Arkansas State Coach Butch Jones: ‘Our Industry is in Need of a Commissioner of College Football’

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kyle Wood | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 1:43 PM ET

Arkansas State coach Butch Jones expressed disbelief last week at the current state of college athletics. But Jones, who’s been around college football for more than three decades, including 15 years as a head coach, said it’s important to adapt to the ever-evolving state of affairs.

Less than 48 hours after Jones’ comments at the Sun Belt Conference spring media availability, former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava entered the transfer portal over a reported NIL dispute. The Iamaleava fallout — which followed the Volunteers’ first College Football Playoff appearance — is believed to be the first NIL holdout situation as the sport prepares to embark on its revenue sharing era, pending the implementation of the House settlement.

“You may not like it, where we’re at, but those changes don’t have an opinion or really care what you think,” said Jones, who served as Tennessee’s head coach from 2013-17.

The veteran coach shared a story of an agent reaching out to a Red Wolves quarterback last week while they were reviewing film together. The agent, Jones said, was letting the signal-caller know there are plenty of programs looking for a starting quarterback ahead of the upcoming spring transfer portal window (April 16-25).

“Who would have ever thought that the amateurism of college sports would have come to this?” Jones said. “They even have guidelines and guardrails in the National Football League. I do think our industry is in need of a commissioner of college football.”

Having someone in charge could alleviate some of the questions and concerns that persist past the Group of 5 up to the Power 4 leagues, which are much better equipped to weather the cost of athlete revenue sharing. Jones said other coaches are even reaching out to him in confusion.

“My phone has rung off the hook,” Jones said. “Sunday alone, I believe I had 11 head football coaches — all from the Power 4 — call me wanting to know what in the world are we doing, what’s going on, how are we handling this? We’re in the time period where there’s a lot of uncertainty, so I think people are looking to others to kind of bridge the gap and see what’s going on.”

Jones doesn’t have a definitive answer to those questions, which is why coaches are preparing contingency plans as questions about roster size abound with the House settlement reportedly nearing the finish line.

"We can only control what we can control, and that’s the current, that’s the now and that’s our current team," Jones said. "And then, obviously looking for the individuals that are in the portal, can they better your current existing circumstance which you have on your football team."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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