Oklahoma Using Unique NIL Opportunity to Add Roster Depth
NORMAN — College football recruiting has been forever altered by Name, Image and Likeness laws.
While countless coaches have voiced their concerns over the changes that NIL has brought to the recruiting world, others have begun to embrace the new rules and even use it to their advantage.
Texas A&M, who is speculated to have a huge amount of NIL funding, signed one of the highest-rated recruiting classes analysts have ever seen in 2022. Many college football spectators and participants, including Nick Saban, believe that NIL opportunities played a huge role in the Aggies success on the recruiting trail.
"We were second in recruiting last year, A&M was first," Saban said in May of 2022. "A&M bought every player on their team. Made a deal for name, image and likeness. We didn’t buy one player. But I don’t know if we’re going to be able to sustain that in the future, because more and more people are doing it. It’s tough."
While it will likely never be proven whether or not Saban's statements are accurate, NIL has undoubtedly shifted how programs recruit. In Norman, Brent Venables and company have come up with a unique way to use NIL money to their advantage.
Every FBS football team is limited to 85 scholarship spots on their roster. This makes it even more meaningful when a walk-on, like Gavin Freeman, is placed on scholarship.
These scholarship counts restrict college coaching staffs from offering or being able to take certain high school players, as they are afraid of running out of scholarship spots and missing out on other potentially more talented prospects.
Many fans still believe that this is the primary reason Lincoln Riley was more hesitant to offer in-state recruits.
With Venables now at the helm and NIL opportunities aplenty, the Sooners' current coach has concocted a formula that allows OU to utilize NIL funding essentially as extra athletic scholarships.
This method has already helped Oklahoma earn commitments from two talented local prospects, as Heritage Hall athlete Andy Bass and Edmond Santa Fe defensive lineman Bergin Kysar both announced their pledge to the Sooners over the summer.
Both players were 3-star recruits and had full scholarship offers to other Power 5 conference schools. Kysar chose OU over Oklahoma State while Bass picked Oklahoma over Syracuse and Kansas State.
Being able to secure commitments from two impressive recruits like Bass and Kysar without having them count towards the 85 scholarship spots on the roster is a massive win for Venables and company, who expect both of the aforementioned players to see the field during their time in Norman.
Prior to his commitment, Bass discussed the unique opportunity presented to him by the Sooners.
“I wouldn’t be on a traditional scholarship at OU,” Bass told OUInsider. “I also wouldn’t be the generic preferred walk-on role either. I’d be handling my tuition through NIL. So that’s a nice perk to OU for sure; that’s definitely something that’s very new. I hadn’t really heard of it before and I don’t know if I would have if I wasn’t in the recruiting world. But it’s definitely a very unique opportunity.”
On Monday, offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby also talked about the program's creative way of adding extra scholarship spots.
"That has the opportunity just to create more depth in the roster," Lebby said. "Having 85 guys on scholarship and then being able to create different ways — those guys being able to use their platform, create NIL. And again, it just has the ability to create some real quality depth at some positions."
Lebby also said that the coaching staff came up with the idea during meetings, adding that Venables was the visionary behind it all.
"Through conversation in the meeting room," Lebby said. "Us being together as a staff, obviously following Coach V's lead on that. He felt that was a great way. There's no doubt about it. He's spot on. And that's kind of where that started."
Over the past two days, the Sooners have made a few more splashes in the NIL game.
First, fourth-string quarterback General Booty partnered with Rock 'Em Socks for an underwear line and ad campaign that has already made waves on social media.
While it may seem like a joke, Oklahoma's ability to market a walk-on quarterback who may never throw a pass for the Sooners is something that the coaching staff can point to as a sign that they are serious about getting all their athletes NIL opportunities.
On Thursday, OU announced that it will launch "college football's first Athlete Services Division" or ASD.
A partnership with Altius Sports, the Sooners' are aiming to further grow their NIL reach and market by teaching student-athletes how to build their brand.
Oklahoma has found a unique way to use NIL to its advantage. Aside from using funds to help land top prospects, the team is able to build even more depth on its roster without taking away scholarship spots.
If OU can continue to be innovative in its use and management of NIL opportunities, the Sooners will benefit on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal.
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