After an 8-5 season and a ReliaQuest Bowl victory in Sherrone Moore’s first year as head coach, the Michigan Wolverines will be looking to build on that in 2025 and beyond.
However, under new NCAA settlement rules, Sherrone Moore and Michigan face a costly $20 million dilemma. The settlement has changed the landscape of college football and provided athletes with the most benefits, but how does this pose a problem to the team from Ann Arbor?
Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines Will Have Decisions To Make
The new rules provide new provisions and benefits for college athletes. The players are now eligible for mental health coverage, life enhancement skills, medical coverage, and other benefits. They are now also entitled to earn through their name, image and likeness deals.
But the major change brought by the settlement rule is that these players now have access to athletic revenue. Currently. schools will have to allocate 22% of the average revenue generated by “Power 4” conferences. For a “Power 4” team like Michigan, this estimates to be approximately $20 million.
This is where the dilemma lies for Sherrone Moore and his team. According to reports, the program gave five-star QB prospect Bryce Underwood a $12 million NIL deal over four years to commit to the program. How does this pose a problem, you ask? Well, this is going to affect the distribution of funds among other elite recruits the Wolverines bring in like Shamari Earls and Andrew Babalola.
During a live stream on Friday, David Pollack and Brett Rollins talked about the implications of the settlement rules on Moore’s team.
“They spent over 12 million dollars to get him (Bryce Underwood), which is crazy,” Pollack said. “But it’s also something that will never happen again. Because as of July 1st, you’ll have a $20 million dollar cap. So you’ll have a budget, actually, you have to operate under, which will be interesting.”
What Could Be the Potential Aftermath for Moore and His Team?
The biggest drawback that could happen for the Wolverines for providing Underwood with an expensive deal is a potential mass exodus. If they target elite players, they would also want a slice of the pie.
If the program fails to provide them with the expected amount, they could potentially move ahead and agree to more lucrative deals from other schools. We’ve already seen a few examples like Matthew Sluka’s case from UNLV and the controversy surrounding Jaden Rashada and the Florida Gators.
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Having a potential fallout in the locker room would be a big issue for Michigan. This will also have an impact on them potentially preparing for another national championship in the future.
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