In 2024, a 2.8 billion dollar class-action lawsuit was filed by college athletes against the NCAA and the power-five conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC). The defendants and plaintiffs approved the lawsuit in May 2024.
After being approved, U.S. Judge Claudia Wilken must give the final approval before it can take effect as early as July 1. The approval would allow colleges to share up to 20.5 million dollars annually with their athletes.
After a recent hearing regarding the settlement, one of the major concerns was the proposed roster cuts. The argument behind the move focused on replacing scholarship limits with roster limits.
Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz joined the College Sports show on Sirius XM and sounded off on the proposed roster limitations.
The approval would take effect on July 1, and Ferentz is unhappy that the change is happening close to the start of the season, and no one knows the rules.
In addition to noting how screwed up the situation is, Ferentz also stated that the rules would significantly change the landscape of college football.
"The 105 is as significant a change as anything that's been discussed. It is not rooted in much good reason from my vantage point."Kirk Ferentz, Iowa HC
The proposed roster limitations would shrink rosters from around 140 athletes to 105. Ferentz thinks it has to be financially driven because there is no logic to the 105 roster number.
Ferentz stated the Iowa program wants to develop its guys because they do not walk into the program ready-made. The roster limitations would put the Iowa program at a disadvantage.
A decision has not been made on the proposed settlement, but it is clear that Ferentz and multiple other college programs and athletes are adamantly against roster limitations.