Updated 10/9/2023 5:17 PM

Not too long ago, college athletics were largely amateur. Scholarships rewarded athletes for their performance, and a monthly stipend helped with incidentals. Athletes could transfer to other schools but had to sit out a year (go back decades, and they forfeited a year of eligibility).

Then along came the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal. And this year, the disintegration of the Pac-12, leaving Oregon State in the “Pac-2,” with Oregon departing for the Big Ten.

For followers of the Ducks, there is a mixture of sadness at the demise of the Pac-12 together with excitement for new opportunities in the Big Ten.

For Beaver fans, it’s different. There is disbelief — how could this be happening? As former OSU and NFL wide receiver Robb Thomas says, “It’s almost like the loss of a child.” If only Pac-12 presidents had accepted ESPN’s $30 million-per-school media rights package last fall. If only Oregon and Washington hadn’t had a last-second change of heart and decided the Big Ten was the best option, regardless of geographical separation of schools and travel obstacles. If only Stanford and California hadn’t panicked, accepting the ACC’s invitation to join for no — that’s right, zero — media rights money.

The future remains in doubt, with part of it hinging on the results of a lawsuit that is scheduled to go to court on Nov. 14, aimed at Oregon State and Washington State laying claim to the remaining Pac-12 assets and payouts, if only for this season.

What we don’t know: How the Beavers and Cougars will fare in their lawsuit. Where they will land in terms of conference affiliation. Will they be able to retain the Pac-12 brand, using the NCAA’s two-year window to draw in schools such as San Diego State, Fresno State, Boise State and UNLV? Will they join the Mountain West? Is there a legitimate possibility that the Big 12 might change its mind and add two more schools?

What we do know: Factoring in NIL, the transfer portal and the changes in conference affiliation — college athletics will never be the same. Or in my mind, as fun to follow.

I will weigh in with more of my opinion once the Pac-12 matter is settled in court. For now, I reached out for perspective from a number of former Oregon State and Oregon athletes on the subject of what has happened with the Pac-12, and their thoughts on the situation with the Beavers and Ducks. I bring you their opinions alphabetically:

TERRY BAKER, Oregon State football, 1960-62 (retired, with homes in Portland and Indian Wells, Calif.):

“I feel a lot of disappointment, but my feelings come from a subject a lot broader than just the Pac-12. The whole de-amateurism of college football has created a real mess now for the universities. The losers are the fans. What they should be doing is thinking about that a little bit rather than just about making money.

“I have expressed this to Oregon State, that there is something about losing your desire to financially support a football program that is in actuality supporting another professional team. A university should be about educating students. It should be run by the president of the university and the faculty and should not be run by a football team.

“Tommy Prothro told me a war story years ago. Bear Bryant was being pursued to be the coach at Texas A&M. At Kentucky. He went down there, they showed him around, and when they asked if he was interested in taking the job, he said no. They asked him why. He said, ‘I never want to coach at a school where the president of the university isn’t behind the football team 100 percent.’ So he leaves. A couple of weeks went by and they got ahold of Mr. Bryant again. They asked, ‘What president do you think would be behind the team 100 percent?’ He gave them some names. A couple of weeks later, they called him and said, ‘We just hired one of those names; would you now be interested?’ And he took the job.

“The point is, who is running the university now? Getting a scholarship to me was gravy enough. It was an honor just to play for the school. Now you recruit high school kids and you have to deal with their agent. They come in and are getting paid to play, and if they are successful, with the portal they can transfer, so they’re moving around. That doesn’t exist even in pro sports.

“The Supreme Court has created this thing. Congress is going to have to roll up its sleeves and deal with this situation and bring it back to normality. There has to be an equilibrium. If (college athletes) are being treated as professionals, they should sign a contract and say they’ll stay for four years.

“I’m a little disgusted. I’ve given up my (OSU football) season tickets, but I’m gone (to a winter home in Indian Wells, Calif.) for most of the season, anyway. I almost throw up when I hear the term ‘student-athlete.’ In college football and basketball, a lot of the athletes are African American kids, especially in this day and age. The answer to most of our problems with the underprivileged and minorities is education. You move up the economic ladder in this country by being educated. That’s what college football and basketball used to do through four years. Those kids got a degree and could lead a good successful life.”

