Football is often referred to as a “copycat” sport, meaning that when one team finds a way to beat another, other teams frequently copy the blueprint and try to do the same. However, coaches usually try to avoid the things others before them have used that have proved unsuccessful.
Earlier this year, Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy spoke openly in the media about the Oregon Ducks and how much money they have to spend in the NIL world to build their roster. It turned into a huge story, and ultimately added some fuel to the fire for Dan Lanning and Co. before the Ducks slaughtered the Cowboys, 69-3, in Autzen Stadium.
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It appears that Iowa Hawkeyes defensive coordinator Phil Parker didn’t learn from Gundy’s mistake.
On Tuesday, in the bye week leading up to Oregon’s Week 11 game against Iowa, Parker was asked about the Ducks’ team and roster in his weekly press conference, and he made the mistake of mentioning money. It wasn’t as egregious as what Gundy did back in September, but it still seems ill-advised.
“They have the whole package,” Parker said, courtesy of 247Sports. “It’s well funded, if I can put it that way.”
Yes, you can put it that way. But should you?
Of course, Parker isn’t wrong in his statement at all. The Ducks are well-funded and competitive in the NIL world, using the resources at their disposal to build a roster in this era of college football, just as any other national championship contender does.
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But suppose we learned anything from Gundy earlier this year. In that case, it’s that a coach — or coordinator — shouldn’t concern themselves with another program’s finances, especially if it’s Oregon, and especially if they want to find success on the field.
It will be fun to see how this story develops over the next week, leading up to the game.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Iowa Hawkeyes DC says Oregon Ducks roster is ‘well funded’
