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Greetings from "Can't Wait For Saturday," your morning morsel of college football, courtesy of longtime Illini beat writer, AP Top 25 voter and Heisman state rep Bob Asmussen. He'll give you his views each day on the game he loves.
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My promise is to never complain, gripe, whine, etc. about the payments athletes receive for name, image and likeness. I am totally on their side in a system that for too long the schools received more value from the athletes than they gave out.
How much money in ticket revenue, merchandise sales, TV revenue, everything did Dee Brown produce for Illinois? And Deron Williams? And the Flyin' Illini? Those numbers are too great for my tiny brain to comprehend.
Now comes the correction, adjustment, make-do, whatever you want to call it.
Former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was all set to the give the NFL a shot. He is a fine player who certainly would have had a great chance to make an NFL team.
But, he had a year of college eligibility left and a team willing to pay for him to use it at its place. For a reported $4 million.
That's what the folks in Miami are forking over after being left out of the 2024 College Football Playoff. Having Beck on the team as Cam Ward's replacement makes Miami a strong contender for the 2025 CFP.
Ward had a great final season with the Hurricanes, becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist. He is a likely early pick in the upcoming NFL draft.
Beck was THE Heisman favorite going into the 2024 season. But the hype didn't match his production as he threw way too many interceptions.
He got banged up late in the season and wasn't able to play in Georgia's CFP loss to Notre Dame.
The extra season in college gives Beck a chance to climb the 2026 NFL draft board while making some NFL-like money.
Good luck to Beck. The high salary will make him a target for some if he struggles.
We will find out right away if Beck is worth the investment. The Hurricanes open the season Aug. 30 at home against ... Notre Dame.