Opening statement

The last time we met, you asked about the state of college football and issues. In thinking about that, and having the opportunity to write down my thoughts with clarity, I will take this time to share those with you. These are my views, opinions, as I see college football, college sports, take shape since my days as a student-athlete and now as a current coach. I want to take this opportunity to speak about the big picture. Much bigger than any one game, bigger than any game this season. The issues I see affecting college athletics, college football and more specifically, student-athletes. The talent. The big one. I want to mention, first started mentioning back in 2020 and then again in 2022 at Big Ten Media Days.

I continue to advocate for that today, a system of revenue sharing with the student-athletes. I'm aware and understand, that when someone speaks out in defense of those without a voice, attempts are made to diminish the individual's character and credibility. As a former player and current coach, mentoring many of these student-athletes, what I want to do is be a voice for the student-athletes. I want them to be treated with the respect and the dignity that they deserve. What I don't understand is how the NCAA, the television networks, conferences, universities and coaches can continue to pull in millions, in some cases, billions of dollars of revenue off the efforts of college student-athletes across the country. Without providing enough opportunity to share in the ever-increasing revenues. When student-athletes call it a game, corporate types call it a business. When the student-athletes call it a business, the corporate types call it a game. I am aware that Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said, and I quote, 'I think the decision-making lost its way in terms of the focus on the student-athlete and what is primarily best for them but we are where we are. We have to try and make it work.' And we do, we have to try and make it work. We have to try and make it better and right now.

Current status quo is unacceptable and won't survive. My opinion, we capitalize on the talent, we should pay the talent for their contributions to the bottom line. The game of football has evolved since it's inception and dramatically started to change in the 1970s when, at that time, one game a week was televised. Today, every game during the 12-week regular season is broadcast. In the major conferences, every game is nationally televised in millions of households and sold-out stadiums every Saturday. Why wouldn't we let student-athletes share in the success of their sport? We all should be about diversity, equity and inclusion. I'm calling for a system that is fair, equitable and benefits all involved. Don't exclude student-athletes from the profits.

My opinion, you can't you're about diversity, equity and inclusion if you aren't willing to put the student-athletes in revenue sharing. It's a short-sided view of history to presume a system of revenue sharing will topple the current structure. Look at some of the companies that have implemented revenue sharing. Amazon, UPS, US Steel to name a few. I watched the movie Air, Deloris Jordan wouldn't let her son Michael Jordan sign an endorsement deal without Nike sharing its revenue. I think we can all agree that it worked out pretty well for Nike.

As an NFL player, I was part of the change in the NFL free agency rules and profit-sharing at the time. I lived it. I benefitted from it. So did thousands and thousands of players that followed. I think we can all agree that the organizations in the NFL, as a league and a corporate entity, have benefitted as well.

I'm not saying I have all the answers. What I am hoping to accomplish today is sparking constructive conversation and timely action between the NCAA, the conferences, coaches, and universities. Certainly, a group representing the student-athletes. As well as experts and legal minds who specialize in revenue sharing. Thank you for allowing me to share that with you.

On whether he's looking for something beyond NIL and that it's not sufficient

Correct. Not enough ways. More. More for the student-athletes. As I said, a system that is fair that treats the student-athletes with the respect and dignity they deserve.

On whether he has a suggestion for framework to make profit sharing happen

People gotta get in a room. It's got to be the NCAA, the universities, who is the voice for the student-athletes. I encourage other coaches to help be that voice. I don't know exactly how that sausage is going to get made but the current system, the status quo, we can't keep kicking this can down the road. It's gotta change. It's gotta happen timely, now.

On whether he thinks players can be employees of universities and what is preventing Michigan from sharing the Big Ten money

As I said, I don't have all the answers. Experts, legal minds, there's legal minds that have to be thinking about that. Those that are the most expert legal minds and the all involved need to figure those issues out.

On how many conversations he's had about it with Warde Manuel

All those conversations are privileged. As I said at the beginning, these are my thoughts. These are my opinions. These are not the opinions of anybody else or the university other than my own.

On what he believes is the most wrong about the current climate

For the student-athletes across the country, not just my team, not just our sport but student-athletes at every sport, across the country, the talent to share in the ever-expanding revenues of college athletics.

On what is his fear if things do not change

I don't know. Now is the time to address it. It's overdue, it's overdue.

On whether he's talked to players about his thoughts or have heard from parents on the recruiting trail

I really haven't shared this with anybody. Again, my views, my opinions, from what I've seen and experienced from my days as a student-athlete. Through playing professionally and coaching, both professionally and in college.

