In Depth Interview With Bud Wentz about NIL & Transfer Portal

[Hilltopper]

Everything you need to know about TP and Fear The Roo Collective.
https://on.soundcloud.com/6HFv9

[Let'sGoZips94]

Holy information. I LOVE Bud Wentz as a spokesperson for the program. He's tremendous. I HIGHLY recommend listening to it. 

 

We're not done in the Portal, according to Wentz, and some announcements should be made soon. 

 

Edited April 21 by Let'sGoZips94

[kreed5120]

For those of you that aren't able to get around to listen, I'll list a few takeaways.

 

- Bud says Akron is still looking to add 1, maybe 2 players.

 

- Akron is taking a moneyball approach relying on algorithms to determine players value and who to target.

 

- They are working on developing a system for one-time, quarterly, and monthly donations reoccurring donations. There will be different tiers where you can get t-shirts, hats, courtside seats, attend a practice, etc based off donation size.

 

- Football collective was just recently started with a large donation.

 

I'm sure there are other things that I might have missed.

 

 

[Hilltopper]

Other tidbits;

Our new practice facility and NBA quality locker room are the best in the MAC and rival most P5 programs.

What our staff brings to the table in terms of player development and a winning culture makes Akron an attractive landing spot for players wishing to take the next step. 

John Groce is highly admired by his peers. 

 

It is worth the time to listen.

Edited April 22 by Hilltopper

[NWAkron]

24 minutes ago, Hilltopper said:

Other tidbits;

Our new practice facility and NBA quality locker room are the best in the MAC and rival most P5 programs.

What our staff brings to the table in terms of player development and a winning culture makes Akron an attractive landing spot for players wishing to take the next step. 

John Groce is highly admired by his peers. 

 

It is worth the time to listen.

But...you know..."Thornton and Scott" and "no serviceable big." 😉

Edited April 22 by NWAkron

[kreed5120]

They did say in the interview that Okonkwo wasn't who they were initially targeting. He became suddenly available and was too good to pass up. I wouldn't be surprised if Harris and Wilson played a part in recruiting him.

[clarkwgriswold]

I realize that this is the college sports world we live in but I am not a fan.  That's by no means a criticism of Bud Wentz.  I appreciate all he does for the program. 

 

I was a believer of the basic principle that a college athlete should be able to make some pocket money by doing things like doing autographs or showing up for a business outing but it has become the wild west in the the absence of any meaningful regulation.

 

It's really refreshing to get some inside insight into the program.  I wish this was a weekly show.

Edited April 22 by clarkwgriswold

[Let'sGoZips94]

3 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

I realize that this is the college sports world we live in but I am not a fan.  That's by no means a criticism of Bud Wentz.  I appreciate all he does for the program. 

 

I was a believer of the basic principle that a college athlete should be able to make some pocket money by doing things like doing autographs or showing up for a business outing but it has become the wild west in the the absence of any meaningful regulation.

 

Meaningful regulation without enforcement wasn't any better. The likes of Kentucky, Kansas, Ohio State, etc. have been all been doing this stuff - and much worse - prior to NIL. The Indiana and Kansas stories this offseason (paying $1M+ for players) are wrong, but overall the playing field is more level than it was before. 

 

The key to what Wentz talked about is that all things financially being equal, Akron is a notch above (minimum) their competition. The reputation of development and winning under Groce & co. is something we should be very proud of as fans and excited about going forward. Wentz confirmed this through networking during the 2nd week of the Tournament. His takeaway was how highly thought of Groce & his staff are in the college basketball community.

 

Regarding the facilities, other schools may have newer buildings, but the amenities our facilities offer is on par with some of the best. The video capabilities in the practice facility sounds incredible (players can take video of their practice session and it's sent to coaches for review/feedback), high end sports medicine on site, and the locker rooms/lounge are top notch. These are where the players spend the most time. Wentz mentioned that a woman's team recruit from a P5 school said our facilities were way better than what she previously had at a P5 school. 

 

Wentz was asked his opinion of the roster and what his excitement level was. He was surprisingly hesitant to be excited and said he thinks they need 1-2 more pieces (which is what led into his answer @Hilltopper mentioned about 1-2 more players being added and announcements coming soon). He stated the program is building to be a 2nd weekend team in March Madness. 

