With NIL and the transfer portal, college athletes, especially football players, have become more high-maintenance. Power Four coaches are cautious with their words; one misstep could cause players to leave. The former Kansas State coach left for this reason, but Florida’s new coach, Jon Sumrall, supports him and shows he’s not about that life.

“I actually think it’s easier,” Sumrall said in a recent interview on SiriusXM College Sports Radio, stating what he does to control players in the Wild West era. “Because if a guy wants to act some sort of way about having to do something tough, ‘I’m like, dude, you make money. Shut up, bro. Like you’re getting paid. Dawg, like, put the work in.’

So I’ve probably think some coaches with this new world were eliminated have transferred portal nil, have gotten softer, I probably like gotten crazier like I’m like no, I’m not. Don’t tell me about this is too hard. Like, we’re all pros here, be a pro.”

Since everybody’s making dough these days with NIL, he just reminds them that they are “pros” now. If you want the money, you just have to put in the work that comes with it. No cutting corners whatsoever.

This tough love mentality is exactly what he’s been doing since he stepped foot in Gainesville. To prove he wasn’t playing around, he actually cut the Gator logos off the team’s practice gear. The former Tulane HC then said that they didn’t “earn the right” to wear the brand yet. It’s similar to what Urban Meyer used to do back during his Florida stint. He even blocked the path to the stadium entrance!

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He’s basically stripping everything back to zero to see who is actually tough enough to stay on the team. Sumrall’s authority on display comes from his incredible winning experience. He crushed it at Troy and then took Tulane to the playoffs. So, he’s coming into a place like Florida with a ton of confidence, a program that hasn’t won anything worthwhile since its convict era (2007).

Truth be told, folks are excited because it feels like the program is finally getting some discipline back after a few “meh” years. Whether you love the “shut up, bro” attitude or think it’s a bit much, you can’t deny that Sumrall is turning the Florida Gators into a program where you either work your tail off or you get out.

That said, not every coach is cut out for that life. One of college football’s veteran big-timers definitely had to quit because of the NIL noise.

NIL and the transfer portal nearly gave Chris Klieman a heart attack

After winning a Big 12 title and leading Kansas State for seven seasons, Chris Klieman quit in December because the job was physically draining. In January, he admitted that if he had stayed another season, he thought he might have a heart attack. His blood pressure was through the roof, and at 58, he realized that no amount of money could bring peace. Not even the millions left on his contract were worth his life.

The main suspect was the new world order of college football (the transfer portal and NIL deals). Klieman felt he had stopped being a coach and started being a full-time professional deal-maker. He had bodies of agents (aka transfer portal vultures) waiting for him after the game.

“That was where I was kind of at my wits’ end. I don’t blame any of these kids. It’s not their fault. But you get done playing Colorado, and come Monday, man, there’s 20 (players’ agents) that want to know a number. Or they’re ready to go into the (transfer) portal.” Klieman said.

Klieman loved the actual game and developing young men. But he hated spending December and January just putting together compensation packages for hundreds of kids instead of actually recruiting or even planning for the next season. Right now, he is decompressing in Florida with his family. He hasn’t totally closed the door on coaching forever.

But he’s made it pretty clear that he won’t come back unless the sport gets a real commissioner or some rules to end this misery.