The biggest news in college football this week was the NIL-influenced flip of star high school quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Originally committed to the LSU Tigers, there were reports that the school was offering him a deal that would pay $1.5 million annually for four years. It was a deal that the Michigan Wolverines were willing to blow out of the water.
Desperate for a long-term option under center, they made Underwood an offer he could not refuse. Their four-year deal was reportedly worth $10 million, with some reports saying that he could make up to $12 million during his time in Ann Arbor.
The No. 1 rated quarterback and overall player in the 2025 class, it makes sense why schools were offering him so much money.
It is a major coup for the Wolverines, who have been struggling this year. After winning the national championship last season, Jim Harbaugh went back to the NFL, accepting the head coaching job with the Los Angeles Chargers, leaving the program in a state of transition.
Sherrone Moore has taken over for Harbaugh and has embraced NIL knowing it is the only way for his team to remain competitive.
The collective that helped get the deal done for Underwood was Champions Circle. Who funded this megadeal?
It turns out that billionaire Larry Ellison, a software and media tycoon, was funding the venture. The news was revealed to Front Office Sports by Roger Ehrenberg, the co-founder and of Champions Circle.
“Larry is indeed THE Larry Ellison,” Ehrenberg wrote in response to questions about Larry and Jolin, per Lisa Scherzer, Alex Schiffer and Dennis Young of Front Office Sports. “Jolin is a Michigan alumna who is super passionate about the University of Michigan Athletics and was critical support for the recruitment effort.”
In a statement originally released by Champions Circle chairman Nate Forbes, Jolin and Larry Ellison were personally thanked. In a revised statement, thanks were given to “Larry and his wife Jolin,” with “Ellison” being removed.
The founder of Oracle, this is believed to be his first time influencing anything in college sports via NIL payments. Worth more than $230 billion, he could swing things in a major way for Michigan if he continues to be involved in dealings with high school recruits and players in the transfer portal.
