FRISCO, Texas — TCU head coach Sonny Dykes wants college football to look a lot more like the NFL when it comes to who can compete for championships — and he says controlling NIL spending and enforcing revenue sharing will be key to making that happen.
Speaking at Big 12 Media Days on Wednesday at Ford Center at The Star, Dykes said college football needs a framework that helps level the playing field, giving more teams a realistic shot at contending deep into the season.
“What makes the NFL great is there are probably 16 or 18 teams that have a legitimate chance to win a Super Bowl every year,” Dykes said. “Is that the case in college football? No, it’s certainly not. We need to have as much parity in the game as we can possibly have.”
Dykes said revenue sharing is a step in the right direction, but controlling how NIL money is used — and enforcing rules around it — is equally important.
“My hope is that we develop a system that operates at a high level and punishes people that need to be punished,” Dykes said. “It’s a great time for the game right now. Players are being compensated, they have freedom to make decisions that benefit them and their families, and it’s about time they had those opportunities. But we all need to do what’s best for the game and the kids.”
While he was candid about the big-picture challenges facing college football, Dykes was upbeat about what he sees from his own TCU roster heading into the fall.
“I like this team. I really do,” Dykes said. “We have guys that are mature, unselfish and really committed to not letting their teammate down. They love each other, they love playing at TCU and living in Fort Worth. It’s just a fun team to coach.”
Dykes was especially complimentary of quarterback Josh Hoover, who stepped in as the Horned Frogs’ starter last season and will lead the offense again this fall.
“That’s what Josh does better than anything — he brings out the best in everybody,” Dykes said. “He’s incredibly unselfish. The guys love him and know that he cares more about them than he does himself. That’s pretty special in today’s world, and I think he’s going to have a big year.”
As the Horned Frogs try to bounce back and compete in a deep Big 12, Dykes said his focus remains on building a program where trust, accountability and a level playing field can still win out.