If you were in charge of a $10 million Pitt football NIL budget, how would you spend it?

[Sean Miller Fan]

Per year

I think Pitt needs to figure out a moneyball approach to this. Not sure if this would work but this is how I'd do it. I think $10 million is a reasonal salary budget for a school like Pitt.

QB: $2 million
WR 1: $ 1 million
WR 2: $500K
4 offensive linemen: $3 million

That's $6.5 million on offense. Looking at Pitt players in the past for comparison, I think these are the types of players we get with those numbers if they were in the portal or developed at Pitt:

QB - Tyler Palko
WR 1 - Tyler Boyd
WR 2 - Jester Weah
Linemen - about as good linemen as we've had except maybe Brian O'Neill

Defense -$2.5 million

DT - $750K
DE - $500K
Corner - $500K
MLB - $500K
Safety - $250K

Rest of team: $1 million

I'd also only keep 75 guys on scholarship. 85 is too many to pay. Don't bring in as many HS players who take time and that you have to pay to learn. Focus on the portal on guys who can plug and play even if they arent super talented. So 63 guys split $1 million. That's $16K/year.

I dont think you need to spend on a RB or TE. The RB position is irrelevant. The TE position is important but I dont think that in most cases we can afford a really good TE and even if we can, I dont see them making a big impact like you'll see with Gavin Bartholomew. I'd rather GB money went to a WR or OL.

 

[WillyDavis33]

Ditka for 10M

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

I mean it would never work out that perfectly. You can simplify it like that, and I'm not even saying I disagree with the overall premise, but it doesn't mean you're going to find a guy at each of those positions who will both accept and be worth those exact amounts. If we found a DT worth $750K and were willing to pay that, why wouldn't Bama just up their offer to 900K? It's not like this is some cafeteria where you can pick exactly what goes on your tray. Plus, some projection is needed.

I kind of like your idea about the scholarships, though. Hell, make it 55. Anybody after that is welcome to free education, but they're not getting paid. That would free up another $300K, at least, because we know all 85 guys right now are getting a minimum of $10K.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I mean it would never work out that perfectly. You can simplify it like that, and I'm not even saying I disagree with the overall premise, but it doesn't mean you're going to find a guy at each of those positions who will both accept and be worth those exact amounts. If we found a DT worth $750K and were willing to pay that, why wouldn't Bama just up their offer to 900K? It's not like this is some cafeteria where you can pick exactly what goes on your tray. Plus, some projection is needed.

I kind of like your idea about the scholarships, though. Hell, make it 55. Anybody after that is welcome to free education, but they're not getting paid. That would free up another $300K, at least, because we know all 85 guys right now are getting a minimum of $10K.

But there's a DT you can get for 750K using that example. Yea maybe Bama ups it and he goes there for 900 but then you go get a guy that Syracuse or UCF is paying 500K for. I know it'll never work out perfectly but programs like Pitt need a GM or "salary cap expert" to figure out which positions are most crucial to winning games. I dont think a program like Pitt needs a HC in the old sense of it. That needs to be the GM and fundraiser. Need to figure out a way to maximize what we have to spend. I'd go big on a few positions. Not blue blood big but beyond the blue bloods I'd try to be paying the most at 4-5 positions then be really competitive at 5-6 more. The rest of the team you fill out with basic the type of players we have on the roster now.

So, in a perfect world, we have this year's low-level roster plus guys like Palko, Boyd, Weah, a really good OL and a few good defenders.

 

[cashisking884]

I’d put large amounts of my high school allotment to OL and DL.
There just isn’t much talent available at those positions in the portal in a yearly basis, and the price is insane for the few that are in it.

My transfer portal money would go to QB and the skill positions.
There’s always a Malik Murphy or even a Kyle McCord in the portal. And those guys are going to Duke and Syracuse type schools. And even the studs like Cam Ward aren’t at UGA or Bama or somebody. So it’s possible to get a high level guy through the portal. Then the QB recruiting class can just be really raw, high upside guys you hope turn into KP. But if they don’t, oh well, because you don’t need them to start.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I’d put large amounts of my high school allotment to OL and DL.
There just isn’t much talent available at those positions in the portal in a yearly basis, and the price is insane for the few that are in it.

