Track and field coaches prepare for worst amid sweeping changes in college sports

The landscape of college sports changed forever when the name, image and likeness rules were introduced. For the first time, athletes were able to earn money by signing advertising agreements with companies.

The NIL era was a tumultuous one as players regularly entered the transfer portal in search of as much money as possible. This has led to some of the country’s top coaches deciding to resign rather than adapt to the new rules.

While the Mike Krzyzewskis of the world had the opportunity to retire, some coaches fear their jobs could be in jeopardy due to budget cuts.

A new legal agreement being developed will allow universities to share revenue with athletes for the first time. This appears to benefit all sports, but 95 percent of the debt that comes from the settlement is expected to go to football and men’s and women’s basketball.

If budgets are cut, it will not be at the expense of more profitable sports. Instead, Olympic sports such as track and field and cross-country may end up on the chopping block.

In some schools, existing at all can be a problem. That was a concern that USA Athletics CEO Max Siegel and organization president Vin Lananna expressed in a letter the day the settlement was filed.

“The threat of potential cuts to the NCAA looms grimly over sports like athletics, which boasts the world’s most robust high school and collegiate programs,” the letter, which was obtained by Runner’s World. “The ability to compete at the collegiate level in programs of the same caliber as the United States has undoubtedly led to the historic, unprecedented success of the U.S. track and field team on the world stage.”

Lananna doubles as the director of athletics and cross country at the University of Virginia and believes this is a pressing issue.

“Anyone who thinks these changes won’t be dramatic isn’t paying attention,” he said during a phone call with Runner’s World.

When you look at them for the first time, the restrictions on the roster seem to be beneficial. The increase in scholarships on offer is certainly a positive for athletes looking to earn a spot.

However, there is no requirement to use all 45 spots of each gender for track and field and 17 for cross country. Most coaches believe their schools will come in well below those numbers because there will be less money available for smaller sports that don’t generate revenue.

“(The settlement) has some implications for what we do now,” said Ed Eyestone, men’s cross-country coach at BYU. “When we’re in the recruiting process, it’s hard to make (scholarship) offers to individuals unless you know exactly what those numbers are going to look like.”

Roster restrictions are what everyone thinks is a fair way to go. But schools will have the right to determine how many players are on the athletic roster.

Title IX rules, equal opportunity for men and women must be followed, and if the football team’s roster reaches the maximum of 105, those cuts must come from somewhere in men’s sports.

How shared Theo Kaler on Runner’s WorldThere is concern that men’s athletics programs could be cut entirely.

“Some coaches are concerned that roster sizes in men’s track and field and cross-country skiing in particular could be reduced. Or entire teams may be cut. Meanwhile, women’s programs could expand to offset increased scholarships in men’s sports such as football or baseball.”

The only saving grace for people who currently coach or compete in Olympic sports is the number of sports required to get into a Division 1 school, which is 14. To compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision, you need to have 16.

This should help save programs at some schools, but Sam Sims, USTFCCCA CEO and former coach LSUbelieves that universities may begin to lobby for a reduction in this number if the agreement is passed.

This could potentially be seen as the beginning of the end for sports such as track and field and cross country, as they would be at the top of the list of sports to be cut.