Page 18 - UMLawyerMag_2023

“The remarkable support of Rebel Nation has produced tremendous momentum in NIL,” said Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter. “We will continue to equip Coach Kiffin with these and the other resources necessary to compete and win at the highest level and build on the accomplishments of the last three seasons.” And in a post-NIL world, the NIL funds available can fundamentally impact recruitment of both players and coaches. “NIL has a lot to do with where players go,” said Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin in a press conference. “And to not think that is crazy. It literally would be like being a head coach in the NFL, signing a great free agency class, going out and getting these great players, and coming up here and saying the contracts had nothing to do with why the players came here; they just wanted to play for me. So obviously it has a lot to do with where players go and it should. You’re talking about 17, 18-year-old kids. Adults choose jobs a lot of times for money, for salary, so why would a kid not?” The transfer portal has a lot to do with that. Just three months before NIL took effect, the NCAA amended its rules, now allowing athletes to transfer to another college without sitting out for a season and losing a year of eligibility. Dubbed as “The Portal King,” for bringing 24 players to Ole Miss through the transfer portal for 17