Nick Saban raised more than a few eyebrows this month when he said he’s concerned name, image and likeness deals will disrupt college football’s parity. In particular, he sighted in on collectives brokering pay-for-play recruiting inducements.
A sign of the sport’s parity, Saban said, is that all FBS programs are permitted to award up to 85 scholarships. But many have wondered how the Alabama coach could think this sport enjoys parity when SEC teams have won 12 of the past 16 national championships, including six titles by Saban’s Crimson Tide.
Before rebuffing Saban’s comments, though, it’s worth examining this parity debate from multiple angles.