What will it take to keep him? Assume good NIL deal is base case.

Does NIL still keep him here if we are G5?

Would being in the ACC be sufficient?

Or is it B1G or bust?

What's the calculation? It sucks that this is what we have to think about instead of being excited for the season.

I'm far from knowledgeable, but to me, it's hard to imagine being able to keep Ott or any of the many other NIL-worthy players on the roster if we can't find a home in the B1G or ACC (or, in theory I suppose, the Big12 or SEC). But without a home in one of the "Power 4" I think all the stars move elsewhere.

Just one of the many reasons we simply have to find a Power 4 landing spot, and sooner rather than later.

zorbarick said:

---

I'm far from knowledgeable, but to me, it's hard to imagine being able to keep Ott or any of the many other NIL-worthy players on the roster if we can't find a home in the B1G or ACC (or, in theory I suppose, the Big12 or SEC). But without a home in one of the "Power 4" I think all the stars move elsewhere.

Just one of the many reasons we simply have to find a Power 4 landing spot, and sooner rather than later.

---

I think many if not most will stay if we can rebuild the Pac as a Power 5 school by adding at least 2 teams but preferably 4 teams for 2024-2025: SDSU, SMU, Tulane, Rice are worthy of P-5.

southseasbear said:

---

zorbarick said:

---

I'm far from knowledgeable, but to me, it's hard to imagine being able to keep Ott or any of the many other NIL-worthy players on the roster if we can't find a home in the B1G or ACC (or, in theory I suppose, the Big12 or SEC). But without a home in one of the "Power 4" I think all the stars move elsewhere.

Just one of the many reasons we simply have to find a Power 4 landing spot, and sooner rather than later.

---

I think many if not most will stay if we can rebuild the Pac as a Power 5 school by adding at least 2 teams but preferably 4 teams for 2024-2025: SDSU, SMU, Tulane, Rice are worthy of P-5.

---

Rice is absolutely not worthy of P5, 20K attendance is pitiful. It's much more likely that our football program devolves to their level rather than the other way around.

zorbarick said:

---

I'm far from knowledgeable, but to me, it's hard to imagine being able to keep Ott or any of the many other NIL-worthy players on the roster if we can't find a home in the B1G or ACC (or, in theory I suppose, the Big12 or SEC). But without a home in one of the "Power 4" I think all the stars move elsewhere.

Just one of the many reasons we simply have to find a Power 4 landing spot, and sooner rather than later.

---

This. There will be plenty of players that will be able to attract some level of NIL after the season. Ott maybe the most, but there will be others.

He gone.

How many players get into more than four games will be something to watch for.

If we can't maintain relevance I'm not sure any individual player will make a difference. Let's enjoy this season, with Ott and all of the other great players. This may be our last hurrah for a while.

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Jaydn and he was extremely high on the Cal degree at the time and seemed aligned with the "40 year decision".
I have a hard time believing he will leave next year unless we are completely non existent. Even in the AAC or MWC I don't see him leaving without that piece of paper. As for NIL he is getting good coin here.
The more realistic scenario is he graduates in 3 and declares after next season. Playing a bunch of cupcakes your final year is actually to his advantage re draft stock

CNHTH said:

---

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Jaydn and he was extremely high on the Cal degree at the time and seemed aligned with the "40 year decision".
I have a hard time believing he will leave next year unless we are completely non existent. Even in the AAC or MWC I don't see him leaving without that piece of paper. As for NIL he is getting good coin here.
The more realistic scenario is he graduates in 3 and declares after next season. Playing a bunch of cupcakes your final year is actually to his advantage re draft stock

---

That's an extremely risky move for a talented athlete. If he stays in G5, he would need to get lucky like Josh Allen to get national exposure and a high draft pick

Nobody signed up to fund NIL for GO5 or some ****ty fake version of the P12. That money and those existing deals will evaporate. Frankly, the entire NIL program will fold

Nobody signed up to play GO5 for free. Ott and just about every other good player will be gone.

DoubtfulBear said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

zorbarick said:

---

I'm far from knowledgeable, but to me, it's hard to imagine being able to keep Ott or any of the many other NIL-worthy players on the roster if we can't find a home in the B1G or ACC (or, in theory I suppose, the Big12 or SEC). But without a home in one of the "Power 4" I think all the stars move elsewhere.

Just one of the many reasons we simply have to find a Power 4 landing spot, and sooner rather than later.

---

I think many if not most will stay if we can rebuild the Pac as a Power 5 school by adding at least 2 teams but preferably 4 teams for 2024-2025: SDSU, SMU, Tulane, Rice are worthy of P-5.

---

Rice is absolutely not worthy of P5, 20K attendance is pitiful. It's much more likely that our football program devolves to their level rather than the other way around.

