If folks think Barnhart is the biggest problem with NIL, then they don’t understand what it takes to have a successful NIL collective in place.
If you look at Tennessee as an example, the single most important people, by far, are folks like Hunter Baddour. It was Baddour who got the boosters onboard, put in the effort to sell the idea to fans, got the administration onboard with the idea of closer coordination with the collective, and who drove the initial discussions with legislators to change Tennessee state law.
The single most important factor is having someone competent running the collective who is also willing to make it more than a full time job.
Beyond those running the collectives, it will always be the head coaches who bear the burden of fundraising. Ryan Day is the one who has to do the heavy lifting for Ohio State. It wasn’t Gene Smith and it isn’t Ross Bjork. Boosters want to hear from the head coaches much more than the ADs. Anything the ADs do are largely token gestures.
That’s just the way things work in reality. Barnhart could come out publicly singing the praises of NIL and it isn’t going to chance much. You have to have good people running the collective the can sell the idea to boosters, head coaches willing to put in the effort and a fan base willing to support it. Athletics Directors play a much smaller role.