Kiffin on the fence in ‘pay’ debate

BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic can see both sides of the argument.

He understands each viewpoint when paying NCAA athletes surfaces. Kiffin gave on the subject earlier this week.

“I’ve been there with the elite guys, whether they go pro or stay and how much they give up by doing that,” Kiffin said. “I’ve been with the elite players who have made that university a lot of money.”

Kiffin ran into the issue often when he was an assistant at USC and the offensive coordinator at Alabama. Both programs were known for producing NFL talent but many of them complained about not being paid for their athletic ability.

“They used to say, I won’t say which player, but a player said, ‘Coach, I don’t get it I walk into the bookstore, and they’re selling out on my jersey. I get nothing out of it,’” Kiffin said. “I see that side of it.”

But Kiffin said it gets tricky when scale.

“Where is your answer going to be? Are you paying all [of the players]? Are you paying them equal?” Kiffin said. “I don’t know that you could start paying them, because I don’t know if there’s a way to do it.”

Kiffin also noted it would be difficult for smaller school to pay players because they generate less money.

Next game: FAU at Old Dominion, 6 p.m., ESPN3 coach

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