With Alex Atkins and Jaden Rashada cases, FSU and Florida football face NIL violations. Here's what to know

Is the NCAA out to get Florida's college football teams? That's not likely, but two of the biggest programs in the state have recently been the subject of investigations into their handling of recruiting and NIL. One of them has already been sanctioned.

It started in June when University of Florida President Ben Sasse received a notice of inquiry of an NCAA investigation. When the news broke Friday, January 19, reports indicated the probe centered around the failed recruitment of quarterback prospect Jaden Rashada.

That news followed the announcement a week prior that Florida State was being hit with a two-year probation, among other sanctions, after the NCAA said offensive coordinator Alex Atkins drove a recruit to a meeting with a leader of FSU's NIL collective.

The 1-2 punch against Florida's two most popular teams brought out the conspiracy theories from Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis, who claimed on social media the investigations were retaliation against Gov. Ron DeSantis for relocating about 50 Venezuelan migrants to Martha's Vineyard in 2022 (NCAA President Charlie Baker was the governor of Massachusetts at the time).

The punishments against FSU are the first levied against a college football program for violating the NCAA's name, image and likeness (NIL) policy, which allows for student athletes to be paid for endorsement deals. It's a recent change, and a big one at that: Before the summer of 2021, student athletes were not allowed to make any money while playing in college.

So just what is NIL, and what are the sanctions and investigations into FSU and Florida football? Here's what we know.

What is NIL?

NIL stands for "name, image and likeness." It's a term classifying the type of endorsement deal that college athletes are now permitted by NCAA policy and by law to sign.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in June 2021 that the NCAA's limits on compensation student athletes could receive was unconstitutional. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the court's opinion that to the extent the NCAA "means to propose a sort of judicially ordained immunity from the terms of (antitrust law) for its restraints of trade — that we should overlook its restrictions because they happen to fall at the intersection of higher education, sports, and money — we cannot agree."

Shortly thereafter, NIL laws put in place by about a dozen states, including Florida, went into place, allowing student athletes to make endorsement deals. According to law firm Saul Ewing's NIL legislation tracker, 32 states now have similar laws in place.

The NCAA's own NIL policy means schools cannot reach out to players individually and sign contracts to play with the team. But many schools have unaffiliated NIL collectives, with many comprised of boosters and former athletes, to help current athletes set up endorsement deals. The understood exchange for recruits is to sign with that school, but such inducement remains impermissible by the NCAA's rules.

What is the UF NCAA investigation? What is going on with Jaden Rashada?

On June 9, UF President Ben Sasse received a notice of inquiry from the NCAA informing him of an investigation into the football team. News of the investigation was first reported January 19 by Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times.

The four-page notice included redactions, but several media reports indicated the investigation centers around Jaden Rashada, who reportedly received a $13.8 million NIL offer to sign with UF's 2023 class.

Florida's recruiting of Rashada was messy. The highly touted quarterback prospect from California initially committed to Miami but flipped his commitment to the Gators on November 20, 2022. He was supposed to enroll at UF for the spring 2023 semester, but he failed to do so by the January 13 deadline.

Rashada asked out of his letter of intent on January 17. Three days later, Rashada was granted his release. The fallout reportedly came when the NIL deal organized by the Gator Collective, which at the time handled Florida's NIL deals, fell through.

Who is Jaden Rashada?

Jaden Rashada was a four- or five-star quarterback recruit, originally thought to be the biggest prize in coach Billy Napier's first season with the Gators. He was the No. 7 quarterback recruit among 247Sports' composite rankings.

The dual-threat quarterback eventually signed with Arizona State, where his father, Harlen Rashada, played defensive back in the 1990s alongside future NFL players Jake Plummer and the late Pat Tillman. Jaden Rashada played in three games for the Sun Devils in the 2023 season, going 44 of 82 for 485 yards and four touchdowns with three interceptions.

Is Billy Napier facing sanctions?

As of now, Florida football coach Billy Napier, nor anyone in the UF program, is directly facing NCAA sanctions. The investigation is ongoing.

What are the NCAA sanctions on FSU?

On January 11, the NCAA announced Level II sanctions against the Florida State football team, making the Seminoles the first college football program to receive punishments for using NIL payments to induce recruits.

The NCAA placed sanctions on FSU, assistant coach Alex Atkins and an unnamed booster for impermissible recruiting activity and facilitating impermissible contact with a NIL-related booster. In spring 2022, "Atkins is alleged to have driven a prospect and his parents to a meeting with a leading member of the school’s NIL collective, Rising Spear," according to Yahoo Sports reporter Ross Dellinger. Reports said the effort was to recruit a Georgia transfer for $15,000 per month.

Chief among Florida State's punishments is a two-year probation period, as well as a reduction in scholarships and a three-game suspension for Atkins. Here is a list of punishments against FSU:

• two years of probation;

• scholarship reductions of five over the next two academic years;

• a reduction by seven in official visits for 2023-24;

• a prohibition on recruiting communication for six weeks over the next two academic years;

• a prohibition on communication with athletes in the transfer portal from April 15-21;

• a reduction by 18 evaluation days this spring;

• and a financial penalty of 1% of the athletic department’s budget.

FSU and the NCAA negotiated a resolution on the sanctions and agreed to the punishments. You can read the full report below:

Who is Alex Atkins?

Alex Atkins is the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Florida State football team. He is also one of the key recruiting coordinators for FSU football head coach Mike Norvell.

As part of the penalties, Atkins will be suspended for the first three games of the 2024 regular season and is given a two-year show-cause, which requires schools who hire Atkins to explain the decision to NCAA officials.

Atkins was reportedly a candidate for the head coaching job at Washington after Kalen DeBoer left to replace Nick Saban at Alabama, but he is expected to remain at Florida State. Former Arizona coach Jedd Fisch was named Washington's new head coach January 14.

Is Mike Norvell facing sanctions?

FSU head coach Mike Norvell has not been charged with any violations and was not named in the NCAA's report.

What in an NIL violation? What are NCAA Level 2 sanctions?

The NCAA's NIL violations against FSU fall under its recruiting standards.

Level II violations are the middle tier on the NCAA's violation structure. They are considered a "significant breach of conduct" that include "more than a minimal but less than substantial or extensive" recruiting or competitive advantage, or a similar impermissible benefit.

Level II sanctions are major violations, but not the harshest. A Level I violation is the most severe.

That's what Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh received after the NCAA said he "provided false or misleading information in an investigation into recruiting infractions during the COVID-19 dead period," according to The Athletic. Michigan self-imposed a three-game suspension on Harbaugh at the start of the year in response to related Level II violations after the NCAA rejected a proposed four-game suspension.

What is prohibited under NIL?

High school and college athletes can only be paid for promotional appearances or to appears on ads. They cannot receive money for their athletic performance.

For example, a player signing a deal with a shoe company is allowed under the NCAA's NIL policy. But a player signing a contract with a school, as a professional athlete would with a team, is not allowed. This means an athlete cannot be paid based on their statistical performance on the field or court.

Tallahassee Democrat reporter Ehsan Kassim and Gainesville Sun reporter Kevin Brockway contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: UF, FSU football recruiting violations: A look at Jaden Rashada, NIL