Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders wants to bring NFL-style rules to college football, starting with a salary cap to control name, image and likeness spending that he says has spiraled out of control.
When asked what he would change about college football during his availability at the Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, Texas, the Colorado coach suggested the NCAA institute a salary cap now that players are being paid through name, image and likeness deals.
“There’s got to be a salary cap on this stuff because this stuff is going crazy and nobody knows where it’s going to land, where it’s going to end,” Sanders said. “You have so many different doors. I would see a player that said he got an offer from another school and I’m trying to figure out why you guys haven’t investigated and how is that possible when the guy’s not in the portal. Now if that was one of my players, you guys would be all over it...I think we need to be upright and upstanding.”
Beyond financial controls, Sanders also wants rule changes on the field. He made suggestions which include players wearing longer pants with knee pads instead of short ones, and rules pertaining to the passing game mirroring those in the NFL.
“I would like the professional rules to be implemented in the college,” Sanders said. “They’re getting ready to be pros, so let’s go two feet in. On the catches, let’s mark the foul to the spot of the infraction if there is pass interference. What the pro game does, let’s do it in college.”
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Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.
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