Penn State's Matt Campbell explains how NIL can help a coach find clarity

Many would say that the NIL and transfer portal era has devolved the world of college football into semi-controlled chaos. 

Many detractors of the way things are currently going are, in fact, head coaches. Michigan Wolverines head coach Kyle Whittingham recently suggested that college football become basically a minor league to the NFL, because the way things are going is not sustainable.

He's far from the only coach who feels that way.

Interestingly, new Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell doesn't seem to count himself among those who have more negative than positive to say about the advent of NIL and revenue sharing.

In fact, as a coach and someone responsible for building a team, he believes it has given him a chance to see a player's value and fit with his program with more information at his disposal.

“I think probably, in some way, shape or form, it gives you clarity faster,” Campbell said at Big Ten Media Days, according to Nick Schultz of On3. “A, what are you looking for from the consumer? Does this young man fit our program? And then, B, what are the finances that you have the ability to [know], is that young man even a viable option to fit in your football program?”

College football has always been a big business 

It's the open market at work, and it can't be argued that NIL and the seemingly always-open transfer portal have created more opportunities in college football.

Heck, the Indiana Hoosiers just won the college football national championship because of their ability to work the portal and use donor money to attract a top quarterback like Fernando Mendoza.

Coaches still have to be able to evaluate talent. Imagine if Indiana had thrown millions at Mendoza and he wasn't the player they expected him to be? There's always risk when there's big-time money involved, but that's the same in the NFL. 

Perhaps Whittingham's "minor league" idea isn't all that off-base.

Either way, Campbell's mindset gives a good glimpse into the realities of paying players. How much does this player want to play for my time, and realistically, how much money can we give him?

College football has always been a big business. Now it's just out in the open.