College Athletic Departments Preparing For Student-Athletes To Gain Employee Status Causes New Football Rule To Flop

As Name, Image and Likeness continues to play a bigger and bigger role in college athletics, another enormous change may be on the horizon. It would reshape the entire landscape of the NCAA.

(Photos by David Becker/Getty Images)

A proposal is currently on the table that would allow college football analysts and other off-field staffers to coach during practice. Where it was previously expected to pass in January, that is no longer the case.

American Football Coaches Association executive director Todd Berry told Matt Zenitz and On3 Sports that he does not expect the proposal to pass before the 2023 season. Considering the overwhelming amount of support, it comes as quite the surprise.

According to one high-ranking team official with a Power 5 conference program, the reason that the proposal is now expected to fail is two fold. The second part of the equation would be a staggering development.

One, everyone agrees any staff member should be able to coach during practice but it’s somewhat split on anyone coaching during games. Two, schools are preparing for student-athletes to be employees, so trying to have the money to pay them and don’t want to have to pay unlimited coaches.

Again, it's the second piece of that puzzle that stands out.

As things currently stand, student-athletes are able to profit from NIL. They do not receive any direct financial compensation from their respective programs. They are not getting paid.

However, based on the P5 official's comments, schools are preparing for that to change. Athletic departments are putting funds aside for when it does. The student-athletes would be on their bankroll. They would no longer be amateurs, and could get paid directly by the school itself.

The timeline for this massive NCAA change is unclear.

It may never happen at all. It could happen as soon as 2024. Who is to say?

Regardless of when, the decision to allow student-athletes to gain employee status doesn't sound much like an "if" anymore. Colleges are getting ahead of the move, according to the P5 official.

Should this happen, it would change college athletics forever. It would professionalize the highest level of amateur athletics. Perhaps that is for the best. Perhaps it will take away from the product.

Either way, if colleges are preparing, as should you. A world in which student-athletes are directly tied to their college/university's bankroll is coming, eventually, whether you like it or not!