Urban Meyer thinks Florida State Seminoles football may be in serious trouble

The Florida State Seminoles have come under fire recently as the entire college football world ushers in a new NIL era of revenue sharing. As of July 1, schools across the country have adopted a new model that allows them to negotiate and pay players directly, a practice previously handled through third-party collectives and endorsements.

The problem described by one Big 10 general manager as "not normal" arose from the generally "aggressive" fine print that Florida State has included in its preliminary player contracts. For instance, an athlete can be charged up to $2,500 for losing equipment or face a total contract termination due to injury, according to Chris Hummer of CBS Sports.

While the Seminoles attempt to maneuver in the new NIL landscape, multiple figureheads in the college football world have spoken out. The Triple-Option host Mark Ingram has openly criticized the specific language used in the contracts, saying it could deter Florida State from landing some of the nation's top talent.

“Players aren’t going to go there because, for one, this contract gives Florida State way too much control over your future and your money. It exposes you to risk, injury, discipline, loss of leverage,” Ingram said. “All that. So, if you’re a top player and you’ve got Florida State as your top university and they give you this, I’m sure there’s another university that is going to give you better conditions and treat you like a partner, not an asset.”

Sportscaster and former head coach Urban Meyer also viewed the contract details with hesitation, stating that the power struggle approaching between universities and student-athletes is unforeseen and will hurt recruiting. He went on to express skepticism about the entire ordeal, saying that Florida State's "days are numbered" if the contracts are finalized.

“I think what’s happening is the pendulum swung so far that the players could leave anytime, unlimited transfers, NIL, no limitations, no guardrails, and now it’s swinging backa nd some people that shouldn’t be involved are getting too involved and they’re putting this power struggle that I’ve never seen anything like that," Meyer said. "Recruiting, it’s over. You can’t recruit, and in case you haven’t noticed, college football is about recruiting.”

“I’ll make this statement,” Urban Meyer said. “If this is legit, if this goes through, which I’m so skeptical, then the days of Florida State are numbered. It won’t happen. It can’t happen. No chance.”

Florida State released a statement defending its new contract proposals and emphasized its commitment to mutually beneficial partnerships. They acknowledged the uniqueness of each situation's circumstances.

“As we enter into a new age of collegiate athletics, Florida State has put together an agreement that provides deliverables and expectations for all parties," the statement read. “Each individual situation will be unique, and the hypotheticals are impossible to predict. However, we are committed to continuing to provide an elite experience for our student-athletes in all aspects of their collegiate career. Florida State is looking forward to the mutually beneficial partnerships with our student-athletes in this new era.”

Still, as the NIL era evolves, Florida State finds itself at yet another crossroads. While the university defends its approach moving forward, critics argue that the language being used may alienate the athletes that it is trying to attract. Whether the 'Noles will be trailblazing into the new NIL era remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: clarity and trust are starting to become just as valuable as compensation.