Texas A&M HC Mike Elko comments on House v. NCAA settlement uncertainty

[ASFN Admin]

Texas A&M's ninth practice of the spring football season took place on Tuesday, and, in regular fashion, head coach Mike Elko and one player representative spoke to the media the following Wednesday to discuss the team's progress, especially in the areas that directly led to the program's five losses last season.

Alongside junior defensive lineman DJ Hicks, Elko has plenty to say regarding the everchanging college football landscape, including the historic NCAA House Settlement that, due to U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken, has not been signed off yet. Here is a rundown of what the settlement entails, provided by USA TODAY writer Steve Berkowitz:

"The presumptive agreement's pillars are the payment of $2.8 billion in damages by the NCAA and the conferences that would go to current and former athletes — and their lawyers — over 10 years, and Division I schools would be able to start paying athletes directly for use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) starting July 1, subject to a per-school cap that would increase over time and be based on a percentage of certain athletics revenues."

If the changes Wilken has requested come through, Texas A&M and nearly every Power 5 program will work with a set NIL number and must divide the funds for every sport. However, football is king and will use up most of the funds, prompting Gigem247 beat writer Carter Karels to ask Elko about the potential changes coming his way, including having to cut the roster to the 105-player limit.

"It is relatively crazy considering we are knee-deep into preparation for the season, and we do not even know what the rules are for the roster for the season we are about to play."

This is an issue for every team during the spring season, so until a final ruling is made, Elko and his staff will need to be highly selective in the transfer portal to add depth but focus on keeping the roster at a healthy number to avoid a massive cutdown.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M HC Mike Elko on House v. NCAA settlement uncertainty

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