SALT LAKE CITY — When it comes to the “#WeAreUnited” movement by Pac-12 football players, the longest-tenured coach in the conference noted it’s “interesting stuff that’s going on.”
The group’s list of demands, published initially by The Players Tribune, cover a variety of issues. Topics include COVID-19 protections, mandatory safety standards, the elimination of excessive expenditures, ending racial injustice in college sports and society, guaranteed medical expense coverage, name, image and likeness rights, as well as fair market pay, rights and freedoms.
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham acknowledged it’ll involve a decision-making situation that extends “far beyond” the coaches. He said it’ll be determined and hashed out by school presidents and the NCAA.
“College football is all about the players. I have a job because of players here. Our athletic director has a job because there are players here. We can never lose sight of that, but they are the main focus. They’re what it’s all about and they are the show. We are in the entertainment business and they are the show.” — Utah coach Kyle Whittingham
“College football is all about the players. I have a job because of players here. Our athletic director has a job because there are players here,” Whittingham continued. “We can never lose sight of that, but they are the main focus. They’re what it’s all about and they are the show. We are in the entertainment business and they are the show.
“I’m hoping that they can make progress and maybe get a few things that are lacking for them right now,” he said. “It’s a negotiation process and I’m sure that it’s going to be give-and-take.”
Whittingham is aware that some of the Utes are involved in the movement.
“I’m just proud of these guys for believing in something and getting involved,” he said before noting the role of coaches in the process. “We’ve just got to support our guys and not try to put a muzzle on them and just let them voice their opinions.”
Then the powers that be — presidents and the NCAA — will make determinations as to what can be agreed upon and what is really not plausible.
Junior offensive lineman Nick Ford has stepped forward to Utah, explaining his decision to take a leadership role for the team.
“I am a spokesperson for the University of Utah athletes who believe in points on the list,” Ford said in a Twitter post. “I did it to lead those who want to have a voice at this university.”
Those involved in the movement are emotionally invested, noted junior receiver Britain Covey.
“It brought to light a lot of the frustrations that players are feeling and the fact that there needs to be more communication with the players and the Pac-12, or the players and the NCAA,” said Covey, who added that Utah’s coaches and athletics director Mark Harlan have done a great job of keeping the Utes informed on things, testing protocols and keeping student-athletes safe through the pandemic.
As for many of the other issues associated with “WeAreUnited,” Covey sees progress being made.
“I do admire the players that stood for it,“ he said. “I think it was important and it could lead to a lot of things and better communication.”
Some headway has taken place. Harlan, in fact, was part of a group from the conference that met with the Pac-12 players about their demands. He noted that the leaders were walked through some of their health and safety concerns.
“We’re aligned in that and there’s nothing more important than that,” said Harlan, who noted that’s why the Pac-12 CEO Group ultimately decided to postpone fall sports. He’s impressed with the unity shown in that regard.
In making the announcement, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott explained that “the health, safety and well-being” of the student-athletes and those connected to the programs has been the top priority.
Scholarship perspective
Former Utah safety Steve Tate, who was on the Utah program from 2004-07, remembers not being able to afford insurance for he and his wife during his playing days.
Progress has been made since. The Pac-12 now gives student-athletes four years of post-eligibility care for sports injuries.
The “#WeAreUnited” demands involve extending insurance coverage to six years and includes COVID-19 protections.
“We’re in the midst of a pandemic and I can’t imagine these student-athletes not having just the necessary health insurance to be able to practice and not have the worry of contracting the virus and perhaps being hospitalized without health insurance,” Tate said. “So I think that’s not a small task to ask the NCAA. I think certainly some of those expectations or those demands are just happening. This is still college football.”
Even so, Tate admits that some of the other demands presented by the Pac-12 players approach the fine line between student-athletes and becoming minor professionals.
Robert Johnson, another former Utah safety, appreciates the COVID-19 concerns. It’s serious business, he related. So much so that the football season is on hold.
“The college players being together on this, to me, it’s about time that it happened,” said Johnson, who emphasized that scholarships are great but there are times when health concerns come to a crossroads of sorts — leading to a decision to play because of the commitment.
“I’m happy for the college kids to try to get together and try to make this a safer spot,” Johnson said. “This is not asking for money, this has more to do with are we safe?”
In the NFL, Johnson explained, the players association is pushing for safeguards.
“Now the college football players are trying to do the same thing,” said Johnson, who added that it doesn’t make sense with more than 100 players on a team to have more than 100 potential sources to catch the virus. “That’s the small print of that scholarship, where you never knew this was something that they don’t cover.”
Walk-on perspective
Sean O’Connell is a fighter. The former mixed martial arts light heavyweight champion, who retired after winning a $1 million tournament, also knows a thing for two about college football. He bookended a challenging walk-on stint at Utah during the Urban Meyer era with scholarship tenures at Southern Utah and Weber State.
