Gene Stallings, former Alabama coach, rips state of college football

Gene Stallings final coached Alabama soccer 26 years in the past. On Thursday, he is mentioned he is glad he is not teaching in at this time’s sport. 

Stallings, 87, met with reporters whereas in Tuscaloosa for the RISE golf event of champions at NorthRiver Yacht Membership and the Chip in for RISE occasion. It is one of many largest fundraisers for the middle, which helps present early intervention providers to “an inclusive inhabitants whereas serving kids with particular wants without charge to households,” based on its web site. 

Stallings did not mince phrases in regards to the present state of faculty soccer. 

“Initially, it’s a must to deal with them with child gloves as a result of for those who’re actually powerful and tough on them typically, they’ll go away,” Stallings mentioned. “They usually can go away with out a penalty. They will go and be eligible instantly. I feel the NCAA made a mistake once they allowed a participant to switch and play instantly. I feel they made a mistake once they allowed them to switch for no motive. That’s only a private opinion.” 

Stallings, who throughout the 1992 season coached Alabama to its first nationwide championship since Paul W. “Bear” Bryant’s tenure, mentioned he doesn’t like the brand new guidelines that enable gamers to revenue off their title, picture and likeness. 

“I’m against paying the participant,” Stallings mentioned. “It’s not skilled soccer. It’s school soccer. I’m not against the participant getting some assist, however for those who checked it, a standard school participant, he will get a complete lot extra assist than you suppose he does.” 

Stallings mentioned he sees an excessive amount of concentrate on the person and never the staff in at this time’s school soccer. Stallings mentioned a key to the success of his staff successful the nationwide championship was that it wasn’t a bunch of egocentric gamers.  

“Now it’s the person that’s essential as a result of he’s going to have the ability to generate a certain quantity of revenue himself,” Stallings mentioned. “I feel that’s going to harm the staff. Right here I’m the offensive guard and I block for any individual who generates a sure sum of money, he wouldn’t have made all that cash if I hadn’t blocked for him. We’ve acquired to understand the man who blocks for the runner. In any other case, we’re going to have some issues in school soccer.” 

One staff that has been introduced up across the new period of NIL is Texas A&M, Stallings’ alma mater, the place he additionally had his first head teaching job from 1965-71. 

Stallings famous the Aggies’ sturdy recruiting class. Texas A&M completed with the No. 1 group for 2022 based on the 247Sports Composite rankings. 

On nationwide signing day in February, Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher spoke strongly towards the concept the Aggies purchased their No. 1 recruiting class, calling the concept insulting. 

Stallings, who lives on his ranch in Paris, Texas, additionally heard the dialog round Texas A&M’s No. 1 class.  

“There’s a certain quantity of dialogue back-and-forth of, did he recruit them or did he purchase them?” Stallings mentioned. “I don’t know. Now when you should buy a participant, that makes a distinction. I can’t think about the NCAA permitting that to occur. Nevertheless it’s authorized now.” 

Stallings added that Fisher has recruited nicely however must win a championship contemplating how a lot Fisher is being paid. 

Nick Kelly covers Alabama soccer and males’s basketball for The Tuscaloosa Information, a part of the USA TODAY Community. Attain him at nkelly@gannett.com or observe him on Twitter: @_NickKelly