While I am extremely excited about the Franklin era, reality often smacks
you in the face. Brian Kelly is talking LSU, and he says their payroll is north of 40 million and academics aren't part of the plan there. I think we are going to have a great season in '26, and I plan on enjoying the heck out of it. But lurking thoughts make me wonder, when will it be time to just fold up shop? You can't compete for a national title against teams like LSU forever. I'm hoping we maybe get lucky in the next year or 2, and maybe make some noise. But really, at some point a school and its fans have to ask, "What are we really doing this for?", if you have no prayer at winning it all.
Link:
Kelly on LSU
75 Replies
4mo
He sounds surprised. C'mon man. Get serious. Academics? At LSU? Bruh.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
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chagerma
4mo
I commend you for your stance that participation trophies are an awful idea....and Tiger does as well. A little nuance is needed to grasp the Curtis Strange outlook that 2nd or 3rd is "not too bad". IMO, there's so much more that goes into a fall Saturday on campus other than the 60 minutes between whistles, and better yet, 16+ weeks of them.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
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2hhoop3
4mo
is as much accepting 2nd or 3rd as it is recognizing that only one person goes home a winner and the effort and difference involved in finishing 2nd or 3rd is often miniscule. No doubt the greatest all have that extra gear where 2nd isn't good enough but, there are some significant winners that have just come to grips with the fact that they do not always win. Curtis was a staunch competitor in his heyday with back to back U.S. Opens as his signature. Tiger, Jack, Jordan, Brady and others have made the last 50 years a winner's monument in sports but, every age has at least some of those guys.
(In response to this post by chagerma)
4mo
Finishing 2nd or 3rd since tiger took golf over.
Payne Stewart made $600k winning the us open. Amazing what they make now. I wouldn’t mind finishing 2nd or 3rd a few times a year.
(In response to this post by chagerma)
4mo
It's all for the CHANCE at a dopamine release to make the pride centers of our brain feel warm and gooey after a bunch of people we don't know, but briefly attended the same school as we did decades later, win a national title.
What could be worth more than that?
(It's all complete madness. If 50 schools broke way tomorrow to say, "enough is enough, we're going back to playing college football", I'd be fine with that).
** Edited by Techsupport at 3/10/2026, 9:21:26 AM
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
I started collecting comic book omnibuses in early 2025 -- those are huge collected editions of comic books, a hardcover that's about 1,000 pages and contains about 40 issues of a comic book.
I read the "Omnibus Collectors" subReddit, and a frequent joke goes like this: someone shows a picture of their shelf containing dozens of omnis, and someone else will say, "Have you read all those?" And the answer is "This subReddit is called Omnibus Collectors, not Omibus Readers!!"
My point: we all have our hobbies, and they're all about triggering a release of dopamine. They don't have to make sense. If your hobby is Hokie sports, and you're looking for a shot of dopamine, and you're subscribing to Tech Sideline as part of your hobby, then, by golly, that's okay. Around here, it's encouraged!
(In response to this post by Techsupport)
4mo
Forever People, New Gods, Mister Miracle...shorter runs so they're in paper back, probably going to get Kamandi soon, maybe the Demon. I'm one gin and tonic away from getting Mike Grell's Warlord series in hardback.
(In response to this post by Will Stewart)
4mo
You can buy the reprints of the comics, or the originals for the stuff from the late 80s and 90s that are basically dollar books. Once you have a run that you want, you take it to a binder and have them make it into a nice leather book for the shelf. Recently, I completed the issue collection of the first dozen issues of Fantastic Four, Secret Wars from 1984, and the Phoenix Saga. Expensive but very nice to have them all in a similar design on the shelf.
(In response to this post by Will Stewart)
4mo
Bought the facsimiles they did last year since it would be insane to do it with the originals for multiple reasons, including cost and destruction of such an important book for a bookshelf piece.
(In response to this post by Will Stewart)
4mo
more money than sense buy up nearly all of the top-tier talent.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
Kind of $$. I won’t spend on donations, tickets, or player linked product. Just me.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
was the last time they where in the playoffs or NC game. Indiana proved if you get the right players to fit your culture and scheme and locker room. It’s possible for anyone. His team wasn’t filled with 4 and 5 star players and had several key players none of the big boys wanted that came over from JMU. I’m pretty sure Franklin didn’t come to Vt to just be competitive or good. He knows he has the easiest path to a NC going through the ACC.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
Good on average, but not good over and over.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
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VPI_1998
4mo
programs in CFB - yes they have a lot of moeny and resources but many of their supporters and boosters seem to be certifiable and willing to set money and coaches on fire
(In response to this post by PhotoHokieNC)
4mo
Has to be a spending max for all schools. When that happens, things will get better.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
If Congress wanted to actually be useful (no really, stop laughing) they would strip away the notion of non-profit from the entirety of the collegiate athletic enterprise. Or at least the revenue sports.
If they want to be a big business, be a big business. If they want to be amateurs, be amateurs. Don't mix and match based on some decades-old fantasy.