Now a broadcaster, O’Connell hosts “Pac-12 Today” on Sirius XM Radio. He’s well-versed in conference matters, including the “#WeAreUnited” manifesto.
O’Connell said he had two reactions to the document.
“Half of me applauded the players and thought it was good that there’s a bunch of young men getting their voices heard,” O’Connell explained. “But I thought that they maybe received some unfortunate guidance or maybe even themselves didn’t do enough homework.”
Some of the things on the list were non-starters, he added, and were not included on a similar set of demands later posted by players in the Big Ten Conference — possibly making it impossible to achieve.
“That might have been a strategic decision when they said let’s ask for the world and then they’ll give us just a few of the reasonable things on this list,” said O’Connell, who added that it took some credibility away from an otherwise important document.
“Half of me applauded the players and thought it was good that there’s a bunch of young men getting their voices heard. But I thought that they maybe received some unfortunate guidance or maybe even themselves didn’t do enough homework.” — Sean O’Connell
The COVID-19 protections, he continued, are a no-brainer. Extended insurance coverage, too. O’Connell said it feels like the decent thing to do. Players get banged up playing football and often suffer from physical ailments in the years that follow.
For O’Connell, it’s been lower back issues — something that dates back to his playing days at Jordan High School. As such, he had no recourse to have it looked at despite any aggravation created by lifting weights or practicing at the collegiate level. The coverage, strictly limited to ongoing football activities, is probably not enough.
O’Connell noted that NFL insurance extends 5-10 years based on length of service after retirement.
“So maybe, depending on the cost, you see what kind of system you could put in place for college athletes,” said O’Connell, who suggested something like one month of coverage for every game a player suits up for in college.
The issue, O’Connell explained, must be looked at from both sides — including the long-term financial future of an athletic department.
“I think my biggest issue with this whole scenario — and obviously this comes from someone who was a walk-on — the assumption that a college scholarship, especially to a Pac-12 institution or a place like that, is worth zero dollars is insane to me,” O’Connell said. “And a lot of these demands operate under the assumption that like this multiyear scholarship, multiyear housing stipend, this multiyear meal plan, is worthless.
“Just because you’re not getting a traditional paycheck does not mean that you are uncompensated,” he added.
O’Connell said that was seemingly more appreciated in previous generations. The job market was probably better suited for it. Back in the day, he reasoned, being a college teammate of Alex Smith was probably worth an employment interview or two.
“Division I college athletes have a way better deal than their regular student counterparts,” O’Connell said. “And there’s really no way that you tell the tale differently. You just can’t.”
Scholarship athletes have their school expenses covered including books, tutors and study hall. In exchange, he explained, they have to work for the school in a sport they profess to love.
As a walk-on at Utah, O’Connell worked as a bouncer at a bar until 2 or 3 in the morning just so he could play football.
“So all these guys that pretend they love it so much, then why is a scholarship not good enough for you?” he said. “It drives me insane when we talk about the average college athlete being undervalued.”
O’Connell noted that they are fairly compensated with that scholarship. However, he believes that guys like former Utah standouts Zack Moss and Tyler Huntley deserve a chance to capitalize additionally on name, image and likeness because of their star power and attention they bring to the program.
Those are exceptions, though. O’Connell emphasized the overall value of a scholarship is worth thousands of dollars to all. As a walk-on with the Utes, NCAA rules prohibited him from even eating the team meal. That has since changed, but back then it was an NCAA violation for walk-ons to get free food. Although far from ideal, O’Connell acknowledged knowing he had signed up for at the time.
“At the end of the day — scholarship guys, walk-ons — everyone is there voluntarily. No one is forcing these people to be there,” he said. “The chance to get an education for free is just something that we have to stop pretending is worthless.”
An open battle
Social media has altered the landscape. It’s allowed almost anyone to be heard and solicit quick responses to questions. The “#WeAreUnited” movement includes much more than health concerns. Many other topics need and are expected to be addressed as well. Given the pandemic, though, player safety is garnering a lot of extra attention — especially with three of the Power Five conferences (ACC, Big 12 and SEC) deciding to go ahead with football.
“Before we didn’t have that. We didn’t have a voice like that, like these athletes do now. Social media has changed everything. Social media has changed politics.” — Steve Tate
Debates are ongoing and quite public.
“Keep in mind everyone has a voice now. Everyone has a voice. Everyone has social media. Everyone has Twitter. We didn’t have that. So our voices were only allowed with what the press, the media would give us,” Tate said. “Every player has a mic in front of their phone. Every player has the opportunity to speak out and form these unions and form these group of athletes that feel the same.
“Before we didn’t have that. We didn’t have a voice like that, like these athletes do now. Social media has changed everything. Social media has changed politics,” he added. “It’s changed sports and whether or not this was one of the reasons for the Pac-12 kind of calling the season off I don’t know. But it certainly puts the pressure on the Pac-12 that they probably didn’t anticipate gearing up for this fall season.”