Texas coach Steve Sarkisian didn't hold back while discussing one of college football's biggest offseason issues. With tampering still a major topic across the sport, he questioned whether the NCAA can enforce its own rules.

Speaking on The Stampede podcast, Sarkisian discussed the state of college athletics as programs enter the second year of revenue sharing. He said schools have little protection under the current system, making enforcement difficult.

“We're living in a lawless society, unfortunately, and that's not good,” Sarkisian said. "We can't enforce our own rules. There are no consequences right now.”

He said the biggest problem isn't the rules themselves, but the lack of consequences when they're broken. Sarkisian also pointed to tampering as the clearest example of that frustration.

“I don't want to be worried about my fourth wide receiver getting talked to by another school's coach in pregame warmups,” Sarkisian said on the latest episode of The Stampede (YouTube @THE STAMPEDE). “'Hey, come transfer here at the end of the season. You're not playing there anyway.' Those are the things, like, if you do those things, there's got to be consequences for breaking rules.”

The issue has become a major topic during SEC Media Days, especially after commissioner Greg Sankey acknowledged conversations about the future structure of college athletics. 

Ultimately, Sarkisian believes the debate comes down to whether college football can effectively govern itself. While the on-field product remains strong, he argued the sport needs rules that carry real consequences.

Sarkisian wasn't the only SEC coach to address the issue this week. 

Pete Golding pushes back on tampering criticism

According to a report from David Wasson of Saturday Down South, Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding responded to criticism surrounding the Rebels' recruitment of transfer Luke Ferrelli.

Golding questioned whether recruiting has ever operated under a truly level playing field.

"What have we created? Let's not act like recruiting in college football for the last 100 years is the most moral thing. What are we talking about here?" Golding said.

He added that programs are simply trying to operate within the current system, even if coaches continue to criticize one another publicly.

"You don't think other ADs are calling us during the year? The same ones that are b******* about all this stuff are the same ones calling coaches to come to other schools, so it's everywhere in every profession,” Golding added. “I am not saying I have all the answers."

Golding made those comments after Clemson coach Dabo Swinney accused Ole Miss of tampering in Ferrelli's recruitment.

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Written by

Evince Das

Edited by

Rudra Dubey