On a sunny afternoon in Westwood, California, Jim Mora and Myles Jack strolled through UCLA’s campus. Mora, UCLA’s head football coach, and Jack, a star linebacker, traversed the hills of Westwood and walked through the bookstore before getting a bite to eat.

At least, that was the plan.

“Myles and I walked through the bookstore, and his #30 jersey was on sale for $90 bucks,” Mora recalled. “Then we went upstairs to Taco Bell, and he didn't have enough money to buy a bean and cheese burrito.”

Despite Jack’s numerous accomplishments on the field, he struggled to make ends meet off the field. Jack, a future second-round pick in the NFL draft, regularly sent scholarship money home to help his single mother pay rent.

UConn Football Coach Jim Mora and The UConn Husky meet for the first time at a UConn Women's Basketball game in November of 2021. (Photo courtesy of Jim Mora)

While UCLA and the NCAA made millions of dollars off his hard work, Jack couldn’t afford to feed himself, and he wasn’t alone. Thousands of other college football players on scholarship sacrificed to help their families while institutions profited.

Yet the fact that Jack even had to sacrifice to conform to NCAA regulations was unfortunate.

Mora, now the UConn Huskies football head coach, remembered another questionable experience in 2015 when he recruited 4-star offensive lineman Fred Ulu-Perry to UCLA.

Ulu-Perry was from Honolulu, Hawai’i, and took a leap of faith by leaving his family and culture behind to pursue his passion, but he quickly discovered he was unhappy. Ulu-Perry asked Mora to transfer back home to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, but the process wasn’t so simple.

Mora could deny the transfer for whatever reason he wanted, and if Mora accepted the transfer, Ulu-Perry would still have to sit out for an entire year at Hawaiʻi.

“He [Ulu-Perry] was homesick… UCLA opened against Hawaii the next year, and I thought, I'm not going to let him go to Hawaii,” Mora pondered. “But that’s not the right way to treat an 18 or 19-year-old kid.”

Mora approved Ulu-Perry’s transfer request, but the process was abrasive for Ulu-Perry for seemingly no real reason.

These two anecdotes paint a picture of what the state of college sports used to be — institutions milked student-athletes for as much money as possible despite limited compensation and autonomy.

However, the NCAA finally hit its breaking point after the hypocrisy of the billion-dollar college sports industry became impossible to ignore, and over the past two and a half years, the power structure and landscape of college sports have dramatically changed.

Modern-Day Free Agency

The first domino to fall in the college sports revolution was the creation of the transfer portal in the fall of 2018. The portal aimed to create an online database that managed and facilitated transferring transparently.

The process was simple — the student-athlete informed their school of their desire to transfer, both parties filled out some paperwork, the school entered the athlete’s name into the database and other coaches could reach out to gauge interest in checking out the new school.

During the 2018-2019 transfer cycle, 4,076 NCAA football players entered the portal, according to ESPN Stats & Information, but student-athletes still had to sit out an entire year.

Then, in 2021, the NCAA adopted new regulations allowing student-athletes in Division I football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s ice hockey and baseball to transfer without sitting out a year, and ever since, the transfer portal has exploded.

Last year, 8,699 NCAA football players entered the portal, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

USC football transfer Jamil Muhammad was relieved to see the NCAA amend the rule.

Muhammad grew up in Madison, Alabama, in an uber-competitive environment surrounded by his older brothers who played sports. He was named an all-region quarterback at James Clemens High School and was a highly touted prospect.

In December 2018, Muhammad signed his letter of intent with Vanderbilt University and enrolled early the following year; however, much like Ulu-Perry at UCLA, he quickly realized he made the wrong decision.

“Things just were not what I expected at all. I guess I just misread a sign,” Muhammad said. “I think I moved too fast on that decision, and that was a decision I had to live with.”

Yet his decision to attend Vanderbilt was a learning experience — one that guided him to enroll at Georgia State late in 2019.

