The Baylor Bears are very much embracing the new normal in college football.
Baylor coaches were seen wearing T-shirts that read “We Pay Players” during Friday’s practice. The shirts are a reference to something coach Dave Aranda openly said during Big 12 Media Days.
WE PAY PLAYERS#SicEm pic.twitter.com/jjbVu3bTNc
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) August 2, 2024
Naturally, there is more to this than just show. The school revealed an entire line of apparel based on the quote, with a portion of proceeds going toward the school’s NIL fund.
The phrase stems from Aranda, who dropped it at Big 12 Media Days last month when asked what went into Baylor’s recent recruiting success.
Dave Aranda on what's prompted #Baylor's recent run of recruiting success:
"We're paying players."
— Craig Smoak (@CraigSmoak) July 10, 2024
Though NIL had already largely torn down most barriers to players getting paid, the NCAA agreed as part of a May legal settlement to allow schools to pay players directly. Some may still be uncomfortable with the idea, but the schools like Baylor that openly embrace it will probably benefit the most from it, at least in the early going.
About two years ago, accusing another school of paying for its recruits was enough to spark major controversy. Now, schools can openly embrace it. The sport is changing quickly.
