As the line between college sports and the professional ranks grows blurrier, a prominent figure in the collegiate ranks decided to give it to us straight. Rece Davis, the host of "College GameDay" and perhaps the voice of college football, sounded off on the idea of NFL players returning to college teams, as shown in video shared by Chris Gordy of "Locked On SEC." As Davis pointed out, the idea of keeping college sports and professional sports is a notion of the past. After all, modern college players are making six and seven figures — "more money than they do on the practice squad" in the NFL.
"They're professionals," he said. "They may be great students. But they're not being paid for their expertise in differential equations.
They're being paid because they can throw, catch, move people or penetrate the A gap." Once you acknowledge that truth, Davis explained, you find that some of the pushback against this ongoing saga is emotional, but not rational. "I came to this conclusion because of this: I don't really like the idea of guys coming back from NFL training camps and playing [college football]. But when I step back and go, 'Why do you not like it?,' that's a little bit harder thing to put a pin on. 'Exactly why are you against it?' It comes down to, 'It doesn't feel like we always thought it would feel.'" Instead of arguing over feelings, Davis suggested that real roster limits and regulations for colleges be put in place, essentially codifying the rules so that "we don't wind up in court" repeatedly over these issues.
"I think the most honest path forward is to find a way to negotiate and come to a conclusion on roster stipulations, roster parameters and enforceable contracts and all of these things," he said. He suggested perhaps a model like minor league baseball, where a certain number of roster spots are held for rookies and others can be players who have at times played MLB games. Davis didn't specify the particulars, including whether collective bargaining is the answer or if the NCAA or another authority should step in and take charge.
But in any case, the facts are what they are, he said. "Whether we want to pretend it's not or whether we accept it, it's a professional enterprise with professional athletes," he said.
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