---

The advantages of adding Rice is that it gives a travel partner/counterpart for SMU (which is a legitimate P5 team) and it has solid academic credentials (which is important to both Cal and Stanford).

southseasbear said:

---

DoubtfulBear said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

zorbarick said:

---

I'm far from knowledgeable, but to me, it's hard to imagine being able to keep Ott or any of the many other NIL-worthy players on the roster if we can't find a home in the B1G or ACC (or, in theory I suppose, the Big12 or SEC). But without a home in one of the "Power 4" I think all the stars move elsewhere.

Just one of the many reasons we simply have to find a Power 4 landing spot, and sooner rather than later.

---

I think many if not most will stay if we can rebuild the Pac as a Power 5 school by adding at least 2 teams but preferably 4 teams for 2024-2025: SDSU, SMU, Tulane, Rice are worthy of P-5.

---

Rice is absolutely not worthy of P5, 20K attendance is pitiful. It's much more likely that our football program devolves to their level rather than the other way around.

---

The advantages of adding Rice is that it gives a travel partner/counterpart for SMU (which is a legitimate P5 team) and it has solid academic credentials (which is important to both Cal and Stanford).

---

We need to give up this balancing act of academics and athletics. In fact we already can since we'll use the Berkeley brand for our academic prestige and focus the Cal brand on athletic excellence. For a football conference focused on athletics, we should add SDSU, Fresno State, Tulane, and SMU. Leave Rice to be the lone nerd school in Texas.

Unit2Sucks said:

---

If we can't maintain relevance I'm not sure any individual player will make a difference. Let's enjoy this season, with Ott and all of the other great players. This may be our last hurrah for a while.

---

Agree. As an Old Blue, growing tired of the non stop speculation that in reality, is out of our hands. This season, however, is IN our hands if we come out and support the many players that will not be a part of 2024 for one reason or another. I need to focus and grow excited for THIS season since there are so many "last times" and memories at stake. Go Bears!

southseasbear said:

---

DoubtfulBear said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

zorbarick said:

---

I'm far from knowledgeable, but to me, it's hard to imagine being able to keep Ott or any of the many other NIL-worthy players on the roster if we can't find a home in the B1G or ACC (or, in theory I suppose, the Big12 or SEC). But without a home in one of the "Power 4" I think all the stars move elsewhere.

Just one of the many reasons we simply have to find a Power 4 landing spot, and sooner rather than later.

---

I think many if not most will stay if we can rebuild the Pac as a Power 5 school by adding at least 2 teams but preferably 4 teams for 2024-2025: SDSU, SMU, Tulane, Rice are worthy of P-5.

---

Rice is absolutely not worthy of P5, 20K attendance is pitiful. It's much more likely that our football program devolves to their level rather than the other way around.

---

The advantages of adding Rice is that it gives a travel partner/counterpart for SMU (which is a legitimate P5 team) and it has solid academic credentials (which is important to both Cal and Stanford).

---

What is the stupidity of caring about academic credentials? What exactly is the downside risk of surrounding yourself with "lessor" schools who bring a good brand of competition to sports? Wouldn't our brand around academics be brighter if all others weren't just like us? This entire academic arrogance argument just smacks of elitism. Makes us look stupid and like we deserve our current lot. Fund the *********AD and pay the players like you want to win. There is no other way. Let the fans worry about the 40 year decision. Let the players play for their NFL future.

CNHTH said:

---

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Jaydn and he was extremely high on the Cal degree at the time and seemed aligned with the "40 year decision".
I have a hard time believing he will leave next year unless we are completely non existent. Even in the AAC or MWC I don't see him leaving without that piece of paper. As for NIL he is getting good coin here.
The more realistic scenario is he graduates in 3 and declares after next season. Playing a bunch of cupcakes your final year is actually to his advantage re draft stock

---

Is it?

Every RB chosen in the first 6 rounds of this year's NFL draft is from a power-conference team, with one exception, a 3rd round pick who played at Tulane, who beat USC in the Cotton Bowl and finished the season ranked in the top 10.

"The advantages of adding Rice is that it gives a travel partner/counterpart for SMU (which is a legitimate P5 team) and it has solid academic credentials (which is important to both Cal and Stanford)."

What gives you the impression that SMU is a legitimate P5 team?

We read news article realignment hype and message boards gushing that they are in the Dallas market. And recently that they have plenty of rich donors and are willing to take zero media money. Their academics are good.

Here's their W/L records. Basically Hawaii has a better or similar W/L during that time frame as well as MWC schools.

What is "P5" but a figment of your imagination? Or a birthright due to location?


2022 7-6
2021 8-4
2020 7-3
2019 10-3 (Hawaii was also 10-5 and had three 1,000 yrd receivers and a 4th with 900 yrds)

2018 5-7
2017 7-6
2016 5-7
2015 2-10

2014 1-11 (Hawaii's ex coach June Jones, sorry)
2013 5-7
2012 7-6
2011 8-5
2010 7-7
2009 8-5 (first bowl game in decades, since getting the death penalty)

2008 1-11


Definitely trending upwards. But I don't see multiple conference championships, BCS busting, multiple top 25 finishes. I think they are somehow a media darling.