Way too much risk doing that. Pitt cant spend like that for 3 star HS offensive linemen. I get that linemen dont typically enter the portal but that's why you tamper.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

I’d put large amounts of my high school allotment to OL and DL.
There just isn’t much talent available at those positions in the portal in a yearly basis, and the price is insane for the few that are in it.

My transfer portal money would go to QB and the skill positions.
There’s always a Malik Murphy or even a Kyle McCord in the portal. And those guys are going to Duke and Syracuse type schools. And even the studs like Cam Ward aren’t at UGA or Bama or somebody. So it’s possible to get a high level guy through the portal. Then the QB recruiting class can just be really raw, high upside guys you hope turn into KP. But if they don’t, oh well, because you don’t need them to start.

It's just getting hard to justify that when we basically lost 3/4 of our entire starting defensive line to the portal. And the only reason it wasn't 4/4 is probably because we didn't have any DT worth taking, yet.

Now that transferring is unlimited, we might as well get/stay old.

 

[pittmeister]

Putting the money into Alliance 412 won’t get you much. What you need is to think outside the box and be creative for short and long term gains.

Quit thinking inside the box!

First I’d hire a couple of leg breakers to make sure that the players honor the NIL deals they signed. No renegotiations. That I’ll take care of the short term.

Next I’d use the money to bribe the Big Ten officials to include Pitt in the next realignment.

That’s the best use of money in my book.

 

[cashisking884]

Way too much risk doing that. Pitt cant spend like that for 3 star HS offensive linemen. I get that linemen dont typically enter the portal but that's why you tamper.

But even with tampering, they aren’t entering.

If you don’t bring in stud high school DL recruits, you aren’t going to have a stud DL.

You aren’t going to out tamper LSU.

 

[cashisking884]

It's just getting hard to justify that when we basically lost 3/4 of our entire starting defensive line to the portal. And the only reason it wasn't 4/4 is probably because we didn't have any DT worth taking, yet.

Now that transferring is unlimited, we might as well get/stay old.

Sure. But I’m saying I’d put the lion’s share of the NIL money to those positions, which should in theory limit the exodus.

I’d also not spend the same amount of money every year.
This best “Moneyball” strategy for schools with more limited funds is to bank funds for when you think it’s your window. Like FSU did last year. Or Ole Miss did this year. A senior team with talent, you know you’re recruiting outside of the Top 10 so you aren’t going to have a “next man up” continuation. There will be a fall to some degree. So this upcoming season is when you take the war chest of funds you’ve been saving and really throw the money around in the portal.

‘22 would have been a good year to do that. A team that was still returning some talent from a talented ‘21 team. Was experienced. And if you’re the staff able to sit back and assess the roster, you probably should know that the recruiting failures were going to catch up to you in ‘23 and ‘24. So ideally the saved up NIL transfer war chest would have gone to getting a legit QB because that’s your all in year.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

I'd legitimately look into recruiting guys who come from wealthy families. Like national equivalents of Wexford and Upper Saint Clair. Instances where getting on the field is more valuable to them than getting an extra hundred, or two hundred, thousand bucks.

Problem is, in addition to there being fewer of these types of recruits, I'm not sure what we could offer them that Duke, Cal, BC, Stanford, etc. couldn't. We're a less ritzy campus and rated lower academically. Yeah, my idea sucks.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Sure. But I’m saying I’d put the lion’s share of the NIL money to those positions, which should in theory limit the exodus.

I’d also not spend the same amount of money every year.
This best “Moneyball” strategy for schools with more limited funds is to bank funds for when you think it’s your window. Like FSU did last year. Or Ole Miss did this year. A senior team with talent, you know you’re recruiting outside of the Top 10 so you aren’t going to have a “next man up” continuation. There will be a fall to some degree. So this upcoming season is when you take the war chest of funds you’ve been saving and really throw the money around in the portal.

‘22 would have been a good year to do that. A team that was still returning some talent from a talented ‘21 team. Was experienced. And if you’re the staff able to sit back and assess the roster, you probably should know that the recruiting failures were going to catch up to you in ‘23 and ‘24. So ideally the saved up NIL transfer war chest would have gone to getting a legit QB because that’s your all in year.

Yeah, I pitched the idea the other day about having some intentional lean years and then saving that money and going all in every X amount of seasons. But I think it'd be way easier to do in basketball (just too many moving pieces in football) and possibly lead to too much overall complacency.

