The bill faces an uncertain path forward

While the idea of returning to a more structured system is certainly appealing for fans and coaches, the idea of a government being able to restrict trade and income for student-athletes - when they are not considered employees - is a significant sticking point as well.

“This bill doesn’t stop billionaires from spending money on athletic facilities,” Senator Chris Murphy, an opponent of the bill, said in a call with reporters on Monday. “This money doesn’t stop billionaires from directly subsidizing the salaries of coaches. No, the only thing this bill does is to limit the relatively small slice of money in the system that goes to athletes.”

The Protect College Sports Act will need 60 votes in order to pass, and as of now, it is unclear if the legislation has the support needed, and with midterms coming up, it could be a challenge to get this passed anytime soon.