Calfan92 said:

---

He gone.

---

The career of a running back is a short one. If we could offer him competitive NIL, he might well stay for 2024. The problem is, if we end up in a lesser conference, the NIL is likely to dry up. If some other school is going to offer him, say, 500k and we can't come anywhere close to that, forget it. Heck, I would advise my own son to leave, if that were the case.

Even before the NIL business whenever Cal had a really good player there would immediately be posts on Bear Insider moaning that we could not keep him, he would be transferring, etc. This has been going on for years, posters pushing out players (hopefully they don't read the board). So Cal has no attraction for them, it's only money or other things? It sounds like Cal is just holding on to these players with a shoe string and any slight problem will send them out the door. Why do you think Cal is such a bad place to be, because that is what it sounds like? When all this mess settles then we'll see what happens. In the meantime they are here and let's enjoy their play.

DoubtfulBear said:

---

CNHTH said:

---

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Jaydn and he was extremely high on the Cal degree at the time and seemed aligned with the "40 year decision".
I have a hard time believing he will leave next year unless we are completely non existent. Even in the AAC or MWC I don't see him leaving without that piece of paper. As for NIL he is getting good coin here.
The more realistic scenario is he graduates in 3 and declares after next season. Playing a bunch of cupcakes your final year is actually to his advantage re draft stock

---

That's an extremely risky move for a talented athlete. If he stays in G5, he would need to get lucky like Josh Allen to get national exposure and a high draft pick

---

The NFL has always found good players if they have the physical attributes and put up big numbers anywhere. Marshall Faulk was the #2 pick out of SDSU. The Niners drafted Trey Lance #3 out of North Dakota State.

The bigger question will be the mood around the program and where he might want to play another year of college ball. If Cal is related to the G5 and we play uninspiring opponents, many teammates could leave and fans could stay home. Playing in the B1G and getting a UCLA degree might look like a better option.

CNHTH said:

---

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Jaydn and he was extremely high on the Cal degree at the time and seemed aligned with the "40 year decision".
I have a hard time believing he will leave next year unless we are completely non existent. Even in the AAC or MWC I don't see him leaving without that piece of paper. As for NIL he is getting good coin here.
The more realistic scenario is he graduates in 3 and declares after next season. Playing a bunch of cupcakes your final year is actually to his advantage re draft stock

---

Agreed with your assessment of Jaydn - truly a special Golden Bear, definitely the leader on the offensive side of the ball. Very mature for his class and players listen to him as he sets an example with his actions and commitment, both on and off the field. He will play 3 years in college and then will definitely move onto the NFL. He will have earned his degree as well. Jaydn will want to be compensated in line with RB's of his level, for sure next season. So while He is well compensated this season via NIL, He did turn down substantially higher monies elsewhere. Assuming an 1,000+ yards gained, additional monies will need to be raised. However with the anticipated support for him, the likelihood of Jaydn transferring to another university is extremely low. There is tremendous mutual respect amongst the coaches (loves his position coach) and Jaydn and the players follow His lead.

CALiforniALUM said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

DoubtfulBear said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

zorbarick said:

---

I'm far from knowledgeable, but to me, it's hard to imagine being able to keep Ott or any of the many other NIL-worthy players on the roster if we can't find a home in the B1G or ACC (or, in theory I suppose, the Big12 or SEC). But without a home in one of the "Power 4" I think all the stars move elsewhere.

Just one of the many reasons we simply have to find a Power 4 landing spot, and sooner rather than later.

---

I think many if not most will stay if we can rebuild the Pac as a Power 5 school by adding at least 2 teams but preferably 4 teams for 2024-2025: SDSU, SMU, Tulane, Rice are worthy of P-5.

---

Rice is absolutely not worthy of P5, 20K attendance is pitiful. It's much more likely that our football program devolves to their level rather than the other way around.

---

The advantages of adding Rice is that it gives a travel partner/counterpart for SMU (which is a legitimate P5 team) and it has solid academic credentials (which is important to both Cal and Stanford).

---

What is the stupidity of caring about academic credentials? What exactly is the downside risk of surrounding yourself with "lessor" schools who bring a good brand of competition to sports? Wouldn't our brand around academics be brighter if all others weren't just like us? This entire academic arrogance argument just smacks of elitism. Makes us look stupid and like we deserve our current lot. Fund the *********AD and pay the players like you want to win. There is no other way. Let the fans worry about the 40 year decision. Let the players play for their NFL future.

---

Stanford cares. I'd rather be in a conference with them than with Boise or Fresno. Perhaps you disagree. That is your right.