NIL and the Transfer Portal: Which Schools Get Caught Cheating?

With NCAA Division I Football, there's rampant cheating going on by way of using NIL money, via boosters, and the Transfer Portal as a primary conduit for allowing for programs like Southern California to continue to do so.

Author:
Brian Smith
Publish date:
May 4, 2022 10:51 AM EDT

There's no way to make this suddenly go away. The NCAA has failed miserably by way of not having a definitive plan of action in place to stop schools from using NIL money as a way to get players already in college to enter the Transfer Portal and then transfer to their program.

In case you missed it (where have you been?), Pittsburgh wide receiver Jordan Addison suddenly visited Southern California before even entering the Transfer Portal. No chance of tampering there...(insert rolling eyes).

So, what in the world should be done for situations like this to be curbed? Is there one? Well, Pittsburgh Head Football Coach Pat Narduzzi sure is not taking the matter lightly, as he's reportedly already called Southern California Head Football Coach Lincoln Riley multiple times because of the situation with Addison.

How does one think that conversation went?

Can anyone blame him if he berated Riley and/or other people at USC? If someone literally attempted to bride a player from your favorite team, how would you feel about it?

Keep in mind, Southern California is far, far from the only school cheating.

There are rampant rumors about Alabama offering Notre Dame star tight end Michael Mayor $1 million dollars to play his last year in Tuscaloosa instead of South Bend.

Then there is the alleged cheating from former Fresno high school star turned University of Texas star Xavier Worthy being offered cash to come play at Oregon and once again, Southern California, and leave the Longhorns.

The whole concept of NIL is great, but its intended purpose is being spoiled by complete losers (coaches, boosters, etc.) that are blatantly using NIL as a way to buy their way to a great roster. Oddly, this is like NFL free agency but without any true free agents.

It is preposterous!

Now, will the NCAA actually do anything? History says no. Still, at some point, one would think the NCAA is forced into hammering at least one institution. Southern California seems like the most likely based on Narduzzi being so public about the situation. Will it be the Trojans? Someone else?

Would the NCAA actually put the smack down on one of its cash cows like Georgia or Alabama or Oregon or Southern California, if it's found trying to get a player to leave a school and join one of the aforementioned teams?

Here's a podcast further dissecting the ridiculous situation that the NCAA could have cut off long ago but failed because it never even implemented the most basic rules with NIL and the Transfer Portal. This topic is only going to get hotter.

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Pittsburgh Panthers

USC Trojans