Earlier last week, Judge Charlotte Sweeney threw the Class of 2022 a lifeline. Athletes who thought their college careers were done suddenly got another shot, all thanks to the new “5-for-5” rule. Basically, a bunch of former stars, and even a few guys who got cut or went undrafted while chasing the NFL dream, can suit up for one more season. Former Texas offensive lineman Cole Hutson falls right into that category. With a lawyer on his side, he has a solid chance of wearing Burnt Orange again after failing to make the cut in the NFL. However, not everyone is feeling the comeback story.

Texas coaching legend Mack Brown completely stole the headlines this week during an episode of The Stampede podcast, which he hosts alongside Vince Young and Bob Ballou. When Ballou asked about Hutson’s case, Brown immediately tied the situation to the chaotic national trend of players suing local courts whenever the NCAA rules them ineligible. He brought up his own past experience at North Carolina with player Tez Walker, recalling how they nearly had to sue the NCAA themselves just to get Walker cleared. Because players are nowadays winning these local state lawsuits left and right, Brown explained that a new federal bill is being proposed to grant the NCAA antitrust protection.

Brown then dropped some incredibly blunt, old-school advice for Hutson and any other players trying to loop back into college after a shot at the pros:

“We don’t need people going to the NFL and then coming back. That’s not what the game was meant for,” Mack Brown said. “Really and truly, in my opinion, if you go and you don’t make the NFL, then get a job. Go start your life.”

According to Brown, allowing this to happen completely robs opportunities from the younger guys on the roster who have stayed in school and earned their right to be on the field.

He doubled down on why football players are not ready to give up football. He pointed out that for someone like Vince Young, who played a decade at the highest level, made millions, and then had to become a regular “citizen” again.

The money and the way people treat you are completely different once you become a regular Joe. These college athletes are simply delaying that transition, trying to live the purposeful life they’ve created in their minds.

Brown revealed that Hutson hasn’t even been practicing with the team yet. Although he has hung around the program a little bit, he is completely sidelined from actual football activities.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian’s waiting for the final eligibility verdict that might not drop until sometime next week.

Sarkisian is being incredibly practical about the whole thing. On the other hand, he admits he would love to have a veteran blocker with 48 college games. And on the other hand, he openly worries the headache this would create for roster management if every undrafted player in the country starts suing to come back to school.

So far, Hutson is actually winning the case, apparently. Even if the courts ultimately rule in Hutson’s favor, his road back to the starting lineup won’t be a cakewalk. Brown pointed out that because Hutson has been away from the team, he doesn’t know some of the new offensive linemen on the roster and hasn’t taken a single snap with them. If he is allowed back, Brown expects him to start at the very bottom as a backup and have to grind his way into the rotation from scratch.