Name, Image and Likeness discussions have been a hot-button issue for those in the University of Michigan circles since its inception, with the hotness arguably turning all the way to a boil this summer with the establishment of collectives that have impacted the way recruiting is being handled in a public setting.

As for what's happening in Ann Arbor, the ideas and opinions of NIL in regard to the Wolverines have been all over the place.

Ultimately, the one prevailing thought has been the same:

The University of Michigan can do more.

The hope is that new U-M president Santa Ono will help spur growth in NIL from the athletic department. A fan of collegiate athletics, Ono has been key in the growth of the Cincinnati football program during his tenure there.

In a sitdown interview with MLive, Ono gave his thoughts on NIL as a whole and how it relates to U-M.

"NIL is something which is in the very early stages," Ono said. "A lot of people are talking about what it's going to look like and what the policies and the procedures will be. As we speak, there are conversations that are going on internally at Michigan.

"Warde Manuel is a first-rate athletic director, as I said in my announcement, so we are obviously having conversations."

Ono went on to discuss Warde Manuel's role in the growth of NIL. Warde will have Ono's full support as the athletic department will focus on how NIL can grow in the short term.

While, of course, doing things within the "Michigan way" standards.

"I think he's becoming very progressive and he's thinking through what the university can do to be supportive of the athletes and also to remain within the values of the University of Michigan, which are very important to me and also the entire Michigan community," Ono said. "He's the perfect person to think this through. He is a Wolverine, he played for Bo. He's really at the cutting edge of thought in terms of NIL. He's done exactly what I want him to do, he's being very thoughtful and judicious. He also understands it's important for us to compete at the highest level. I am going to support Warde."

Ono would also like to see how NIL is handled from a judicial level. Whether bylaws will be passed in Washington D.C. or rules passed on the Big Ten level, there is still plenty of moving parts to the NIL discussion.

"There are a lot of things that are happening outside of Michigan," Ono said. "For example, there are conversations that are happening in the nation's capital that will have an impact on NIL moving forward. There are conversations that are happening within the Big Ten. All of that has to be integrated into the path forward and that's happening as we speak.