What you're describing is basically going all in more organically, which makes sense.

 

[Usuallyunusual-partdeux]

Man F this!!!! We better continue to learn how to win with 3 stars like we been doing. This bidding for kids ...that might not even produce is stupid. Make all NIL deals production based. We're not giving money away to dudes that "might" help us. Tell a kid flat out if you get this type of production here is what you get, if you do nothing you get nothing. Don't like it....then you don't believe in your own abilities GTFOH!!!

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

But even with tampering, they aren’t entering.

If you don’t bring in stud high school DL recruits, you aren’t going to have a stud DL.

You aren’t going to out tamper LSU.

You out-tamper Syracuse, UCF, Boston College, Cincy, schools like that.

 

[NCPitt]

Per year

I think Pitt needs to figure out a moneyball approach to this. Not sure if this would work but this is how I'd do it. I think $10 million is a reasonal salary budget for a school like Pitt.

QB: $2 million
WR 1: $ 1 million
WR 2: $500K
4 offensive linemen: $3 million

That's $6.5 million on offense. Looking at Pitt players in the past for comparison, I think these are the types of players we get with those numbers if they were in the portal or developed at Pitt:

QB - Tyler Palko
WR 1 - Tyler Boyd
WR 2 - Jester Weah
Linemen - about as good linemen as we've had except maybe Brian O'Neill

Defense -$2.5 million

DT - $750K
DE - $500K
Corner - $500K
MLB - $500K
Safety - $250K

Rest of team: $1 million

I'd also only keep 75 guys on scholarship. 85 is too many to pay. Don't bring in as many HS players who take time and that you have to pay to learn. Focus on the portal on guys who can plug and play even if they arent super talented. So 63 guys split $1 million. That's $16K/year.

I dont think you need to spend on a RB or TE. The RB position is irrelevant. The TE position is important but I dont think that in most cases we can afford a really good TE and even if we can, I dont see them making a big impact like you'll see with Gavin Bartholomew. I'd rather GB money went to a WR or OL.

You're continuing with your nonsense narrative about pay scales. There is no way that Palko gets or Weah get the amounts you claim.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Yeah, I pitched the idea the other day about having some intentional lean years and then saving that money and going all in every X amount of seasons. But I think it'd be way easier to do in basketball (just too many moving pieces in football) and possibly lead to too much overall complacency.

What you're describing is basically going all in more organically, which makes sense.

I dont mind banking NIL. Maybe you go through 2 bad years and then go all-in on that 3rd year. Whatever it is, schools like Pitt need a plan and need to stick to it. We dont seem to have one.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

You're continuing with your nonsense narrative about pay scales. There is no way that Palko gets or Weah get the amounts you claim.

Ok but this is where I need you to offer an opinion to what they'd make. I dont want to hear that since you dont know for an absolute fact, you arent qualified to offer an opinion and have an ethical problem with offering opinions on free message boards. How much do you think players like that would make?

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

I dont mind banking NIL. Maybe you go through 2 bad years and then go all-in on that 3rd year. Whatever it is, schools like Pitt need a plan and need to stick to it. We dont seem to have one.

Problem is two years turns into 5 bad years if an all-in year doesn't work out as it's supposed to.

No easy answers when you simply have less resources.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Problem is two years turns into 5 bad years if an all-in year doesn't work out as it's supposed to.

No easy answers when you simply have less resources.

Not if you have a coherent plan and have a process in place to tamper and recruit players off different teams in the year that you go for it.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

A yacht. And sail off into the sunset and never think about college football again. 🛥️

 

[NCPitt]

Ok but this is where I need you to offer an opinion to what they'd make. I dont want to hear that since you dont know for an absolute fact, you arent qualified to offer an opinion and have an ethical problem with offering opinions on free message boards. How much do you think players like that would make?

Something more than $1.

If you pay Palko, a slightly above average QB, $2 million, you're insane. He was 5-6 and 6-6 his last 2 years. In other words, he was not a difference-maker. $2 million QBs better be difference makers.

 

[Ray-Ray]

Ditka for 10M

To play or coach?

 

[WillyDavis33]

To play or coach?

Yes

 

[ratking17]

Ditka for 10M

Mini ditka costs less

 

[Las Panteras]

I would tell all 17 members to pull 2mill annually and throw it at Notre Dame

Renegotiate the TV contract and save the league .

