BYU football鈥檚 groundbreaking NIL deal is the future of collegiate athletics
PROVO, Utah (BVM) 鈥� The landscape of collegiate athletics is evolving before our very eyes. Just hours after the adopted a long-awaited policy change that allows college athletes to have the opportunity to benefit from their name, image and likeness beginning on July 1, the first deals were struck.
From Fresno State basketball Hanna and Haley Cavinder becoming spokeswomen for Boost Mobile to Alabama quarterback Bryce Young raking in nearly before ever starting a game for the Crimson Tide, high-profile collegiate athletes have finally begun cashing in on their NIL rights.
But even the walk-ons at one Division I football program have been able to reap the benefits of this new reality. Nick Billoups is a walk-on quarterback at BYU who knows exactly how his experience differs from that of a scholarship player.
鈥淏eing a walk-on is pretty hard,鈥� Billoups said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e trying to get on the field at whatever position you are, kind of knowing that you鈥檙e a backup or last option. Sometimes it鈥檚 not what you want to do, because of course you want to play, but it鈥檚 kind of just all a part of the process of being a Division I football player.
鈥淚t鈥檚 for sure a hard lifestyle.鈥�
BYU Athletics and its corporate partner 鈥� producer of protein and energy products — recently made the life of Billoups and his teammates much easier in the form of a groundbreaking NIL deal. A total of 123 football players, including 36 walk-ons, have entered into an agreement directly with Built in which players will wear Built branding on their practice helmets and participate in experiential events.
Built鈥檚 individual NIL agreements with BYU players include compensation to all members of the team, including compensation to all walk-on players in the amount comparable to the costs of tuition for the academic year.
鈥淔rom the beginning of the NIL discussion, my hope was that changes to NCAA rules and regulations would provide a pathway forward for all players to benefit more fully from their name, image, and likeness, especially walk-ons who sacrifice so much to make our program great,鈥� BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said in a.
鈥淲hen Nick Greer (Built co-founder) called to tell me that Built was committed to entering into NIL deals which would pay our walk-ons enough money to cover their tuition for the full academic year, I could not hold back my emotions. I love these boys, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude to be partnering with a company that is equally committed to assisting BYU football in building a culture of love and learning while enhancing the experience for all players.鈥�
The day was perhaps most special to Billoups who was introduced by Greer as Built鈥檚 employee No. 1.
https://twitter.com/BYUfootball/status/1425853761713434625
Just moments before he was told that he would have his tuition paid for and was swarmed by his Cougar teammates, Billoups said he was nervous to be called down in front of the team. Having just recently joined the program after entering the NCAA Transfer Portal, he still felt like the new guy.
鈥淗e (Greer) called me up and I was like 鈥楯eez, he鈥檚 probably just picking on me. Why me? I鈥檓 the new guy鈥�,鈥� Billoups said. 鈥淥nce he told me he wanted to make me employee No. 1 and wanted to pay for my tuition, my heart dropped; I didn鈥檛 expect that at all.
鈥淎ll my teammates were cheering for me and it was just an unreal feeling. It was a super emotional day for everybody, my family and even all the other walk-ons. It takes a lot off my family and I really appreciate what they did for me.鈥�
Beyond humbled, a lot of soul searching last two years, a lot of unexplained lows, Thank God for sending the right people around me for never stop speaking of me, Coach, my family loves you, I鈥檓 speechless You believed in me, Let鈥檚 Go
— Nick Billoups (@_nickbilloups)
It was certainly a high point for Billoups after a couple of years filled with 鈥渦nexplained lows.鈥�
The San Clemente, California native compiled 1,486 total yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior at San Clemente High School, but a postseason run was cut short after the Tritons were . Billoups, however, was able to play in the Orange County North South All-Star game in 2020 where he earned MVP honors for the South squad.
But what Billoups鈥� impressive high school career didn鈥檛 net him were any Division I scholarship offers.
鈥淭hat was just the only upsetting part,鈥� Billoups said. 鈥淚 was balling in high school and having a great time, but I just didn鈥檛 have those college offers that I saw some of my peers had; it was pretty depressing.鈥�
“I can spin the ball as good as these guys, I go to all the camps and I bring something else; I bring my feet, I can run. So I was like if anybody should be getting offers or looked at, it should be me.”
Billoups landed as a walk-on quarterback at the University of Utah for the , but the Utes鈥� coaching staff deemed his skillset to be more useful at another position. By the time spring football rolled around, Billoups was one of 10 safeties on Utah鈥檚 roster.
鈥淭hey (Utah staff) told me 鈥榃e want you to go to free safety; we think you鈥檇 be a good choice鈥�,鈥� Billoups said. 鈥淭hat was another low for me because that was almost heartbreaking to put so much time and money into (playing) quarterback and then to be told they think you鈥檒l be better somewhere else.鈥�
Somethings…
— Nick Billoups (@_nickbilloups)
Billoups entered the transfer portal in May at the conclusion of Utah鈥檚 spring ball and soon after felt wanted by BYU and offensive coordinator/QBs coach Aaron Roderick. BYU signee Preston Rex was a high school teammate of Billoups and San Clemente is an area Roderick has recruited extensively during his time with the Cougars.
Exactly one week into fall camp in Provo, Billoups found out he would have his tuition paid for, something that appeared to be a long shot just a year or two prior.
None of this would鈥檝e been possible without NCAA changes to its NIL policy. The future of collegiate sports is now here, and Billoups is here for it.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 great because these schools make so much money off of our names, the football teams and all the different sports,鈥� Billoups said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e generating all the money so we should get a part of it. It鈥檚 pretty dope.鈥�
