Darien Rencher, Clemson's running back, says that Dabo Swinney is excited by the new NIL opportunities. He also believes his players are making the most of them. (0:49).College football is entering a new era where athletes can make a profit from their name and image. Some seven-year-old comments made by Dabo Swinney, a Clemson coach, suggesting that he was opposed to player compensation, have taken on new life.However, Clemson's current players claim that Swinney supports the new NIL legislation.Darien Rencher, tailback, said that he was excited to meet the "Packer and Durham" crew. He can see some things out of context but he is excited to help us make the most of this opportunity. He is providing us with as much information and connections as possible to ensure that we have the best content. Clemson has been set up for success for a long time, and now we're free to be the best Clemson can be.Swinney was asked in 2014 about player compensation. He suggested that he might quit college sports to coach for the NFL if the players were paid.Swinney later retracted those comments and stated that his priority was to make sure any compensation is linked to academics.Swinney refused to comment on Thursday's new NIL rules.Swinney stated that "I love the college model" in 2019, shortly after the NCAA had announced its first working group to study name and image. "I love the education model. That is something I have always appreciated. I believe the game has evolved tremendously and people don't know how to make it more financially viable. A scholarship has incredible value. You can get a better meal, stipends, and even travel funding. There are many positives. There are many positives. However, that doesn't mean you can't improve them. You have to continue to look for better ways. This is the responsibility of the NCAA.Although the NCAA did not authorize a national plan for NIL before this week, several states including South Carolina passed NIL legislation which went into effect on Thursday. Swinney stated last fall that Clemson was ready to embrace the new frontier. The program was also among the first to partner with Opendorse (a third-party marketing firm) to help its athletes maximize their potential.Swinney mentioned NIL and Clemson’s partnership with Opendorse in August as a way of "modernizing the collegiate model."Clemson's football players signed initial NIL contracts on Thursday. Rencher and Justyn Ross, the star receiver, said that the school's support is crucial in achieving success in the new NIL era.Rencher stated that just because you can make money does not mean you will make money. Even for first-rounders, there is money to be made. But you still need to create a marketing plan. This is going to be the most important thing.