USC linebacker Jamil Muhammad poses alongside USC Cheerleader alum Nicole Steen after the USC Homecoming football game in November. (Photo courtesy of Jamil Muhammad)

Jamil Muhammad flexes with the Camellia Bowl Trophy after Georgia State defeated Ball State 51-20 in December, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Jamil Muhammad)

Muhammad played three years at Georgia State, even switching positions from quarterback to outside linebacker after COVID. He led the Panthers to a bowl game victory over Ball State in 2021 and was named captain at the beginning of the 2022 season.

This past December, Muhammad decided to transfer for more opportunities on a bigger stage, and once his name was in the system and GSU made his request official, his phone didn’t stop ringing.

“There were days where I had three meetings a day back-to-back-to-back. One day, I think I had four meetings. It was just, it gets crazy.” Muhammad said.

Despite the stress of the transfer process, Muhammad was able to improve his situation through the transfer portal without being penalized for it — exactly what the NCAA set out to accomplish when they revised their regulations.

Jamel Williams played football for USC in 2005 alongside Reggie Busch and Matt Leinart and sympathized with Muhammad’s experience at Vanderbilt. Williams now works in law enforcement and is happy to see student-athletes finally have the opportunity to control their destiny.

Jamel Williams and USC Football Coach Pete Caroll celebrate in the locker room after winning the 2006 Rose Bowl. (Photo courtesy of Jerry Williams)

“Who are we to say student-athletes don't have the right to switch schools to get the best opportunity to accomplish their dream,” Williams said. “If your dream is to go to the NFL, you have to touch the field and put yourself in the best position to do that.”

The revamped transfer portal has also impacted coaching and recruiting. When Mora coached at UCLA, the portal didn’t exist, but now, he’s used it at UConn to revitalize the football program.

UConn had a 1-11 record before Mora took over in 2021. With Mora at the helm this past season, the Huskies improved to 6-7 and made a bowl game appearance. He credits the transfer portal as one reason for the transformation.

“You can quickly revamp a program because you have access to a pool of players that you didn't have access to in the past,” Mora said. “You can identify areas of need on your football team and get established, experienced players that can come and play right away and help you improve.”

The Spirit Rock on UConn campus supports Jim "Him" Mora before a key home game against UMass in October 2022. (Photo courtesy of Jim Mora)

This past year alone, Mora and UConn Football welcomed 12 transfers to the program.

Mora sees the parallels between NFL free agency and the transfer portal, saying, “NFL franchises want to build through the draft and supplement through free agency. So in building a college program, you want to build through recruiting and supplement through the portal.”

Like Mora at UConn, Lincoln Riley and Deion Sanders have revolutionized their football programs at USC and Colorado through the portal.

The season before hiring Riley, USC had a 4-8 record. In Riley’s first season, USC had an 11-3 record, topped the AP Poll at No. 4, competed for a Pac-12 Championship and made a bowl game. Furthermore, the Buffaloes were 1-11 last year before hiring coach Prime. This season, they were ranked No. 18 after week two, the second-highest ranking for CU in 20 years.

While much of the credit goes to Riley and Sanders and their superb coaching philosophy, the success of both schools largely goes to the 20 transfers that came with Riley in 2022 and the 51 that came with Sanders in 2023.

Zack Saros announces his committment to play football at Pacific University in 2017. (Photo courtesy of Zack Saros)

The transfer portal has also increased the talent at smaller Division III schools. Zack Saros attended Pacific University and kicked for the football team.

After the NCAA amended the transfer rules in 2021, a player from the University of Oregon transferred to Pacific.

“He was on the practice squad at Oregon, and he never played,” Saros recalled. “Then he got brought over to us, and it opened a new world for our offense.“

Similarly, Mora has seen improvement at the quarterback position nationwide.

“Only one quarterback plays at a time, and yet some rosters are stacked with great quarterbacks,” Mora said. “So the pool of really good QBs are getting opportunities to showcase their talents instead of sitting behind another great player for three years.”

