Dabo on Darius Robinson's lawsuit against NCAA, giving players stipends

by TigerNet Staff - Mon Jul 22 14:55:42 GMT-05:00 2013

Dabo SwinneyDabo Swinney
Head Coach
View Full Profile was asked at Monday's ACC Football Kickoff if he were still a student-athlete would he join the lawsuit against the NCAA like one of his current players Darius Robinson. The lawsuit claims the NCAA owes money to players for allowing their likenesses to be used without compensation.

"No. Absolutely not," Swinney said. "First off, I have zero issues with someone who wants to do that. I would absolutely not be a part of that. I wrote a speech in college on why college athletes should not be paid. I am 100 percent in favor of enhancing scholarships. They have changed since I was in school. Gas is higher, the movies are higher, dates are higher. Everything in the world has changed but scholarships. I think that is wrong. I am 100 percent behind a stipend or enhancing the scholarship. I think that makes sense, and we should give these guys that cost of living.

"The reason I feel that way is I lived it. I am against professionalizing college athletics. We have that, and it is called the NFL and the Arena League and the CFL. Anytime you diminish the value of an education I am against it. But I don’t have a problem with what Darius did, and he had to make a decision that day to be a part of it, and he didn’t talk to me about it. But this is a free country, and he is free to do what he wants to do. "

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall was also asked this question and he said if he was a student athlete he would join the lawsuit, and he would be for paying players.