Rick Barnes Gives Interesting Solution to the NCAA's Eligibility Lawsuits

Rick Barnes gave an interesting solution to the various NCAA lawsuits over eligibility

Oct 13, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Over the past few months, the NCAA has been under all sorts of fire because of different lawsuits. This comes in the wake of allowing a fifth year of eligibility to college players, but the ruling is very inconsistent, and many recent graduates are suing for extra eligibility.

This has led to a lot of confusion amongst college coaches, with players being ruled eligible mid-season, then ruled ineligible again, just to be reinstated a few weeks later.

Tennessee men's basketball head coach Rick Barnes seems to have his own take on what the NCAA should do.

Rick Barnes on NCAA Eligibility

Oct 13, 2026; Birmingham, AL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes speaks during the SEC Basketball Tipoff at Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Here’s what Rick Barnes said at the Knoxville Quarterback Club:

“You know what I wish somebody would do right now? I wish they would do an audit of how much money the NCAA is spending on attorney fees. I’d like them to do that because they’ve dug their heels in. If you think about this right now, I think there are like maybe 500 cases of guys and girls that are trying to play. What if each one of them sued the NCAA for a million dollars? Think about it. It’s $500 million. (The NCAA is) going to have to go to court with them. I’d rather they take that money and give it to Olympic sports, you know? And my deal is, whether it is what it is, (the NCAA) created this problem, which they have in the past, too.”

Why This Is Important to Rick Barnes

Tennessee coach Rick Barnes smiles during a media availability before a Tennessee basketball practice at Pratt Pavilion on Sept. 22, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Obviously, this is a major problem for a lot of college coaches, but for Barnes, this one hits close to home.

Jalen Washington transferred to Tennessee after playing four previous seasons of college basketball. On August 5th, Washington was given an injunction to play a fifth season of college basketball, but three weeks later he was ruled ineligible.

Now, Tennessee will possibly have to play this season without a player they thought would be able to play this season. This could cost the Vols as the season begins next week on Tuesday, November 3rd.

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