DARWIN BARNEY, Oregon State baseball, 2005-07 (now running youth camps and a baseball school in West Linn):

“You hope Oregon State and Washington State end up being in the Pac and retaining the assets. It’s better long-term for both schools, and especially the baseball programs, to stay in a Power Five conference rather than joining a lesser one. The lawsuit is interesting. It makes sense that they will win. If you left the conference, you shouldn’t have a say. I would think it will go their way. Then it turns into a nice situation, to have a little freedom on that end and have some funds in the next step of the journey.

“But it’s scary. You think about the athletic program that you love. Things like this have happened before around the country with different schools. You wonder if this is going to bite a lot of sports in the butt. Are other sports able to sustain the financial blow? A football super conference — where the top 64 teams or whatever separate — might be the only way it works out. That might be five years away.

“Our baseball program is pretty strong. I don’t think there’s a fear of losing guys they have now, but it’s already hard enough to win the transfer portal game. In baseball, it may be better to not be in a conference and work on RPI and strength of schedule.

“The unknown is a worry. You’re running a program and trying to plan three years ahead — it’s not the most comfortable thing. It’s funny how this may be the strongest-ever football the Pac has ever had top to bottom.

“If you are able to keep the Pac together, I have hope you can poach a couple of schools that are looking for something else. Maybe something good can come of this. I’m sitting back waiting to see what happens.”

RICH BROOKS, Oregon State football, 1960-62, Oregon State assistant coach 1965-69, 1973, Oregon head coach 1977-94):

“USC and UCLA probably did what was best for them, but it definitely wasn’t in the best interest of West Coast football. And eventually, Oregon and Washington were in lockstep on that deal. Do I like it? No. We’re talking 100 years of a conference going away. I don’t like that at all.

“When I played at Oregon State, we were not in a league. We were an independent. They had kicked us out (of the Pacific Coast Conference) along with Oregon and Washington State. The finances didn’t work for the California schools and the Huskies. When we got back in, they put a $75,000 (payout) limit on a visiting team. Sometimes that wasn’t even the gate. It was about money that time, and it’s about money this time.

“I don’t believe travel (in the Big Ten) will be a problem for Oregon in football, but it certainly is for every other sport. Multiple connections, cancelled flights, more missed class time — I don’t think it’s been thought through very well. Quite honestly, how could the Pac-12 leadership -- the presidents and commissioners — allow this to happen? It makes no sense. It was arrogance, or lack of understanding, or lack of commitment to studying the problems. It’s inexcusable that it came to this.

“I was surprised when Stanford and Cal left. But remember, Cal is getting (state of California) money from UCLA for splitting to the Big Ten. But their move to the ACC, it was panic.

“College athletics is a different animal than when I was coaching. It’s unlike anything I would have envisioned. It’s probably not very far off before the IRS starts taxing college scholarships, because let’s face it, they are no longer amateur athletes. They’re getting paid. The whole can of worms has been opened. I don’t know how they put the lid on it or regulate it.

“And it’s different in every state. The NCAA has no control over NIL money. You can imagine all the shady deals going on. Unless there is some enforcement, you’re going to see a lot of poaching players from Oregon State and Washington State. The rich will get richer; the poor will get poorer.

“I would think there will be everything done humanly possible to continue Oregon-Oregon State and Washington-Washington State games. But financially, the new world is not great for (the Beavers and Cougars). Hopefully, they will stick together. But I think it’s going to be very hard to maintain the level of athletic excellence and the number of sports that those two schools have. They will be dealing with less revenue. I don’t know if there is a way out of this.”

JACK COLLETTO, Oregon State football, 2018-22 (recently waived by San Francisco 49ers):

“It sucks what has happened, but I’m hopeful (the Beavers) end up where they should be. They’re good enough to be competing in a Power Five conference. There’s a strong fan base there. There is sufficient interest in the program. I have to believe that logic will win out.

“I look at Oregon going to the Big Ten and the other schools going to different conferences, and my concern wouldn’t be as much for football as for other sports. If they have to travel cross country during the school year and it’s like mid-term, and all the hassles with flying … logically, that seems crazy. Maybe you have to make everything remote, but part of the college experience is being in class and on campus. … I see it being very tough on the students.

