Texas A&M’s athletes raked in a staggering $51.4 M in NIL deals from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, according to the Bryan-College Station Eagle. And the vast majority, $49.2 M, went to men’s sports, leaving just $2.2 M for women’s programs. However, the Aggies nearly tripled their NIL earnings from the previous year, when athletes pulled in $19.4 M, signaling a massive boost in opportunities and market value for Texas A&M’s student-athletes. And now, the Texas A&M AD delivers a game-changing NIL announcement.
Well, Texas A&M Athletic Director Trev Alberts has been quick to adapt to the shifting CFB landscape, especially following the House vs. NCAA settlement. After replacing Ross Bjork, who left for OSU in spring 2024, Alberts made sweeping changes across the department. Now entering his second full season, he’s focused on turning the university’s financial power into consistent wins. So, with the 2025 season just 16 days away, Alberts has made a headline-grabbing announcement signaling a big leap for the program.
On August 14, during an appearance on TexAgs, Alberts was asked if there was anything new in terms of educating or supporting athletes. He laid it out clearly. “Yeah. So, two different things. First and foremost, Jonathan Wallace has been in our department before. And he was, and he continues to be, really focused on the NIL space and working through a lot of the education. And a lot of, you know, we’ve got a partnership with the Mays School of Business on financial literacy and all those kinds of things. We offer lots of services. Of course, I’ll just be totally transparent. Some of them do not take advantage of that. It’s hard to force people, but we feel like it’s our responsibility to make those resources available.” So, Alberts’ approach combines education, resources, and transparency, ensuring athletes know support is there even if not everyone takes full advantage. But that’s just the beginning; there’s more to come.
Alberts also highlighted a big move in NIL support, introducing Zac Phillips to the team. “Zac was the senior counsel at PlayFly. He actually was on the ground that helped to create Playfly Max… Obviously, the focus first is with football, but all of our sports is to grow fair market value NIL for our student-athletes. It organically grows your cap, right?” added Alberts. Honestly, this move signals Texas A&M’s commitment to giving athletes both guidance and opportunities to thrive off the field. So, Alberts emphasized the strategy behind the move.
“That’s the piece that we need to leverage and be really good at. And so we made the investment of bringing Zac in-house. He’s been here about two weeks now, and he moved here from Philadelphia. And so we’ve added to the firepower in that spot. So I think, again, we’ve first got to get the deals, and then secondly, in-house, have the support on the back end on things like tax preparation, all those kinds of things. I feel good about the support that we have there in that area,” said the Texas A&M AD.
In short, with this in-house team, Texas A&M is not just chasing deals; they’re building a full support system to maximize NIL opportunities while keeping student-athletes covered off the field. But while Alberts remains optimistic about NIL, Texas A&M’s HC cautioned about potential long-term risks in the NIL era.
Texas A&M HC issues a powerful message
Texas A&M HC Mike Elko isn’t mincing words about the dark side of CFB’s new era. Speaking candidly at his spring press conference, Elko warned that the NIL craze isn’t just chaotic; it could stunt young players’ growth for years to come. “I think I heard somebody, I think it was Kirby [Smart], say that the long-term ramifications of this. When we look back at this period of what the development of young people looks like ten years from now. I think we’re going to be really embarrassed with what that actually looks like,” stated Elko. So, his message was clear: excitement and opportunity come with serious consequences if the sport doesn’t strike a balance.
Now, Elko’s comments, echoing Kirby Smart, highlight a growing chorus of top coaches raising alarms. NIL and transfer freedom may be overdue rights for players, but the lack of guardrails has created a wild landscape. Simply put, short-term gain often trumps long-term development, leaving programs and players at risk.
“Everyone believes that the system currently is not working, and it’s not good for anybody,” said Elko. But with NCAA reform looming and settlements like House v. NCAA shaking the landscape, quick fixes seem unlikely. For now, coaches must navigate the chaos while preparing athletes for both football and life beyond the field.
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