On whether he thinks the change will happen

Those groups have to get together. Say that again. That's the plan. The plan, you ask me what I think the plan was, experts, legal minds, NCAA, university, there certainly has to be—the student-athletes have to be represented and have a voice. I want to help be that voice for those that don't have a voice right now.

On how has a lack of revenue sharing impacted his players

I think you see the same thing going on with the screenwriters right now. The talent, who do we all go to watch? Who do we all go to see? Those efforts of those individuals that are playing that are the talent. They need to share in the profits.

On whether he could envision a strike of some sort happening down the road

I don't think this current system is going to survive. The status quo is unacceptable. That is my opinion. Going into anything else would be speculation.

On whether his experiences with the NCAA have any correlation with the status quo

It's something that I've long talked about. Didn't wake up this morning and decide to share this. This goes back to 2020, 2022 as you know.

On whether the spark behind this is due to conference expansion

It's the elephant in the room. It needs to be talked about constructively and action needs to be taken.

On why it needs to be talked about now

I did talk about it last year. During the Big Ten Media Days in 2022, also talked about it in May of 2020. Now. Before the season starts. Not day three, not day four. I believe action needs to be taken now.

On how he plans on watching the team during the first three games of the season

I haven't decided yet.

On his plan to name the four different coaches

I know how good they are. As I've said, all 10 coaches, I believe, are tremendous and talented. I think it's what's best for our team. Tremendous opportunity for each one of them to have the experience of managing the game. Going to have Jesse come up in a few moments to talk about that and I think you'll be more than satisfied. Well-documented how good our coaches are, for that reason. Also, why one each game? Because I know each time a coach is the head coach. I know that their preparation is going to be the fullest at the max and that is going to be the best thing for our football team. When you're the head coach during the game, you're the guardian of victory, that's a tremendous responsibility and you understand complimentary football. It's not just defense, it's not just offense, it's not just special teams, it's the whole team. They're all going to be great at it. I think it's the best thing for our team.

On what he thinks Jack Harbaugh can bring to the team

(His role) is not new, this is a continued role for my dad ever since I got here. He came in 2016 and moved in right next door. He watches every play, every practice, he's one of the coaches in the building, probably the most that I go to. Dad, what do you think about this? Well, I don't know. Here's what we did, here's what we did here and here. I don't know if that's the right thing for you and I go, that's the perfect idea. You just saved me three hours and a migraine headache of trying to figure this out by what you just said. I just go ahead and implement it. I've been doing that my whole life. My dad, that's my best friend. I do what he tells me to do, when he tells me to do it, how he tells me to do it and things just keep working out well for me. Just keep rolling with that.

On the first reps at offensive tackle and the corners as well as EDGES

We're still sorting that out. Pretty close.

On how difficult it will be to watch someone else lead his team

I don't yet. I really don't know yet. There's a chance my son Jack's team is going to be playing at the same time, I don't know if I'll be—if he's playing, I'll go watch that game. I don't know if I'll watch it on TV if I won't be able to watch it. I can't predict what it's going to be at the time. It's uncharted waters for me. As a college player, I had my arm broken, missed six games I think it was. As a pro player, I don't think I ever missed three in a row and I had all kinds of injuries. Had an MCL that put a brace on played. Had a shoulder separation that might've been two games, might've been three. It would've been more though. I've heard people comment that it's a slap on the wrist, it's more like a baseball bat to the kneecaps or to the shoulder. I equate everything to football. I've never missed three games unless it was for a broken arm or dislocated shoulder.

On whether he's elevating an analyst in Sherrone Moore's absence

That's what I've been told, we'll be able to elevate an analyst for his role, not for mine. I wouldn't be able to be replaced for any of the three games with another person. Coach (Nick) Gilbert is someone I will most likely elevate to that position.

On who will be calling plays in the first game

Kirk Campbell. I'm very confident in Kirk's ability. He's been preparing. You talk about being dialed in for a game, he's as dialed in as well as anybody I've ever seen.

On whether he expects Jesse Minter to call plays defensively

I anticipate Jesse will.

On how the suspension was conveyed to him by Warde Manuel and how he would describe his relationship with him

Not one to go into how it was conveyed. It was conveyed and I respect his decision.

On how he took the fact that they self-imposed a suspension

You know I'm completely muzzled when it comes to that.

On his feelings going forward

I'm an analogy guy, you know. It feels much closer to that than a slap on the wrist. I don't really know what it's going to be like. Day-to-day, I've been coaching the team. I'll continue to coach the team. Some people call up and ask my wife what are we doing for the three week vacation that we're about to take, she has the same reaction. There isn't one. I'm coaching every single day. It won't be this Saturday, the following Saturday and the following Saturday, I won't be able to be on the premises or at the game. How am I going to react to that, how am I going to feel at that point? I don't know yet.

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