“I hope they still keep the rivalry games with the Oregon and Washington schools. If that goes, it’s a big blow to our tradition in the state of Oregon and the pride of that rivalry.

“Aspects of (NIL and the transfer portal) are good, and aspects are not so good. Whatever side outweighs the other could be up for discussion. I think it’s too early to tell on both of those things.

“I guess the other Pac-12 schools see more potential in terms of money and marketing exposure. Was that worth breaking up the conference as opposed to keeping what was a pretty good thing and seeing if a better deal is out there?

“I have a lot of faith in Oregon State. I hope the situation gets resolved and they find a spot that makes sense and is a good fit for them. Let me say this: I believe the majority of the people who go to Oregon State and commit and wind up playing for them, it’s not because of the media exposure. The people in the building is the reason why most of them go to that school. That’s what makes Oregon State special. I don’t think that will change.”

DAN FOUTS, Oregon football, 1970-72 (TV analyst, San Diego Chargers preseason games, living in Sisters):

“I’m really sorry to see what has happened to the conference. Oregon and Oregon State have been a big part of it for so many years, but (Oregon leaving) was inevitable. It’s the world we live in. Oregon had no other choice. Money talks and everything else just walks. But it’s unfortunate that the Pac-12 could never reach a media rights deal that would have prevented all this from happening. That’s inexcusable.

“For Oregon, it’s more than just the TV deal. It’s exposure. There’s an exponential number to it, especially when you’re thinking about recruits. They all want to play in the NFL. All of them want to be seen. The Big Ten will guarantee that.

“Travel could be a problem (with the Big Ten). It depends on how they structure the scheduling. There are four teams out West. That softens it a little. Travel is a significant expense and significant time for these student-athletes. Having played in San Diego and having crossed the country many times, it’s taxing more on the back end more than the front end. Coming home, it’s a long slog.

“I don’t know about the future for Oregon State. If they can win this lawsuit, it would give them a tremendous boost. They can build a strong conference. There are a lot of good state schools out there. They could turn out OK. But again, they have to secure a deal with Direct TV and a major network. If I’m selling Washington State, I’m emphasizing that the market in Seattle, and Oregon State’s is the same as Oregon’s, with a focus on Portland.

“Recruiting is the biggest problem. You need to be in a Power Five conference to maintain. There’s a lot riding on whatever conference the Beavers land in.”

JAYDON GRANT, Oregon State football, 2016-22 (Las Vegas Raiders practice squad):

“All that stuff is a deep subject that can go different ways. As far as the Pac-12 and Oregon State, dang, it sucks. Such an historic conference pretty much coming to an end. Think of all the competitions I’ve been a part of and grew up watching. It’s sad in that sense. That’s how I look at it. It’s disappointing and upsetting. “Oregon State and Washington State. These two institutions, they’re the only teams left out. Talk to people about football the past few years, both programs have been successful and well-respected. Especially Oregon State — all the work it took to get to this point of the team and the program that Coach Smith and staff have built. I’m sure it’s frustrating to them. and so much for the people still in the program not knowing what their future holds in that regard.

“Over the past 5-10 years in college athletics, we’ve seen some gradual changes. I understand fears about the whole money situation, of some people thinking it’s going to be hard to recruit at some schools. There is just so much uncertainty, it’s hard to truly forecast what is going to happen, other than we know the college landscape seems like it’s going to continue to change frequently.

“I’m a big advocate of NIL. I worked on the bill that got passed in Oregon. It’s been a great thing to see, student-athletes taking advantage of NIL. My old teammate and roommate, Alex Austin, has created a scholarship with his NIL money.

“You look at our recruiting history, it’s not built on four-star and five-star recruits. I think Oregon State will continue to do well. I don’t worry about us losing kids through the transfer portal, which is about new opportunities. Overall, it’s a good thing, and people should try to respect (athletes’) decisions to transfer when they come.”

CRAIG HANNEMAN, football, 1968-70 (retired and living in Salem):

“It didn’t have to be this way. The Pac-12 poobahs were asleep at the switch. Now it’s a free-for-all, with every man for itself. The realignment really stings. The Beavers and Cougars have been sentenced to oblivion as a result.