Muhammad agreed with Mora about the level of talent increasing, saying, “People are transferring and coming out of nowhere like diamonds in the rough,” Muhammad mentioned. “You can have a lot of value, but if you're in the wrong place, it won't show like it’s supposed to.”

Yet, despite its tremendous impact, the transfer portal wasn’t the biggest game-changer to shake up college sports.

Here Comes the $$$

On July 1st, 2021, the NCAA adopted a new policy that answered the decade-old question regarding the payment of college athletes.

The introduction of NIL — name, image and likeness — opened the floodgates for student-athletes to earn compensation outside of scholarships. According to Yahoo Finance, college athletes earned an estimated $917 million in just the first year of NIL.

Jamel Williams was especially thankful to see NIL implemented after reflecting on the glory days of USC Football.

Jamel Williams (left) and brother Jerry Williams (right) celebrate after winning the 2006 Rose Bowl for USC. (Photo courtesy of Jamel Williams)

“It was almost like we were rockstars,” Williams said, “...and when you think about it, for guys like Bush and Leinart to not be able to capitalize on their name was ridiculous considering how much money the school made off them.”

Williams also stressed the necessity of compensation for the physical toll of playing football.

“The free education doesn't really equate to the damage done to your body,” Williams described. “I know a lot of big-time players that got hurt to the point where they couldn't play in the NFL, so for some of these players, this is going to be the only opportunity to make some big money.”

In the nearly 2-years since NIL became official, athletic departments and universities nationwide began a NIL-arms race by forming collectives, or groups of fans and boosters who pool together money to create sponsorships and partnerships for student-athletes.

According to the ON3NIL database, nearly 250 collectives have formed nationwide, and each university maintains full responsibility for them all.

USC has three active collectives: House of Victory, The TOMMY Group and Conquest Collective.

House of Victory is a nonprofit, alumni-led and board-operated collective that services all Trojan athletes. The collective has already signed NIL deals with Caleb Williams, Justin Dedich and Calen Bullock, among other Trojan athletes.

TOMMY Group launched with backing from former USC football players Alex Holmes and Keyshawn Johnson. TOMMY Group has support from LA hospitality and lifestyle company h.wood Group and investment company Ten Oaks Group.

Finally, Conquest Collective provides high-quality mentorship opportunities, financial literacy training, and educational programs and platforms for all current Trojan student-athletes.

Collectives are primarily formed to educate, represent and guide student-athletes through the confusing world of NIL because, after all, the NCAA still uses the same interim policy it adopted in 2021.

Trae Smith was a walk-on for UCLA under coach Mora and graduated in 2018 before NIL existed. Smith proceeded to get his MBA from Pepperdine and started PowerHaus Agency in 2022. PowerHaus has signed multiple professional athletes, but mainly works as a NIL agency that creates opportunities for signed student-athletes.

“Student-athletes need money in college,” Smith reflected on his experience at UCLA. “So this year, we're trying to shift the NIL model to product-for-post and compensation.”

Trae Smith (left) poses with USC QB Caleb Williams (right) at a USC NIL House Of Victory event this year. (Photo courtesy of PowerHaus Agency)

The NIL resources present at USC were the icing on the cake for Muhammad during the transfer process, and he appreciates the compensation for his hard work.

“They [USC] push us hard and put us through some crazy workouts,” Muhammad mentioned. “But they take care of us on the back end.”

Furthermore, Muhammad relishes that he can use NIL to help others — something Myles Jack could never have done ten years ago.

As a coach, Mora is grateful that student-athletes can make money for themselves after years of exploitation, especially because many come from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.

Yet, there is far more than meets the eye about the impact of NIL and the transfer portal.

The Wild Wild West

While the transfer portal has undoubtedly created more opportunities for student-athletes, it has fostered a culture of entitlement and running from adversity.

Although Mora has seen an uptick in talent and recognized the ability of players to improve their situation, the portal is robbing young adults of growth beyond the field.

