In today's April Newsletter you can expect:

• House Settlement Impact: Landmark agreement allows direct athlete compensation, transforming recruiting, roster management, and creating new financial pressures for athletic departments.

• NFHS Rule Changes: High school football updates include sideline electronic communication allowances, new equipment standards, and increased head coach accountability.

• Transfer Portal Challenges: College programs face "re-recruitment" pressures with 25% of D1 athletes entering the portal, forcing coaches to balance retention with acquisition strategies.

• NBA-to-NCAA Pipeline: College basketball programs increasingly hire NBA assistants like Alex Jensen and Luke Loucks, while former players like Dawn Staley find coaching success.

RECRUITING CHANGES

The settlement allows schools to directly compensate athletes through revenue-sharing, transforming the recruiting process. Coaches must now:

• Develop recruiting pitches that incorporate financial packages alongside traditional factors

• Navigate new roster caps (football rosters now limited to 105 players, down from 120)

• Compete in an environment where schools with larger revenue streams may have advantages

• Balance scholarship distribution with 105 football scholarships now available (up from 85)

COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

With the establishment of a new NIL enforcement agency, compliance requirements are evolving:

• Coaches must undergo additional training on direct payment regulations

• Programs face heightened scrutiny from NCAA and conference officials

• Close collaboration with legal and compliance teams is essential to avoid violations

FINANCIAL IMPACT

The settlement creates significant financial pressures, with institutions allocating up to $20.5 million annually (22% of revenue) for athlete compensation:

• Coaching salaries may stagnate as funds are redirected

• Non-revenue sports face particular challenges

• Fundraising becomes increasingly critical for program competitiveness

• Coaches may take on expanded roles in donor engagement

ROSTER MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES

New roster dynamics present difficult decisions:

• How to handle playing time for highly compensated athletes who underperform

• Managing roster cuts under stricter caps

• Balancing merit-based decisions with financial considerations

TEAM COHESION STRATEGIES

Compensation disparities could disrupt team unity:

• Coaches must address potential resentment between high and low-compensated athletes

• Leadership and communication skills become even more essential

• Traditional team-building approaches may need revision

COACHING EXITS CONNECTED TO A NEW ERA

Several high-profile retirements, including Nick Saban and Jim Larrañaga, have been attributed to frustrations with college sports' evolving priorities. Many veteran coaches express concern about focusing on personal development and team unity in this new financial landscape.

LOOKING AHEAD

The House Settlement represents perhaps the most significant change to college athletics in decades. Successful coaches must adapt quickly while staying true to the core values of athletic and academic development.

Our next issue will feature interviews with coaches who are finding innovative ways to thrive in this new environment.

2025 NFHS FOOTBALL RULE CHANGES:
What Coaches Need to Know

The National Federation of State High School Associations has unveiled several key rule changes for the 2025 football season impacting coaching strategies, equipment, and game administration.

Sideline Communication Updates

The NFHS now permits fixed electronic signs and non-audio methods for relaying play signals from the sidelines (Rule 1-5-3c), modernizing communication while maintaining competitive balance. However, important restrictions remain in place:

• In-helmet communication systems remain prohibited

• Players between the numbers cannot view video during games

• All wearable recording technology (microphones, cameras) is banned during competition

"These changes strike the right balance between embracing technology and preserving what makes high school football special," notes veteran coach Mike Richardson.

Player Safety Equipment Standards

New equipment regulations prioritize player protection:

• Mouthguard attachments that don't serve protective functions are now prohibited (Rule 1-5-1d)

• Starting in 2027, arm sleeves must meet SFIA performance standards with a visible seal (Rule 1-5-2d)

The two-year transition period for arm sleeves gives schools time to budget for and implement these changes gradually.