“Anyone who saw the Oregon State-Utah game will tell you the game, the crowd, the entire atmosphere was nothing short of electric — as much as any college game I played in or have attended. It’s unfathomable to think this is our last hurrah. I’m certified old-school. It’s hard to take when your alma mater is taking it in the shorts more than virtually any school in the country.

“There is blame to go around everywhere. It started with the NCAA hierarchy. The Pac-12 commissioner (Larry Scott) had a chance to salvage something from the wreckage a few years ago. His replacement (George Kliavkoff) was a failure. Lots of people didn’t do their jobs.

“What has made college football special from the beginning of time are the rivalries, the game-day activities, and all the excitement and enthusiasm that comes from that. To make that all subsidiary to TV dollars being dangled — that’s just short-sighted. Oregon playing Rutgers and Maryland — how does that make sense? We’ve given up all that made intercollegiate athletics great to be something else. Be careful what you wish for.

“As for the transfer portal, on some level it makes sense. If a kid isn’t getting playing time, I don’t blame him changing programs. But changing three or four times is not logical. Likewise with NIL. It’s overdue to give the kids some money. I just don’t know where you draw the line, and I don’t think it should be used for recruiting high school kids.”

CHRIS MILLER, Oregon football, 1984-87 (coaching quarterbacks and living in Eugene):

“It’s a shame that the Pac-8/10/12 is disintegrating. We former players and people who grew up fans of the league hate to see a great conference with such a storied history end. We value the conference and the history. We were a part of it. That said, talking to Dan Lanning and (chief of staff) Marshall Malchow, they’re excited about the new rivalries and the opportunity to play the Ohio States and Michigans. That will be exciting.

“In-state rivalries are a big deal. When I played, the Civil War was big; the rivalry with Washington was bigger. The Huskies were a perennial power then. You sure hope they can keep the Civil War going.

“I know Jonathan Smith pretty well. I feel bad for the Beavers. We don’t know where they’ll land. They might land with the Fresno States and the San Diego States. That’s kind of like Triple-A in baseball. Three massive power conferences now control the needle. (The Beavers) fall on the outside of that. They’re concerned with keeping top-notch coaches there. Playing Colorado State, San Jose State — no disrespect intended, but it’s a whole new level of ball.

“I’ve gotten to know Lanning pretty well. (The Ducks) still value recruiting high school kids, but their emphasis is now to go to the transfer portal to find plug-and-play guys. They’re doing a good balance of it. I have to say, it’s been a huge detriment to high school recruiting. So many of the spots are gone because the transfer portal is so vast. This season, the top six or seven quarterbacks in the Pac-12 weren’t developed in people’s programs. They are transfers. The one good thing about (college transfers) is once they enter the portal, they can’t do it again. That’s why coaches like getting those players. They know they’re locked in, and they have some playing time under their belt.

“As far as high school quarterbacks, I have a friend who is representing them as an agent coming out of high school — kids shopping around for the best deal. It has begun a bidding war for high school kids coming out, which is ludicrous. But that’s our world today.”

MATT MOORE, Oregon State football, 2007-08 (coaching high school football and living in La Canada, Calif.):

“I never imagined something like this would happen. It’s crazy in a storied conference with a long history, for the Pac to be in this situation. It’s hard to understand. It’s great that so many of the schools’ football teams are thriving and doing well this season. That speaks to what the conference is. It’s a shame that we couldn’t keep these schools in the Pac-12 for whatever the reason. As someone who grew up in Pac-12 country, USC and UCLA are in my eyes huge parts of what the Pac was. For them to go away was shocking.

“It seems like all this stuff wasn’t well thought out. It’s going to be hard on the players in those other leagues.

If you’re somebody like me, being a student was hard enough with an easy travel schedule. Now they’ll be going across country, getting home at whenever on top of the normal crazy travel days. Of course academics is not a priority. Stanford and Cal playing in the ACC? The travel schedule for their players is going to be real challenging.

“And how does it affect fans? We’ll see where Oregon State winds up. Beaver Nation travels pretty well on the West Coast. But now we won’t get to go to usual favorite spots — Arizona and SoCal.

“With the NIL, there are arguments on both sides. These kids are making money now. I guess that’s good for them, but you know what? It has ruined the game. The transfer portal? It used to be you had to sit out a year. I had to be dang sure Oregon State was where I wanted to go when I was at UCLA. I wasn’t able to do it three or four times. I prefer the old style when it comes to that.

