The interplay between NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and the NCAA transfer portal has significantly altered the landscape of college football in recent times. Although the NCAA has been cautious in penalizing programs for pushing the boundaries of permissible actions related to NIL, it seems that a shift is imminent. As per a report by Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, the NCAA is preparing to impose Level II sanctions on Florida State, its NIL Collective, a booster linked to the program, and an assistant coach for violations related to NIL-based recruiting.
The focal point of the investigation revolves around a recruiting event in spring 2022, where Florida State’s offensive coordinator, Alex Atkins, is alleged to have transported a prospect and their family to a meeting with a prominent member of Rising Spear, Florida State’s NIL collective. According to Dellenger’s report, the booster urged the prospect to join Florida State and dangled an enticing NIL deal of around $15,000 per month for the prospect’s first year in the program. While the NCAA report doesn’t explicitly identify the recruit, Brendan Sonnone of Noles247 subsequently reported that the individual in question is former Georgia offensive lineman Amarius Mims, who briefly entered the transfer portal on April 10, 2022, before deciding to return to Georgia.
The negotiated resolution between the NCAA and Florida State, outlined in Dellenger’s report, includes substantial sanctions. These sanctions encompass a three-game suspension for Atkins at the start of the 2024 season, coupled with a two-year show cause for the Florida State offensive coordinator. The NCAA confirmed additional penalties on Thursday, arising from their investigation into Florida State. These penalties consist of two years of probation, scholarship reductions of 5% over the next two academic years, a decrease of seven in official recruiting visits for 2023-24, a prohibition on recruiting communication for six weeks over the next two academic years (including Jan. 12-18, 2024), a ban on communication with athletes in the transfer portal from April 15-21, a reduction of 18 evaluation days this spring, and a financial penalty amounting to 1% of the athletic department’s budget.