 

Josiah Harris was targeted over guys that "fans would be surprised to hear." Not surprising based on what WVU fans said about him on Twitter. Incredibly high character and has strong abilities on the court. He, Okonkwo, and Wilson filled the initial 3 needs. 

 

Interesting coaching tidbit - Dustin Ford handles the defense while Groce handles the offense. Wentz mentioned there might be a shakeup in the coaching duties, but didn't say what. 

[clarkwgriswold]

4 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

Meaningful regulation without enforcement wasn't any better. The likes of Kentucky, Kansas, Ohio State, etc. have been all been doing this stuff - and much worse - prior to NIL. The Indiana and Kansas stories this offseason (paying $1M+ for players) are wrong, but overall the playing field is more level than it was before. 

 

 

 

No question.   There has to be some middle ground.

[akzipper]

2 hours ago, Hilltopper said:

Other tidbits;

Our new practice facility and NBA quality locker room are the best in the MAC and rival most P5 programs.

What our staff brings to the table in terms of player development and a winning culture makes Akron an attractive landing spot for players wishing to take the next step. 

John Groce is highly admired by his peers. 

 

It is worth the time to listen.

 

I'd love to see more photos and/or videos of this. Aside from a few progress updates of the practice court, I feel like it hasn't been publicized very much. Does anyone know if work isn't completed yet?

[Let'sGoZips94]

1 minute ago, akzipper said:

 

I'd love to see more photos and/or videos of this. Aside from a few progress updates of the practice court, I feel like it hasn't been publicized very much. Does anyone know if work isn't completed yet?

 

It isn't fully done. Wentz said there's a full reveal happening in July(?).

[Zippy87]

10 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

For those of you that aren't able to get around to listen, I'll list a few takeaways.

 

- Bud says Akron is still looking to add 1, maybe 2 players.

 

- Akron is taking a moneyball approach relying on algorithms to determine players value and who to target.

 

- They are working on developing a system for one-time, quarterly, and monthly donations reoccurring donations. There will be different tiers where you can get t-shirts, hats, courtside seats, attend a practice, etc based off donation size.

 

- Football collective was just recently started with a large donation.

 

I'm sure there are other things that I might have missed.

 

 

 

I wonder if NIL would allow players to come on as walk-ons officially but still get paid enough to make it worth it to them? 

 

If current players would leave, Lyles, Tavari, or Prather would make the most sense given their potential places on the depth chart. 

[Zippy87]

 

It's been mentioned by others, but I wish we still did this.

[72 Roo]

1 hour ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

Meaningful regulation without enforcement wasn't any better. The likes of Kentucky, Kansas, Ohio State, etc. have been all been doing this stuff - and much worse - prior to NIL. The Indiana and Kansas stories this offseason (paying $1M+ for players) are wrong, but overall the playing field is more level than it was before. 

 

The key to what Wentz talked about is that all things financially being equal, Akron is a notch above (minimum) their competition. The reputation of development and winning under Groce & co. is something we should be very proud of as fans and excited about going forward. Wentz confirmed this through networking during the 2nd week of the Tournament. His takeaway was how highly thought of Groce & his staff are in the college basketball community.

 

Regarding the facilities, other schools may have newer buildings, but the amenities our facilities offer is on par with some of the best. The video capabilities in the practice facility sounds incredible (players can take video of their practice session and it's sent to coaches for review/feedback), high end sports medicine on site, and the locker rooms/lounge are top notch. These are where the players spend the most time. Wentz mentioned that a woman's team recruit from a P5 school said our facilities were way better than what she previously had at a P5 school. 

 

Wentz was asked his opinion of the roster and what his excitement level was. He was surprisingly hesitant to be excited and said he thinks they need 1-2 more pieces (which is what led into his answer @Hilltopper mentioned about 1-2 more players being added and announcements coming soon). He stated the program is building to be a 2nd weekend team in March Madness. 

 

Josiah Harris was targeted over guys that "fans would be surprised to hear." Not surprising based on what WVU fans said about him on Twitter. Incredibly high character and has strong abilities on the court. He, Okonkwo, and Wilson filled the initial 3 needs. 

 

Interesting coaching tidbit - Dustin Ford handles the defense while Groce handles the offense. Wentz mentioned there might be a shakeup in the coaching duties, but didn't say what. 