“We improve as people when we go through adversity,” Mora reflected. “So transferring can be negative if their motivation is, I'm not getting my chance here, the coaches don't like me, or school is too hard. Those things happen.”

Smith agrees with his former coach, saying how “the transfer portal has made it easy to have a quitter philosophy.”

Furthermore, the portal has drastically increased the stress and anxiety student-athletes feel while at school — like their spot could be taken at any moment, according to Zach Saros.

Zack Saros (left) smiles with teammates Ian Morford, Braeden Laughlin, and Dillon Savage after Pacific University's season finale in November 2018. (Photo courtesy of Zack Saros)

During his time at Pacific University, Saros said there was always talk of bringing in new kickers through recruitment or the transfer portal. That constant dialogue was mentally taxing for Saros, and he couldn’t imagine what that experience was like at massive Division I schools.

“It was terrifying,” Saros recalled. “Mentally, I don't think I've ever been so stressed out about football.”

That stress extends to the coaches as well. Mora gambles every time he accepts a new transfer because he can’t judge their character or meet their community like he can a normal recruit.

“You can see what type of player he is on film, but you can't see the type of practice player he is, the type of teammate he is, how he is in the locker room, or the type of person he is,” Mora said. “You don't have a real opportunity to evaluate those things.”

On top of that, Mora reinforced the potential risk he takes when bringing someone completely new into a program he has worked hard to transform.

“You’re taking some real chances when you bring some of these guys in because they may be just the opposite of what you want in developing your program,” Mora warned. “And that can be scary because you can instantly shatter your team's cohesiveness, culture and chemistry if you pick the wrong guy.”

UConn Football Coach Jim Mora celebrates UConn QB Cale Millen after Senior Night in November. (Photo courtesy of Cale Millen)

One negative aspect of the transfer portal that has gone largely unnoticed, coaches can pull scholarships immediately after players enter the portal. Of those players who do enter, not all receive opportunities.

“The percentages of players that are entering the portal and then not getting another opportunity are staggering. Staggering. And we're not just talking about an opportunity to play football, we're talking about an opportunity to get an education.” Mora said.

According to CBS Sports, of the 1,582 scholarship FBS players that entered the portal during the 2021 calendar year, only 60% transferred and received a scholarship at their new school. That means the other 40% either transferred without an athletic scholarship or did not enroll at another institution for athletic purposes.

In other words, over 600 football players might’ve lost their scholarships and education.

The NCAA also has to figure out how to track the graduation success rate and academic progress rate of all the transfers. Mora even lost a bonus in his contract due to the graduation success rate at UConn dropping due to transfers leaving the school.

But the issues with the portal are just the tip of the iceberg. Since 2021, the NCAA has lost total control of NIL, causing it to weaponize the transfer portal due to confusing and insufficient regulations.

Even Mora, a head coach at a major program, is confused by the ever-evolving rules surrounding NIL.

“I don't think anyone can sit down and tell you what the rules are with complete certainty. And I don't think the NCAA knows what the rules are,” Mora stated.

The rules are so uncertain that even Congress has gotten involved to discuss potential legislation.

USC transfer Jamil Muhammad feels that USC does a good job educating players on NIL but doesn’t concern himself with rules and regulations. He’s here to play football, and when he does pursue his own NIL opportunities, his agent handles it.

“I don't focus on the rules and agendas,” Muhammad said. “I think that's the role of the university, and I trust the people here at USC.”

His strategy for tackling the world of NIL — “to learn on the fly” — is what every player, coach, and school is doing alongside the NCAA.

Long-time entertainment executive and sports agent Casey Wasserman is the Chairperson of the Wasserman Media Group. He cannot believe what has happened with NIL.

“NIL is a system that has no transparency and no rules,” Wasserman described. “What did the NCAA think they were going to get?”

But Wasserman's problems with NIL extend far beyond its rules and regulations.

