Colorado State football coach Jay Norvell is displeased with the efforts of other teams to persuade some of his top players to enter the transfer portal after the end of the 2023 season.
During the Mountain West Media Days in Las Vegas, Norvell accused three teams of tampering, including Kansas State, for reaching out and offering a substantial amount of money to either quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi or wide receiver Tory Horton in exchange for them transferring to the Wildcats.
Norvell mentioned that Texas A&M and Mississippi also made similar attempts to entice the players to leave.
This practice of enticing players to switch teams is common in college sports, but it is against NCAA rules for coaching staff to directly recruit a player. Teams often use third parties to express interest in players not in the transfer portal.
Most of these conversations are usually kept private, but Norvell’s accusations have brought attention to the issue.
It is unclear which player the offers were directed towards, but based on Norvell’s statements, it seems likely that Fowler-Nicolosi was the target. However, it raises questions about the logic behind such offers, especially considering the current roster of the Wildcats.
K-State eventually added transfer Ta’Quan Roberson as QB2 on a presumably lower NIL deal, indicating a more strategic approach to recruitment.
While the specific details remain unknown, the escalating trend of NIL deals in college sports suggests that high offers like $600,000 for players could be a reality in the future.
Ultimately, Norvell’s bold accusations shed light on the complex landscape of player recruitment in college football.