This is a good and accurate review of what Bud had to say. As glowing as his comments were about our facilities, development, culture, reputation, etc we must always remember that in this new NIL world any school willing to offer more money will negate all our advantages. Money is the primary factor no matter how disappointing that is.

We can be proud of our advantages, but we also need to be realistic. It's a different world.

[akzipper]

31 minutes ago, 72 Roo said:

This is a good and accurate review of what Bud had to say. As glowing as his comments were about our facilities, development, culture, reputation, etc we must always remember that in this new NIL world any school willing to offer more money will negate all our advantages. Money is the primary factor no matter how disappointing that is.

We can be proud of our advantages, but we also need to be realistic. It's a different world.

 

Using the moneyball approach in college sports is even more proof that it's no different than Major League Baseball. The only difference is that every athlete is on a one-year contract and is free to jump onto the Yankees or Dodgers whenever they want. Our only hope is that we can gather enough 7-9 hitters, back of the rotation or AAA guys from those teams to compete. 

 

I was against paying players for this exact reason. I always felt like getting a full ride, 6-figure scholarship should be enough payment. If athletes wanted to get paid they should have given them those funds in cash and let them use it as they'd like. But now we have a free-for-all with no "salary" cap. 

Edited April 22 by akzipper

[kreed5120]

38 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

I wonder if NIL would allow players to come on as walk-ons officially but still get paid enough to make it worth it to them? 

 

If current players would leave, Lyles, Tavari, or Prather would make the most sense given their potential places on the depth chart. 

I doubt that's the case at Akron. It looks like between tuition, room & board, and other fees, the cost of attendance at Akron is nearly $30k now. That's not including what you'd have to pay the player on top of that. That would seem very wasteful spending when you have limited resources to start.

[Illini Zip]

1 hour ago, Zippy87 said:

I wonder if NIL would allow players to come on as walk-ons officially but still get paid enough to make it worth it to them? 

 

I don't know what is allowed, but I support an expanded use of the walk-on role if it leads to giving some legit D1 players time to develop. It would also help retain the Akron culture from year to year.

[Illini Zip]

2 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

Interesting coaching tidbit - Dustin Ford handles the defense while Groce handles the offense. Wentz mentioned there might be a shakeup in the coaching duties, but didn't say what. 

 

I heard that differently. Ford will still handle the defense and Groce will handle the offense. The shake up is with the type of offense. Going from posting up through Freeman to a guard initiated offense.

[Let'sGoZips94]

12 minutes ago, Illini Zip said:

 

I heard that differently. Ford will still handle the defense and Groce will handle the offense. The shake up is with the type of offense. Going from posting up through Freeman to a guard initiated offense.

 

Good call - you might be right. That was coupled with the comment that Groce's teams are typically built around guard play, correct?

[Illini Zip]

3 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

Good call - you might be right. That was coupled with the comment that Groce's teams are typically built around guard play, correct?

 

I believe so. I might be reading between the lines a bit too.

[72 Roo]

2 hours ago, akzipper said:

 

Using the moneyball approach in college sports is even more proof that it's no different than Major League Baseball. The only difference is that every athlete is on a one-year contract and is free to jump onto the Yankees or Dodgers whenever they want. Our only hope is that we can gather enough 7-9 hitters, back of the rotation or AAA guys from those teams to compete. 

 

I was against paying players for this exact reason. I always felt like getting a full ride, 6-figure scholarship should be enough payment. If athletes wanted to get paid they should have given them those funds in cash and let them use it as they'd like. But now we have a free-for-all with no "salary" cap. 

I also had limited sympathy for the players when they (the ones primarily in the rich programs) said they needed a piece of the revenue pie. When you look at it players get a full ride covering absolutely everything = $120,000 over four years. On top of that they get tutors, gear, nutritionists, medical care and counseling without waiting for an appointment like the rest of the student body. They get cost of living allowances on average about $2,000 per year. On top of that if they come from disadvantaged backgrounds they can get a Pell Grant up to $9,000 per year. I realize the demand on their time is huge, but so is working two jobs to get thru school like I did while playing soccer. NIL needs some sanity. Is the star running back really worth $000K when the linemen blocking for him get little? The very nature of NIL works against teamwork and everyman counts.