(In response to this post by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie)
4mo
The Fair Market Value part of the equation is where regulation can fix it
** Edited by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie at 3/9/2026, 1:40:54 PM
(In response to this post by reestuart)
4mo
It's the same for any endorsement deals.
(In response to this post by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie)
4mo
Let's say the CEO of Nike wakes up one day and decides he wants to sign Matthew Stafford to a 1-year, $1 billion endorsement contract. That's patently absurd. But if he wants to do it ... then that's fair market value.
FMV is what someone -- anyone -- is willing to pay, not what some committee somewhere says it is.
As a comic book collector, the FMV on my copy of Amazing Spider-Man #129 is about $975, according to CovrPrice.com. But if someone wanted to pay me $10,000 for it ... I'd let them.
(In response to this post by AirborneHokie96)
4mo
The most outlandish whiners.... "my house isnt worth even the old assessed value!!!!" Ok- sell it to me for the old assessed value--- crickets.
(In response to this post by Will Stewart)
4mo
"Somerthing is worth only what someone is willing to pay you for it. "
"Non EE corollary; Stocks are worth nothing until sold.
(In response to this post by Will Stewart)
4mo
Just to give the perception of a level playing field. Truly amazes me the amount of $$ that is wasted.
(In response to this post by Will Stewart)
4mo
paying for some sort of service. Basically make sure checks aren't being written for nothing at all. They may or may not actually do that, but at least they do have a job to do.
(In response to this post by Jwunderdog)
4mo
Who is checking to see if some kind of service is being provided? no one. I am not blaming Deloitte they are doing there jobs. Since the NCAA can not do anything about anyone that ignores the rules it is a waste of $$$$.
(In response to this post by reestuart)
4mo
is being provided is easily verifiable.
(In response to this post by Jwunderdog)
4mo
What are the consequences?
(In response to this post by reestuart)
4mo
(In response to this post by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie)
4mo
And wouldn't the schools have to legally treat the players like employees in order to have a salary cap?
(In response to this post by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie)
4mo
classify the athletes as employees. The schools don't want that, so they won't push for it. In that case, congress won't do a thing other than grandstand.
(In response to this post by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie)
4mo
(In response to this post by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie)
4mo
They are contract players for the school? Is the what collegiate athletics is all about? Make them pay rent and royalties then.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
(In response to this post by likehokies)
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2hhoop3
4mo
of Kelly. It was a combination of arrogance and sour grapes. Thanks for the link Coach. It reaffirmed, at least for me, why I have never been a Kelly fan and will likely never be one. Ironically, my opinion of LSU is even lower than Kelly.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
College football still has a ways to go to get to that ratio. Of course, football subsidizes losses everywhere else which has to include 100+ women’s athletes due to title 9 which is a huge drag on profitability, but the NCAA has a secret source of funding in student fees/donations that pro teams don’t have.
TV money makes up about 60% of NFL team revenues but only like 40% of power conference NCAA revenue.
I would expect it to keep going up for a while. Most schools should be cutting all men’s sports that don’t turn a profit unless they can be supported by donations. Same goes for the women, rationalize those programs down to the cheapest ones that require the least amount of travel and lowest NIL.
This obviously isn’t accounting for the difference between conferences. The Cleveland Browns make the same amount in rev share that the Dallas Cowboys do. The B1G and SEC make twice as much as any other conference teams. You’d need government regulation if you want parity across conferences.
** Edited by soflahokie at 3/9/2026, 7:26:51 AM
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
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hok1eboy
4mo
SEC or B10G ... there is the rich and the poor. My Arkansas friend always whine about a lack of resources compared to LSU, Texas, Alabama, FL..etc...
Imagine, this from the team that lured Calipari from Kentucky and $$$ and all the NIL you can eat. Crazy.
College sports are not for the sane.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
It doesn't seem sustainable, but I know that this can go on far longer than I could anticipate. I'm ok with someone wanting to spend all that money, just not at the expense of the students. Students don't go to school to pay to watch sports, or at least I don't think they should have to.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
now I'm just happy to be relevant again. Making the playoffs would be a dream.
What you say makes sense and many of us have wondered for a coupe a years how this should play out. It may be cool to form a league with some caps on overall NIL but I imagine there may be negative impacts on revenue. You could have a few levels but it's a nightmare for scheduling and would be a huge task to break up the current structure
For now, it's just great to be in a major conference and to become a good team again that can consistently beat ACC teams like Duke, GT and, after last year, UVa. I'm looking forward to beating Clemson and Miami someday. I cannot stand Miami but it's hilarious that a team not SEC/Big10 NFL Jr. East, Central was in the natty.
The other thing is that I'm thankful for an education at VPI and college football is entertainment.....as much as I fanatically attended home/away/bowl games and was even on College Gameday in 1999 for that magical year, it truly is just a wildly entertaining game to watch. Sad to see it become a pro league but at least they're not hiding it anymore. LOL
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
Notre Dame is my dream job being Irish Catholic.
