This has some original reporting that adds to it
…there was no written contract because the money was contingent on him winning the starting job and making NIL contingent is illegal under current NIL rules. Wild.
One of the few parts of the current "NIL" that is truly NIL. If you pay someone for an autograph because of the school they attend, it's not NIL. It's simply signed memorabilia. You can pay for the autograph tho, and the player should be able to be paid for it. But you can't say you want the money back if they switch institutions.
IF these coaches and programs want an athlete's face representing them on the field, then they need to pay them for it. The players and coaches need to honor the contracts. Contracts and promises alike need to be secured after the player is committed and it should be called what it is "pay for play." The schools should have no part in NIL. THE PLAYERS should secure their own endorsements.
That should also mean coaches need to sign the contracts and stay at the schools or pay a negotiated portion of the unfulfilled (paid but not played) money of the players' contracts that signed with the coach and program but transferred because the coach left. Stop this musical chairs bullsht by both coaches and players.
For that matter, make the universities honor their contracts with coaches unless the coaches violate rules or resign or truly retire. Tired of these inflated contracts and firing coaches that still have ridiculous long term contracts in place. You don't like the results? Don't sign a coach to a 4 or 7 year deal after 1 yr of success...
Not saying any of this will happen. It's a cluster fk right now though