Podcast Summary

Podcast: Right About Now – Legendary Business Advice
Host: Ryan Alford (Radcast Network)
Episode: College Football’s Identity Crisis: NIL, Leadership, and Loyalty with Jay Paterno
Date: December 23, 2025
Guest: Jay Paterno (Penn State Board of Trustees member, TV host, author, former coach)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the ongoing transformation and identity crisis in college football, focusing on the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era. Host Ryan Alford welcomes Jay Paterno, discussing issues like NIL’s impact on leadership, the evolving business side of college football, loyalty and contracts, player mental health, and the real pressures on coaches and athletes. Paterno draws on his experience as a university trustee, coach, consultant, and author of Blitzed—a novel that exposes the inside realities of college football.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Decline and Redefinition of Leadership in College Sports

[00:29, 03:56]

• Leadership By Title Isn't Enough:
  Jay Paterno critiques leadership that relies solely on formal authority (e.g., "do it because I said so") and emphasizes the need for credibility and buy-in.
• Learning Leadership:
  Paterno argues all great leaders learn through experience: "Some people have an innate charisma… But when things aren’t going well, that's when you really find out [what kind of leader you are]." (05:26)
• Continuous Growth:
  He shares anecdotes about his father, Joe Paterno, learning from peers and always taking notes to improve his leadership.

NIL: From Lawsuit-Driven Reform to a "Wild West"

[06:45, 07:12]

• Origins:
  NIL changes stemmed from lawsuits and California’s pioneering law, but absent real leadership, the NCAA and conferences were always reacting to new legal rulings.
• Rise of Collectives:
  Jay explains how collectives started to allow legitimate non-profit appearances by athletes but rapidly morphed into “pay-to-play” schemes: "We pay the players to promote the collective, to raise money to pay the players… that’s money laundering." (07:12)
• Market Value Challenges:
  The current system lacks data and transparency necessary to determine fair market value for athlete deals.

Transparency, Contracts, and Loyalty

[09:44, 10:52]

• No Salary Transparency:
  The NIL system’s lack of disclosure causes inflated rumors and disconnects between player value and reality.
  Jay: "They all claim they're making more than they do. I mean, no question." (09:53)
• Contract Limitations & Transfer Portal Chaos:
  One-year, non-binding contracts have increased player mobility, but also risk instability and leave many players stranded in the transfer portal.
  "Nobody talks about all the guys in the portal that don't get picked up." (11:15)
• Collective Bargaining:
  True protection for all parties—players and schools—would require embracing collective bargaining, something leaders want but hesitate to admit publicly.

Erosion of the College Football "Experience"

[12:41, 13:12]

• Tradition vs. Change:
  Alford and Paterno note that the traditional, time-bound college football experience, with its sense of fleeting opportunity and loyalty, is being eroded by constant player movement and commercial incentives.
• Fan Interest Affected:
  Opt-outs in bowl games and roster churn lower the stakes and thrill for fans: "I hear more and more people my age and younger [saying], 'It's not the game that I love, it's not that.'" (13:12)

Mental Health and Coaching Pressures

[14:14, 14:18]

• Non-Fiction Fiction — The Book "Blitzed":
  Paterno’s novel captures the hidden realities of coaching—pressure, responsibility, internal politics—under the guise of fiction to avoid legal hassles.
• Mental Health Unpreparedness:
  The NIL world has blindsided young athletes and coaches with major mental health burdens, from family financial pressures to social scrutiny:
  "Nobody got prepared these players for the mental health part of the NIL world. Nobody." (14:18)
• Real-Life Consequences:
  The book references serious outcomes in real sports, like high-profile mental health crises and even suicide.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On leadership:
  "If they don’t buy in and you don’t have credibility, you can’t lead them anywhere."
  — Jay Paterno, [00:29] & [03:56]
• On NIL confusion:
  "What we went to very quickly is… the head [asks] me how this collective works? Well, we pay the players to promote the collective, to raise money to pay the players… that’s money laundering."
  — Jay Paterno, [07:12]
• On the chaos of player compensation:
  "If you want to make $1,200 and change an hour, you better go to med school or law school… or go to the NFL."
  — Jay Paterno, [09:08]
• On the unspoken truths:
  "We're still in that… Let's not say they're employees. We'll make them 1099 economy type stuff. But somebody’s got to come forward and do it."
  — Jay Paterno, [09:59]
• On college football's identity:
  "Careful what you ask for. Because when it becomes the CFL, it wasn't very popular, no question."
  — Ryan Alford, [13:47]
• On the mental health costs:
  "That’s the pressure you feel in the college game… When the phone rings at 12:30 at night, it’s not the academic advisor congratulating you…"
  — Jay Paterno, [16:35]

Important Timestamps

• [00:29] – Jay Paterno on "leadership by title" and its failures
• [05:26] – Nature vs. nurture in leadership; learning from experience
• [07:12] – The rise of NIL, collectives, and how pay-to-play took over
• [09:53] – Lack of transparency in player salaries
• [10:52] – The need for contracts, loyalty, and collective bargaining
• [13:12] – How NIL and opt-outs are changing the fan and athlete experience
• [14:18] – Mental health realities of NIL for coaches and athletes
• [16:35] – Coaching stress and off-field responsibilities

Where to Find Jay Paterno

• Website: jvpaterno.com
• Twitter/X: @JPaterno
• Instagram: @jvpaterno
• Book: Blitzed available via his website and Amazon

Summary

Ryan Alford and Jay Paterno provide a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the turmoil and transformation in college football’s NIL era. From opaque finances and chaotic player movement to the mental health burden no one prepared for, this episode is rich with sharp, streetwise analysis and personal anecdotes. Whether you’re a college sports fan, business leader, or just care about where athletics and leadership are going, this conversation leaves no sacred cow untouched.