Game Play Rule Adjustments

Several rule revisions will impact officiating and coaching strategies:

• Forward fumbles out-of-bounds now return to the spot of fumble, not where the ball crossed the sideline (Rule 4-3-1)

• Rule 10-4-4b ensures more consistent penalty enforcement for illegal participation fouls

• Six-player football: Ball can advance beyond the line of scrimmage after possession changes from snap receiver

Ongoing “Re-Recruitment”: A Byproduct of
the Transfer Portal

The transfer portal has fundamentally transformed the recruitment landscape, creating both challenges and opportunities for coaches at every level of football. With college programs increasingly prioritizing proven transfers over high school talent, the ripple effects are being felt from Friday night lights to Saturday showcases.

College Coaches Shift Focus to Portal "Free Agents"

The numbers tell the story: over 25% of Division I scholarship athletes entered the transfer portal during the 2023-2024 offseason, completely reshaping how college teams build their rosters. Top programs are now taking as few as 4-5 high school recruits annually, emphasizing the immediate impact and reduced uncertainty that transfers provide.

This shift has dramatically tightened the window for high school athletes seeking Division I opportunities, requiring prep coaches to become more proactive in guiding players through a more complex recruitment process.

The "Re-Recruitment" Challenge

For college coaches, the job now extends well beyond initial recruitment. The constant need to "re-recruit" current players to prevent portal entries has created unprecedented pressure to maintain team cohesion while simultaneously scouting the transfer market.

"You're essentially running two separate recruitment operations simultaneously," explains one Power 5 assistant. "Your current roster requires constant attention, or you'll find yourself replacing more players than you anticipated."

NIL Complications Add Another Layer

Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities have further complicated the landscape, influencing athlete decisions at both high school and college levels. High-profile cases like Quinn Ewers' $1.4 million NIL deal after skipping his senior year highlight how financial incentives are reshaping traditional pathways.

Coaches must now navigate complex NIL regulations while helping athletes understand their options, adding yet another responsibility to an already overloaded coaching staff.

Navigating Shortened Transfer Windows

Recent NCAA rule changes have compressed transfer windows for fall sports to just 20 days post-season, intensifying competition for available players within tighter timelines. This change forces a coaching staff to make faster decisions with potentially less information, raising the stakes on every portal acquisition.

Amidst the Madness: From Pros to Coaches

The landscape of college basketball coaching continues to evolve rapidly, with programs increasingly turning to NBA benches for talent and celebrating the success of former players who have transitioned into coaching roles. These trends are reshaping how basketball programs build for both immediate and long-term success.

NBA-to-NCAA Pipeline Strengthens

College basketball's coaching carousel has taken a distinct professional turn, with programs actively recruiting talent from NBA benches. Utah made headlines by hiring Dallas Mavericks assistant Alex Jensen, while Florida State brought in Luke Loucks from the Golden State Warriors' coaching staff.

This NBA influence extends beyond just head coaching positions. Programs are filling assistant roles with coaches who bring NBA player development expertise, creating systems that more closely mirror professional approaches. The University of Washington recently hired former Portland Trail Blazers assistant Jim Moran to revamp their offensive schemes with pro-style concepts.

"These NBA hires bring sophisticated offensive and defensive systems that prepare players for the next level," notes basketball analyst Jeff Goodman. "It's a selling point for recruits who see these coaches as pathways to professional careers."

Former Players Finding Coaching Success

The transition from player to coach has yielded remarkable success stories, particularly in women's basketball. Dawn Staley has established a dynasty at South Carolina with three national championships in seven years, leveraging her WNBA and Olympic playing experience to build one of the sport's premier programs.

Duke's Kara Lawson, who played 13 seasons in the WNBA, has quickly transformed the Blue Devils into a contender after taking over in 2020. Her professional experience has proven invaluable in player development and recruitment.

On the men's side, Jon Scheyer has successfully navigated the challenging task of following a legend by maintaining Duke's excellence after Coach K's retirement. Similarly, Michigan State's Tom Izzo continues to demonstrate the value of program continuity, having led the Spartans to 25 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.