“I have a sense of complete pride in being a Beaver and thankfulness to Oregon State. That’s my school. I chose to go there after being allowed to transfer. I didn’t need anything else. I just wanted to be there. Now it doesn’t matter. I don’t even know why the players choose to go to a school. I hope I’m wrong, but it seems like there is no sense of love of school or pride for your team anymore.”

ERIC PETTIGREW, Oregon State football, 1978-81 (runs Eric Pettigrew Consulting in Seattle, was a Washington State legislator for 18 years):

“I’m hurt. What in the world? It feels like somebody snatched a piece of me. Part of my identity is with Oregon State, but also with the Pac-10/12. I took a lot of pride in that. Any time I’d travel across the country to an area that represented another conference, I spoke proudly of the Pac and the impact my time at OSU has had on me as an individual. And now that’s going … gone.

“I’m OK with NIL. Now there’s a lot of money out there from the networks, and the players are starting to see some dollars come in. It’s how our country works. It’s a capitalistic system. You market your product and go for maximum return on what you have to offer. I can see how the transfer portal works well for someone who can get higher dollars from one school to another.

“But I’m worried about what is happening with college sports, and not only with the college athlete, but this generation of young people. It’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out. Everything is focused on dollars. You put $1 million in front of an 18-year-old, they feel like they got everything they need going forward. Well, they don’t.

“For the Beavers, I want them to go to the Big 12. I would love for Oregon State and Washington State to get in courts and get as much money as we can get. I’d love for them to stay in the Pac-12 and then build it back up with the best schools that are available. No. 2 option would be to move to a power conference. No. 3 would be independent status. No. 4 would be Mountain West.”

STEVE PREECE, Oregon State football, 1966-68 (sells commercial real estate, lives in Vancouver, Wash.):

“The transfer portal has changed everything. As far as loyalty, there are kids who love going to school at Oregon State — more than at most schools. Oregon State recruits a little bit different kind of kid, the kid who needs to get bigger and stronger. We’ve taken a lot of kids who were not blue-chippers and turned them into really good players with good coaching. So the portal has hurt Oregon State less than most. We might have been the lowest loser in Power Five football the last couple of years.

“The NIL is totally different. Can’t blame a kid whose family doesn’t have much money; they can’t afford to pass up something like that. Like Omar Speights. When I played, we were so happy if we just got a good summer job. Now it’s a whole different thing. Now they’re talking about kids staying in college an extra year. (Colorado’s) Shedeur Sanders. (Oregon’s) Bo Nix is another one. They can make more money in college with NIL than if they come out and don’t get drafted real high. I’m not sure NIL was necessary. The players get training table year-round. They get a monthly stipend (at OSU, $1,900 a month for full scholarship athletes during the academic year). If they’d said, ‘OK, we’re going to pay each kid $3,000 a month,’ they could have afforded that and kept the NIL out of it.

“I love the idea of loyalty to your school and the traditional games. It bothers me that those won’t be important anymore. Shame on the universities that left the Pac-12, who chose to do that for the almighty buck. They took the transfer portal and made it the team portal, and that’s disgusting to me. It irks me. I know so many friends who are Ducks who feel the same way. It was for money, even though Oregon and Washington didn’t have money problems. They’re not even getting full (Big Ten) media rights — 50 percent to start off with. It’s crazy to give up all the loyalty and all the tradition. It hurts the fans.

“I have tremendous feelings for the kids in Oregon State and Washington State’s programs. What are they expected to do if this doesn’t work out — to either be taken into the Big 12, or to keep the Pac-12 together for a couple of years? We have to win some lawsuits first and to scare the television networks into paying right away. It bothers me that networks are allowed to run the college football world. It has changed, if not ruined, college football. The best thing that could happen, Oregon State and Washington State win out and play for the Pac-12 championship.

“I feel extremely sorry for the coaching staffs and the kids at those two schools. They both have good football programs. They both belong in a Power Five conference. They have a lot of players who need to be in the Power Five. If we’re not, those kids are going to get into the portal and leave, and so are the coaches. These coaches have worked their living ass off to turn it into a good football program. Several of the coaches have stayed here even though they could have gone elsewhere, because they liked what was happening. Jonathan and the school take care of them. They’ve stayed for the right reasons. They like it here.

