Boise State and other Group of Six college football programs are currently struggling to retain elite athletes amid the rise of revenue sharing and the transfer portal. While financial gaps persist between these schools and the Power Four,some coaches are leveraging team culture to keep stars in place.
The $13 million revenue gap at Boise State
Boise State is currently navigating a new financial landscape where its revenue share figure sits near $13 million, a sum that the source notes pales in comparison to the most expensive rosters in the country. Despite this disparity, head coach Spencer Danielson is emphasizing on-field parity. According to the report, Danielson argues that regardless of resources, games against elite opponents like Oregon, Washington, Penn State,and Notre Dame still come down to eleven players on each side.
This philosophy helped Boise State retain star tailback Ashton Jeanty, who remained with the program despite intense interest from across the country. The Boise State leadership team, including offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan and athletics director Jeramiah Dickey, focused on the program's history of success and its pursuit of a second College Football Playoff berth in three years to secure Jeanty's commitment.
Six-figure offers and the exodus to LSU and Texas A&M
The financial pressure on Group of Six programs has turned roster management into a stark lesson in capitalism.. As the report says, some players are departing for Power Four programs lured by offers reaching well into the six figures. For instance, Tulsa coach Tre Lamb witnessed a linebacker leave for Texas A&M and a tight end depart for Louisville due to these high-value financial incentives.
Other programs have seen similar drains of talent driven by cash . Boise State lost its top cornerback, Ty Benefield, to LSU, while New Mexico coach Jason Eck—reflecting on his time with the Idaho Vandals—noted the loss of a tight end to Cal, a punter to Florida State, and a long snapper to Texas. This trend suggests that for many athletes, the prestige and payroll of the Power Four now outweigh the loyalty or development offered by smaller programs.
How Ryan Carty and Jason Eck pivot to high school evaluation
To counter the loss of established stars, some Group of Six coaches are shifting their focus toward better high school evaluation. Delaware head coach Ryan Carty, who maintained high production after a 7-6 debut season in the FBS, suggests that the current era has created a false assumption that all top players are looking to leave. Carty believes that players who find the right environment may realize they already possess the opportunities they would otherwise seek in the portal.
There is a growing belief among these coaches that the Power Four's heavy relinace on the transfer portal has inadvertently created a vacuum in high school recruiting. By ignoring some high school prospects in favor of immediate portal upgrades, elite programs may be leaving the door open for Group of Six schools to sign more talented freshmen who can be developed over four years, rather than bought in the offseason.
Who determines the 'market price' for a G6 star?
While the report highlights the impact of "six-figure offers," it leaves several critical questions unanswered regarding the mechanics of these payments. It remains unclear whether these funds are coming directly from university revenue sharing or through third-party NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) collectives, which often operate with varying levels of transparency. Furthermore, the source does not specify how the $13 million revenue share at Boise State is distributed among the roster or if there are caps on individual player payouts.
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