The acc is 17 mom and pop businessess that pay tribute for protection.

ND is the Genovese Crime Boss

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Something more than $1.

If you pay Palko, a slightly above average QB, $2 million, you're insane. He was 5-6 and 6-6 his last 2 years. In other words, he was not a difference-maker. $2 million QBs better be difference makers.

I figured you were too afraid to offer an opinion.

$1 million gets you a good but not great starting QB. I thought Palko was better than good and even was on NFl rosters for awhile so that's why I say $2 million. Other $2 million QBs are Tom Savage and Nate Peterman if they had extra years. If Pickett had an extra year, he'd get about $5 million in the portal today

 

[NCPitt]

I figured you were too afraid to offer an opinion.

$1 million gets you a good but not great starting QB. I thought Palko was better than good and even was on NFl rosters for awhile so that's why I say $2 million. Other $2 million QBs are Tom Savage and Nate Peterman if they had extra years. If Pickett had an extra year, he'd get about $5 million in the portal today

You're insane.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Per year

I think Pitt needs to figure out a moneyball approach to this. Not sure if this would work but this is how I'd do it. I think $10 million is a reasonal salary budget for a school like Pitt.

QB: $2 million
WR 1: $ 1 million
WR 2: $500K
4 offensive linemen: $3 million

That's $6.5 million on offense. Looking at Pitt players in the past for comparison, I think these are the types of players we get with those numbers if they were in the portal or developed at Pitt:

QB - Tyler Palko
WR 1 - Tyler Boyd
WR 2 - Jester Weah
Linemen - about as good linemen as we've had except maybe Brian O'Neill

Defense -$2.5 million

DT - $750K
DE - $500K
Corner - $500K
MLB - $500K
Safety - $250K

Rest of team: $1 million

I'd also only keep 75 guys on scholarship. 85 is too many to pay. Don't bring in as many HS players who take time and that you have to pay to learn. Focus on the portal on guys who can plug and play even if they arent super talented. So 63 guys split $1 million. That's $16K/year.

I dont think you need to spend on a RB or TE. The RB position is irrelevant. The TE position is important but I dont think that in most cases we can afford a really good TE and even if we can, I dont see them making a big impact like you'll see with Gavin Bartholomew. I'd rather GB money went to a WR or OL.

What’s the going rate for top recruits nowadays? I’d probably focus on the portal vs high school and look for immediate impact players (e.g., QB, WR, DB) first and foremost.

With that being, I’m against donating money towards NIL on principle.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Mini ditka costs less

That was my thought, maybe you get mini-Ditka for $5 million and then you have $5 million for something else.

Probably beer and brats for mini-Ditka.

 

[WillyDavis33]

https://gifdb.com/images/high/group-of-men-throwing-money-rblh3z7z3pafjbtp.webp

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

9 million for Maleek. 1 million used to keep existing players here.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

You're insane.

You are so frustrating. Its incredible to me that you take the time to read and respond to posts but are incapable of putting forward a detailed opinion. This skit reminds me of you.

 

[NCPitt]

You are so frustrating. Its incredible to me that you take the time to read and respond to posts but are incapable of putting forward a detailed opinion. This skit reminds me of you.

View embedded media

I don't watch posted videos. That's a rule I've had for years.

Speaking of frustrating, I will repeat. You're like talking with a rock.

 

[Harlo4PITT]

Cocaine and hookers
................ is always the answer.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Cocaine and hookers
................ is always the answer.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I don't watch posted videos. That's a rule I've had for years.

Speaking of frustrating, I will repeat. You're like talking with a rock.

Lol. Man you have a lot of rules for free message boards. You are very close to becoming the 2nd person I've ever put on ignore. Its just frustrating to deal with such high level stupidity. Pittbball80 was the first back when he was posting Qanon-level BS on the right wing extremist board but I removed him from ignore. I dont even have Goldbergfan on ignore who has been stalking me for 15 years under 100 or so aliases and am pretty sure will murder me one day.

 

[NCPitt]

Lol. Man you have a lot of rules for free message boards. You are very close to becoming the 2nd person I've ever put on ignore. Its just frustrating to deal with such high level stupidity. Pittbball80 was the first back when he was posting Qanon-level BS on the right wing extremist board but I removed him from ignore. I dont even have Goldbergfan on ignore who has been stalking me for 15 years under 100 or so aliases and am pretty sure will murder me one day.

