Copyright outkick
Following the dismissal of Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry, one had to think it could get interesting for the current group of players that could potentially leave, or redshirt. Well, it did not take long for an attorney to be hired regarding the contracts that were signed by players with schools pertaining to revenue-sharing. Virginia Tech Ousts Brent Pry After 0-3 Starts Amid College Football Chaos When the Hokies decided to fire Brent Pry, the school knew that players would have a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal if they decided it was the right move. But, the other problem with the current landscape is players making the choice to use a redshirt that would protect their eligibility clock. Florida Has Enough Money For Billy Napier's Buyout, Even If Urban Meyer Says They Don't Now, there is another situation brewing in Blacksburg, which pertains to schools trying to get out of their agreements with athletes that decide to use that redshirt year. Let's be clear that if a player decides to redshirt with the intention of entering the portal, I could understand the school wanting out of their contract with the athlete. I think we can all agree on that one. But, technically, since it's not ‘Pay-For-Play’ according to NCAA rules, I find it hard to believe that they can now use it against the athletes if they decide to redshirt but not leave. Virginia Tech Will Be Challenged Regarding Rev-Share Deals? Attorney Darren Heitner posted on social media Friday afternoon that he had been hired by a current Virginia Tech player to fight the school. "I am shocked by Virginia Tech's untenable position that a decision to redshirt constitutes "opting out" and fraudulent misrepresentation under the NCAA's Bylaws, justifying immediate termination of scholarships and revenue-sharing payments under the House settlement," Heitner posted on social media. "Redshirting is a standard practice to preserve eligibility, not voluntary withdrawal from a program, and schools cannot void revenue-sharing payments on pay-for-play grounds. I have been retained by a Hokies player to aggressively challenge this and am happy to assist any others facing similar issues." When pressed on his post, Heitner replied that the player was not looking to leave Virginia Tech, but you can understand why the school might not believe the athlete during this chaotic time. While Virginia Tech is saying they will honor scholarships, we are going down a weird road with these revenue-sharing deals. This case will obviously be one to follow over the next few weeks, with plenty of other schools paying attention to this ongoing situation.