[kreed5120]

9 minutes ago, 72 Roo said:

I also had limited sympathy for the players when they (the ones primarily in the rich programs) said they needed a piece of the revenue pie. When you look at it players get a full ride covering absolutely everything = $120,000 over four years. On top of that they get tutors, gear, nutritionists, medical care and counseling without waiting for an appointment like the rest of the student body. They get cost of living allowances on average about $2,000 per year. On top of that if they come from disadvantaged backgrounds they can get a Pell Grant up to $9,000 per year. I realize the demand on their time is huge, but so is working two jobs to get thru school like I did while playing soccer. NIL needs some sanity. Is the star running back really worth $000K when the linemen blocking for him get little? The very nature of NIL works against teamwork and everyman counts.

 

You don't have to like the system, but it's either adapt or be left behind.

[Captain Kangaroo]

7 minutes ago, 72 Roo said:

I also had limited sympathy for the players when they (the ones primarily in the rich programs) said they needed a piece of the revenue pie. When you look at it players get a full ride covering absolutely everything = $120,000 over four years. On top of that they get tutors, gear, nutritionists, medical care and counseling without waiting for an appointment like the rest of the student body. They get cost of living allowances on average about $2,000 per year. On top of that if they come from disadvantaged backgrounds they can get a Pell Grant up to $9,000 per year. I realize the demand on their time is huge, but so is working two jobs to get thru school like I did while playing soccer. NIL needs some sanity. Is the star running back really worth $000K when the linemen blocking for him get little? The very nature of NIL works against teamwork and everyman counts.

I'm with you on this one.

 

A couple years ago Chris Spielman was complaining how, back in the 80's he was eating ramen noodles as a staple. But when he went into the stadium on a Saturday he saw giant posters of himself, and stands filled with his #36 jersey and he wasn't allowed to take a penny as the University raked in piles of cash...all for the cost of an in-state scholarship. Chris had a very valid point.

 

But Akron, and most other programs were strapped for cash before the NIL was instituted. Now they have to come up with an additional few hundred thousand dollars (or more) every year to pay the players who're already getting all the benefits you listed above?

 

I hate the portal. I hate the NIL program. I miss the "You play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back of the jersey" mentality.

 

The "old way" wasn't perfect. But it had a lot more plusses, and "team-ism", than today's game. It didn't need to undergo such a drastic abomination.

[Illini Zip]

13 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

I'm with you on this one.

 

A couple years ago Chris Spielman was complaining how, back in the 80's he was eating ramen noodles as a staple. But when he went into the stadium on a Saturday he saw giant posters of himself, and stands filled with his #36 jersey and he wasn't allowed to take a penny as the University raked in piles of cash...all for the cost of an in-state scholarship. Chris had a very valid point.

 

But Akron, and most other programs were strapped for cash before the NIL was instituted. Now they have to come up with an additional few hundred thousand dollars (or more) every year to pay the players who're already getting all the benefits you listed above?

 

I hate the portal. I hate the NIL program. I miss the "You play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back of the jersey" mentality.

 

The "old way" wasn't perfect. But it had a lot more plusses, and "team-ism", than today's game. It didn't need to undergo such a drastic abomination.

You get a bonus point for using team-ism. 

[akzipper]

2 hours ago, 72 Roo said:

I also had limited sympathy for the players when they (the ones primarily in the rich programs) said they needed a piece of the revenue pie. When you look at it players get a full ride covering absolutely everything = $120,000 over four years. On top of that they get tutors, gear, nutritionists, medical care and counseling without waiting for an appointment like the rest of the student body. They get cost of living allowances on average about $2,000 per year. On top of that if they come from disadvantaged backgrounds they can get a Pell Grant up to $9,000 per year. I realize the demand on their time is huge, but so is working two jobs to get thru school like I did while playing soccer. NIL needs some sanity. Is the star running back really worth $000K when the linemen blocking for him get little? The very nature of NIL works against teamwork and everyman counts.

 

Bingo. I also worked two jobs while I was at UA and both were internships that paid practically nothing. I got some course credits and great experience, but everything I did was basically helping UA for free. I still had a full slate of classes and graduated with over $100,000 worth of debt that I am still paying off almost 15 years later. 

 

Not only do athletes get all the perks you mentioned. But I know the UA football and basketball players got their pick of just about any girl on campus. They are celebrities and lived like it.