Yes, I have rules. That one saves me time that I would never get back.

I hope that you don't think putting me on ignore would bother me.

 

[cashisking884]

CBS put out a Top 100 players in college football for the upcoming 2024 season.

It's a good starting point if you're trying to "MoneyBall" this thing.

OL:

6. Will Campbell LSU .98
10. Banks Texas 5 Star
29. Booker Alabama .97 rating
61. Emery Jones LSU .95 rating
65. Tate Ratledge Georgia .98 rating
71. Josh Conerly Oregon 5 Star
80. Jaeden Roberts Alabama .90 rating
92. Seth McLaughlin Ohio State 3 Star Transfer
98. Mauigoa Miami 5 Star
100. Wyatt Milum WVU: .95 rating.

QB

4. Sanders Colorado Low 4 Star Transfer
7. Milroe Bama .96
8. Beck UGA Low 4*
15. Ewers Texas 5* Transfer
20 Gabriel Oregon 3* Transfer
30 Cam Ward Miami Unranked Transfer
36. Fifita Arizona 3 Star
49. Cam Rising Utah Low 4 Star Transfer
50. Cook Missouri 3 Star
56. Dart Ole Miss .96 Transfer
66. Jalon Daniels Kansas 3 STar
68. KJ Jefferson low 4 Star Transfer
86. Mertz UF .96 Rating Transfer
99. Riley Leonard 3* Transfer

So takeaways from this:

There's only 1 transfer OL in the Top 100, and he left after a coaching change and a snapping beef with the returning QB. There's only two players that didn't have a very high rating out of high school.
So for NIL high school funds, it makes the most sense to put it into OL recruits. The higher ranking ones hit. And they don't leave.

Of the QBs, 9 of them either had a very low 4* rating where they just as easily could have been a 3*, a lot had a 3* rating, and one even was unranked. And of the 14, NINE of them were transfers.
Which means the elite recruit QB recruits don't hit as much. So it's not worth it to put your high school NIL money into QBs. There's also going to be a lot of VERY good QBs on the transfer market. So it makes sense to put your NIL transfer money into QBs.

 

[Las Panteras]

CBS put out a Top 100 players in college football for the upcoming 2024 season.

It's a good starting point if you're trying to "MoneyBall" this thing.

OL:

6. Will Campbell LSU .98
10. Banks Texas 5 Star
29. Booker Alabama .97 rating
61. Emery Jones LSU .95 rating
65. Tate Ratledge Georgia .98 rating
71. Josh Conerly Oregon 5 Star
80. Jaeden Roberts Alabama .90 rating
92. Seth McLaughlin Ohio State 3 Star Transfer
98. Mauigoa Miami 5 Star
100. Wyatt Milum WVU: .95 rating.

QB

4. Sanders Colorado Low 4 Star Transfer
7. Milroe Bama .96
8. Beck UGA Low 4*
15. Ewers Texas 5* Transfer
20 Gabriel Oregon 3* Transfer
30 Cam Ward Miami Unranked Transfer
36. Fifita Arizona 3 Star
49. Cam Rising Utah Low 4 Star Transfer
50. Cook Missouri 3 Star
56. Dart Ole Miss .96 Transfer
66. Jalon Daniels Kansas 3 STar
68. KJ Jefferson low 4 Star Transfer
86. Mertz UF .96 Rating Transfer
99. Riley Leonard 3* Transfer

So takeaways from this:

There's only 1 transfer OL in the Top 100, and he left after a coaching change and a snapping beef with the returning QB. There's only two players that didn't have a very high rating out of high school.
So for NIL high school funds, it makes the most sense to put it into OL recruits. The higher ranking ones hit. And they don't leave.

Of the QBs, 9 of them either had a very low 4* rating where they just as easily could have been a 3*, a lot had a 3* rating, and one even was unranked. And of the 14, NINE of them were transfers.
Which means the elite recruit QB recruits don't hit as much. So it's not worth it to put your high school NIL money into QBs. There's also going to be a lot of VERY good QBs on the transfer market. So it makes sense to put your NIL transfer money into QBs.

Excellent post.

One more piece of evidence that CFB is becoming the NFL

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

You're insane.

You’re being too generous