“NIL is not better than nothing and is not solving the problem, and until anybody wants to be honest about it, you can’t fix the problem. NIL is legalized cheating, period,” Wasserman said.

Mora agrees with Wasserman, mentioning how all the NCAA did was essentially legalize what cheating used to be.

Wasserman brought up former Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler as an example. Rattler was a highly recruited prospect with the potential to be a 1st overall pick. He received over $3 million in NIL deals at Oklahoma despite being benched after four games, and he ultimately transferred.

“He [Rattler] got $3 million for doing nothing. That's legalized cheating,” Wasserman proclaimed. “That didn't solve the problem for any other student-athlete at the University of Oklahoma.”

Wasserman’s main point — NIL is completely missing the mark.

“No one cares about what happens when these athletes graduate, so we're missing the point,” he said. “NIL is supposed to create an underpinning that supports all athletes and creates better opportunities, which we're not doing today.”

Schools and Universities around the country are acting selfishly by “buying players” with NIL opportunities, and many, including Wasserman, Mora and Saros, are worried about the future.

“They [NCAA] have created an arms race that is beyond anyone's imagination. What they're doing now is not sustainable." Wasserman said.

"The system is about to go off a cliff,” Wasserman added.

“The NIL train was moving way too fast for the NCAA to keep up, and I don't think that we're doing our youth any service when we're just giving them money,“ Mora said.

“NIL is taking away from actual football. It’s shifting the focus away from passion to clout, money and all that crap,” Saros described. “NIL is noticeably on a rampage and is taking advantage of these kids, especially those who didn’t grow up very fortunate.”

The gap between the haves and have-nots of college sports is widening — far from the original purpose of NIL. Larger schools and agencies dominate the market, and the lack of regulation and clarity is problematic.

What Comes Next

Going forward, almost all parties want increased transparency with rules and regulations — the only one who doesn’t is Trae Smith.

PowerHaus CEO Trae Smith attends at the Dallas Cowboys training camp in August looking for new talent. (Photo courtesy of Trae Smith)

“I really don't want to see any regulations, to be honest,” Smith said. I like the range of freedom and flexibility that we've got.”

The only change Smith would like to see is more control over the bribery of student-athletes, something Wasserman, Mora and Saros can all agree on.

Wasserman offered his advice, suggesting that student-athletes should get retention bonuses, guaranteed scholarships and healthcare.

“Let student-athletes monetize their NIL and let them not get the money until they graduate school or let them get the benefit of some of their name and likeness rights or get the money when they graduate.“

Wasserman hopes the NCAA can create a system that better monetizes the reach of student-athletes but warned of the harsh reality of the future if nothing changes.

“The NCAA opened Pandora's box, and it didn't solve the problem,” Wasserman cautioned. “One day, college football will wake up and say they don’t want to be a part of the NCAA because they generate 95% of the revenue, and if they leave, the entire system disappears.”

UConn Football Coach Jim Mora congratulates Long Snapper Tommy Zozus at the UConn Football Award Ceremony in December 2022. (Photo courtesy of Jim Mora)

Mora has similar thoughts and wants the NCAA to regulate NIL better. He fully favors compensation for student-athletes as long as it’s executed correctly.

“The NCAA has to further define exactly what the parameters are regarding NIL, and then they have to enforce them,” Mora said. “NIL combined with the transfer portal can be a real positive, but once again, can be dangerous.”

Despite everything that has changed in college sports over the past decade, Mora is ironically still struggling with similar issues he experienced at UCLA.

“One of my players is a transfer from Louisville and is a really good kid. His family has no money, and his girlfriend is pregnant,” Mora recounted. “He flew home to visit his family and girlfriend but has no money to fly back to Connecticut. So I'm trying to figure out how to get him back, but I can't get I can't give him money because that's illegal.”

Mora wishes that the NCAA might solve problems like this one day while resolving the chaos, but expectations are low.

If history tells us anything, the NCAA will continue to take one step forward and two steps back — at least this time, student-athletes can finally make some money along the way.