“That was why people used to come here. I came to Oregon State after they were in the (1965) Rose Bowl. I wanted to play in a big-time program. For me, it was either Oregon State or USC. I came to a top-flight program and we were nationally ranked all three years. Kids want to play in those programs. And that’s what Oregon State has become again. I hope the Big 12 or a new Pac-12 will make it work.”

KEN SIMONTON, Oregon State football, 1998-2001 (working as senior investigator with the U.S Department of Labor’s wage and hours division, living in Pittsburg, Calif.):

“I was in two weeks of mourning after the Pac-12 was dismantled. I was pissed, frustrated, hurt. Not because we were left out. Growing up in the Bay Area, all I cared about was the Rose Bowl. That was my big goal at Oregon State. We played in the Fiesta Bowl, which was great, but I liked it when all the teams in the Pac-12 and Big Ten were playing for the Rose Bowl. Now that’s gone. Done.

“It’s shameful. Between NIL, transfer portal and the free flow of TV money, this whole system is going to have to have a reset the next five-plus years. It’s ruining the beautiful tradition of college football. Too many changes at once.

“During my time, what athletes like myself always fought for was to be comfortable enough to take care of yourself. Many of the young men who relied on scholarships didn’t have an extra penny, yet we were also trying to find ways to help back home. There’s a side of me that thinks NIL is great, but there is a negative impact to these young men making millions. Some recruits aren’t considering schools unless they are promised obscene money deals. Sorry, but you should have to earn that first, not by just coming in as a recruit. I’m fine with the transfer portal in a sense, but now guys are really free agents. It has to come back into balance. No way you can build teams with real commitments from people.

“While I was at Oregon State, Coach (Mike) Riley left, and I think it is fair for kids to transfer after a coaching change. But in this current climate, you don’t have to have a legitimate reason to leave. ‘You tell me I’m not starting and I’m gone.’ I don’t think it builds character, or what we called ‘ballers.’

“Over a beer, I’d tell you privately what I think about Oregon and Washington for leading that charge out of the Pac-12. There is literally no competitive advantage to the moves any of these teams made. I understand Colorado going back home. That’s fine. The Arizona schools don’t miss much regionally in travel, but breaking up the band for what? They were responding to what was already done. What UCLA and USC did, taking the biggest market from our conference … you knew the impact that was going to have. Deplorable. “Television money seems to be the only thing that is being considered. They’re certainly not thinking about the student-athlete. They’re not even thinking about the athlete. They are thinking only about bringing more money to our school. To put that in the face of the sponsors and the fans and the kids for short-term gains that aren’t sustainable? It makes no sense to have these kids flying across the country to play games, with no real rivalries.

“My hat’s off to the leadership groups at Oregon State and Washington State. They are fighting their tails off to make things turn out the best way possible. I have no issue with the Mountain West Conference. We’ve seen the TCUs and mid-market schools work their way up at times. It’s not like we’re too big-time for the Mountain West, but from a business standpoint — I’m rooting for us and Washington State to keep the foot to the gas to win big in court. I hope we win in the courts. Reading the bylaws, it makes sense that we will. Either way, I know our squad is going to continue to represent. That’s what Beavers do. They fight.”

CHARLIE SITTON, Oregon State basketball, 1981-84 (owner, Century Hotel, Tualatin):

“I’m dumbfounded that the league is going away after 100 years in history went up in smoke in a week. I was waiting for USC and UCLA to come back, and I woke up one day and five more teams had gone. I mean, is this real? I think I’m still in denial. Nobody cared enough to keep it together?

“We have to hope for the best for Oregon State. Maybe we’ll get access to funds through the courts and eventually add a few teams and stay a Power Five league. My gut feeling tells me there will be another whole realignment in college sports three to five years from now. Some of these schools have delusions of grandeur. Stanford and Cal are going to fly teams coast to coast but they’re not going to get any media rights money? That makes a lot of sense.

“Jonathan Smith has done such a great job with our football program, it’s sad what is happening. We got a coach who wants to be in Corvallis, a guy who could be there for a long time. Now we have to figure out a way to keep him there. Hopefully we can get a group of schools together for a good league to earn enough revenue to keep Jonathan around. We need to keep our season ticket-holders base.

