3 thoughts on Florida Gators, Billy Napier after Jaden Rashada lawsuit
The Jaden Rashada name, image and likeness debacle blew up on the Florida Gators again Tuesday when the former blue-chip quarterback signee sued coach Billy Napier and a top booster over a collapsed $13.85 million deal.
Here are three random thoughts as we consider and await the fallout.
Billy Napier’s future has become more complicated
In most times, an allegation that Napier personally vouched for a booster (Hugh Hathcock) sending a recruit $1 million would attract NCAA attention — especially in a case that had already been scrutinized. But NCAA rules, investigations and enforcement have changed since then and remain in flux. Good luck trying to figure out whether the NCAA can or should investigate the Gators and Napier.
Even if Napier and his program aren’t facing NCAA penalties, this suit could still be problematic for the future of a coach who’s 11-14 through two seasons. Four of the complaint’s seven counts accuse Napier and the other defendants of fraud or negligent misrepresentation. According to his contract, Napier can be fired for cause — without a buyout — for “fraud and/or dishonesty” while “in the performance of the Coach’s duties and/or responsibilities.” That leads to the most extreme scenario: The Gators agree with the complaint, determine Napier was dishonest during one of his contractual duties (recruiting) and try to fire him for cause or settle on a lower buyout.
Setting aside the likelihood or feasibility of that scenario, Napier and his program face practical problems. A former top-100 prospect has accused Napier, a booster and a former staffer of not paying what they promised. Napier and the Gators will have to overcome that narrative as they pursue the current wave of elite recruits. And if this season goes poorly — over/under win totals are as low as 4½ — recruiting momentum will have to be a major selling point for why Napier deserves a fourth season.
The headlines also distract from the fact that name, image and likeness had become an apparent strength for UF since Florida Victorious launched last year.
“I think ultimately we’re finally in a position where we have a good system that gives us an opportunity to kind of make system-oriented decisions,” Napier said Monday.
Napier and his legal counsel will eventually present his side of the story in the courts. Until then, he’ll have to confront this perception on the recruiting trail.
Conspiracy theories are fun, but …
After signing with UF and joining Arizona State, Rashada is now at Georgia — one of Florida’s biggest rivals. Because message boards want to connect every dot, you can try to assume that the Bulldogs conspired to help Rashada file this suit to hurt the Gators.
Anything is possible in this crazy sport, but this lawsuit was a realistic possibility (and in the works) long before Rashada transferred to Georgia.
The NIL system makes no sense
Forget the details and focus on the broad story from the suit: A $13.85 million offer to a teenager bounced from one third-party entity to another, then back to the first, eventually leading to a coach vouching for a $1 million promise from a businessman — and none of it technically, legally having anything to do with the reason the teenager might have been worth millions of dollars (his football talent).
It’s a nonsensical business model.
The old model of under-the-table payments was bad, too, and the machinations of the name, image and likeness era haven’t been a secret. But seeing this system spelled out in a federal court filing is a reminder of how ridiculous the business of major college football remains.
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