Now- education doesn’t matter and I’m rolling in it baby
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
Indiana just won it all with a bunch of 3 stars, Prioritizing team and experience.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
(In response to this post by kinghokie)
4mo
They get a huge amount from the B10 and they have not had any problems with corporate sponsorships, donations and uber wealthy donors.
Their spending started 10 years ago
(In response to this post by soflahokie)
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NOFX
4mo
Did they have a lot of high school rated 3-stars? Sure. But they were able to keep their own good ones and acquire other 3-stars that had already proven they could play in college elsewhere. Hell, we lost a "3-star" to LSU who is about to be a top 10 pick. With more NIL, we could've kept him. I think Sundays in 3-5 years will prove this Indiana team was a lot more talented than they're being made out to be.
(In response to this post by kinghokie)
4mo
They did it with superior coaching.
(In response to this post by NOFX)
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NOFX
4mo
At least in other no-salary-cap leagues, we can see who is spending what. In CFB we have no idea. For all we know, their payroll could have been twice that of Ohio State's last year. It's frustrating not knowing
(In response to this post by reestuart)
4mo
I would find it extremely hard to believe they're outspending everyone else. They are likely on par, but where they set themselves apart is coaching, player evaluations, and development. Plenty of other schools could have had Mendoza. He wanted to go to Miami. Surratt was a zero star, and then went to JMU. Nobody wanted him.
** Edited by reestuart at 3/9/2026, 12:27:32 PM
(In response to this post by NOFX)
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NOFX
4mo
Mendoza was a 4-star QB in the portal and the 2nd rated QB in that class - he had plenty of options. Indiana had to pay well to get him. Sarratt was a 4-star transfer as well.
(In response to this post by reestuart)
4mo
Fact of the matter is any team IU beat in the CFP had a shot at these guys.
Sarratt's best opportunity was JMU, and then he followed Cignetti to IU. If he was a 4*, then it was because of his development at JMU.
(In response to this post by NOFX)
E
EDGEMAN
4mo
He values proven experience.
He's probably the best college coach at "money ball" recruiting
(In response to this post by NOFX)
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NOFX
4mo
They can spend with anyone
(In response to this post by EDGEMAN)
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EDGEMAN
4mo
Guarantee they are still looking at player performance. The additional money allows them to buy players who are playing against a higher level of competition than last year. You can also bet that money is no object when it comes to their QBs.
(In response to this post by NOFX)
4mo
They have some really great top end donors and with their B10 money, they started this process 10 years ago with major upgrades to the football infrastructure and increasing coaching salary pools and support staff positions.
(In response to this post by EDGEMAN)
4mo
on there is far from a fluke. Seeing them invest in Cignetti also tells us they are in it for the long haul.
(In response to this post by AirborneHokie96)
4mo
They sunk a lot of cash into facilities when Allen was there and then increased the salaries and grew support staff there to major P2 football school levels.
Thanks to the B10 money, IU and their alumni pay for infrastructure with cash and move on to the next project. All of their sports teams have corporate sponsors and stadiums have naming rights sold. A lot of Indianapolis car groups have naming rights to athletic facilities on campus.
(In response to this post by reestuart)
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lazarus1
4mo
Mark Cuban, an IU alumnus; so they have all the money they need.
(In response to this post by EDGEMAN)
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NOFX
4mo
they've had top 25 portal classes too. No, they're not 2001 Miami or 2019 LSU, but they're not the Polk High Panthers either. They have the full backing of a guy worth $6 billion
(In response to this post by EDGEMAN)
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NOFX
4mo
Would sure be nice to have a Mark Cuban or a Cody Campbell. Maybe start sending donations to the CS dept instead of athletics dept. We need a tech billionaire who cares about sports
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
We just have to set the right expectations.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
teams. Wouldn't it be great if your football team was comprised of actual college students that went to class just like everyone else? I don't know, I guess I am being ridiculous, just grasping at straws...
(In response to this post by VT ChemE 1986)
4mo
If fans stop donating/attending/watching, I believe things will change quickly. The problem is that the majority of fans are still going along with the nonsense so far. I think that will change over time, but for now, the money is still flowing in. If we close our checkbooks, stop buying tickets, and turn off the TV, we can have an impact on the future of the sport. Unfortunately, I don't expect that will happen until after it's too late, and I fear the eventual collapse might jeopardize the very existence of some universities who have "over-leveraged" themselves in a desperate effort to stay competitive.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
has not really been about college students since then 1950’s. I think we had all been lulled into a sense of propriety that did really exist. That said, I like what Franklin is doing. He is not focusing on money. He seems to be trying to do it the right way.
My guess is that the vast majority of schools migrate back to the mean eventually. All these schools throwing money at championships only to constantly fall short will eventually run out of steam.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)
4mo
buyout then turned around and paid Kiffen, and that shouldn't happen, but the money is there - and a lot more.
(In response to this post by VT ChemE 1986)
4mo
I would guess that no more than 10 schools around the country have alumni that are willing to write blank checks year after year.
(In response to this post by Coach McGuirk)