“Without Pac-12 money, the school president has said it’s going to be devastating. Something has to happen pretty soon. I still think Jonathan can get it done with the portal if he stays. He kept those guys around this year. That’s impressive. It must be a pretty good culture in football.

“Oregon is going to play baseball in the Big Ten. Do they understand the weather in Iowa and Michigan and

Illinois in March and April? A lot of (the Ducks’) players are from California. Good luck with that.

“NIL and the transfer portal are ruining college sports. As a coach, how can you build a program? I understand there are football programs that have been paying players for a lot of years. We know which ones they are. We should put them in one league and let them beat the snot out of each other and let the other teams play for the right reasons. You know what? The NCAA might not be around much longer.”

BILL SWANCUTT, Oregon State football, 2001-04 (wealth management advisor, lives in Salem):

“It’s unfortunate that Oregon State is on the outside looking in with what happened with the Pac-12. My hope is we continue to have a strong season and can beat most, if not all, of the teams that are leaving and hopefully Washington State can do the same. It would be awesome. It would be a bit of a disruption in college football. We need to end up in a power conference. If we go to the Mountain West, it could cause coaches to look to leave, players to look to leave … it could be really bad.

“I read where Chip Kelly said that college football should be a separate entity. Have one power conference in football and then every other sport can stay with its own conferences. The way it’s set up now, can you imagine how the travel will be for the other sports? Flying commercial from Eugene to Maryland or Rutgers or Penn State and back? When are the kids going to be able to go to school, or to study? I get what’s happening — it’s the TV dollars, and a handful of TV executives making the decisions to shuffle things around.

“Taken separately, the NIL and the transfer portal are not super impactful. Put those two things together, it’s a perfect storm. If there were still rules regarding transferring, I don’t think NIL would be as impactful — if you had to sit out a year. If you didn’t have NIL but allowed transfers, schools can’t make it as lucrative.

“I don’t like the transfer portal. One, if you’re going to commit somewhere, stay there unless there is something really wrong. For me, it was, ‘I’m committing to this school and I’m going to play there.’ What, you’re not starting? Whatever happened to competition? When I showed up at Oregon State, I wasn’t looking to transfer. It was, ‘What’s it going to be to beat out this guy next to me?’ That made me a better player. That made me a better person. I wasn’t running away from competition.

“Things have changed so much over the last five years. Five years from now, things will look even more different. Some schools are funding 100 guys on scholarship through NIL deals. Maybe they’re going to need a salary cap for NIL.

“Most likely, Oregon and Oregon State won’t be in the same conference. Same thing for Washington and Washington State. The end of rivalries is unfortunate. Those were my favorite games to play — the Civil War and the Apple Cup … those are a huge part of college sports. The players get up for the rivalry game. I’ll guarantee you the fans get up for them. It’s sad those are going to go away.”

ROBB THOMAS, Oregon State football, 1985-88 (mortgage broker, Bend):

“I talk to guys I played with, it’s almost like mourning the loss of a child or something. All that history, with such a great conference. The tradition is going to be gone, and I don’t think that egg’s going to get put back together again. It’s sad. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I hope leadership at the schools can put Oregon State into the right situation, into a power conference, which we deserve to be in.

“It just doesn’t seem right. If we wind up in the mountain west, it’s taking a huge step back. We’re a national championship baseball team. Great gymnastics. Football is top 25.

“The NIL and transfer portal were inevitable. It’s been a good deal for some schools. There are so many changes going on with college sports. It seems like it’s barreling toward something that no one knows what the end destination is.

“I would not want to be a coach right now in college sports. Recruiting is hard enough. You have to keep on recruiting your own guys to keep them happy. It has to be exhausting. It’s such a tough gig right now. And it’s harder for Oregon State and Washington State. What do the coaches tell their student-athletes? They don’t know where they’ll be next season. It’s a disaster. I feel bad that we’re in this situation.

“The fan enthusiasm is awesome right now. I don’t know if it’s been much higher. We’ve got a beautiful new football stadium and a great team. And then this comes.

“Basketball, baseball, all the other sports that have to travel to the East Coast? It’s not thinking about the kids or their relatives, who want to see them play and now won’t be able to do that nearly as much. Money was the only factor. That’s inexcusable of the school presidents who led this decision.”

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