Given the news that Damon Wilson has bolted for another SEC school, Otis informed me that there was a good bit of message board and paid site chatter around a very interesting aspect of Damon Wilson’s departure.
First, there’s information that someone shelled out money to move his family to Athens with him, and that his dad serves as his personal trainer in Athens, and his mom as his dietician. This really isn’t news as it is a reminder of the unique situation that surrounds Wilson. From a fall 2024 article on Wilson:
Getting out from under your parents’ roof is usually a highlight for athletes and students alike when shipping off to college.
That’s not so with Georgia sophomore Damon Wilson II.
When Wilson matriculated to Athens from Nokomis, Fla., his mom and dad came along, too.
“My parents do live with me right now,” smiled Wilson, who joked that having mom and dad at home with him isn’t cramping his style.
“Well, yes and no. But what’s more important? What are the priorities? Wilson said. “If I’ve got to be here two more years with my parents to get where I want to go. I’ll do it.”
This isn’t a case of Mom and Dad being unwilling to let go.
Quite the contrary.
Wilson’s burgeoning football career is a true family affair with both parents playing key roles.
“I think my dad’s going to be my trainer for my whole life. He’s one of the very few people who understand me as well as my mom,” Wilson said. “My mom’s like my second nutritionist besides Georgia staff. She’s up making breakfast, helping me keep my weight on because that was one of my biggest struggles.”
From UGA Sports
While this isn’t anything truly revolutionary, his parents’ impact on Wilson is very clearly impactful on his development and advisement. What is interesting, however, is that more and more chatter is suggesting that a transfer destination school was going to have to do something unheard of, at least to this blogger’s ears:
A buyout.
Reports from the message boards (take that as you will) citing pay site intel suggests that Damon Wilson’s transfer portal stipulations stated that the destination school would have to pay $400k for his buyout, payable back to UGA (I’m assuming here the CCC). Apparently, Wilson renegotiated his NIL contract in December, and there was an added stipulation that a buyout would be owed, but by who is unclear – does Wilson pay it back, does the school pay it? Who ponies up the dough? This suggests, as well, that Kirby and the CCC not only don’t have to pay for housing for the family as well as Damon’s NIL, but will get additional funds that can now be used to search for his replacement through the portal.
Although the portal is closed, at this point, it’s not unusual to see more names pop up during the spring window, which opens on April 16th of this year. With the recent announcement of Etienne opting for the NFL, it serves as a reminder that Andrew Paul entered the portal after the Spring G-Day game, further thinning the RB room in Athens.
I say all this to say that (a) the NIL era has taken another unusual twist and (b) if we see areas of need in the spring, it seems the Collective is beefing up funds through buyouts, and it makes me wonder if there was a similar buyout clause with Beck or anyone else who has transferred…and how much were potential buyouts paid to USC for the Branch Brothers…or is this a uniquely Georgia twist on the NIL landscape?
Again, this is message board chatter and rumor, but some of the other narratives suggests that Kirby installed this himself as part of the NIL age of roster management. Is Kirby playing chess while others are playing checkers? I know Kirby’s on the mother, but this is something else.
“Interesting rumors and chatter” are red flags, BUT being a package deal with your parents where you have live together is also a red flag. I know the best part about going to UGA was leaving home. Sheesh. I hope it is true that we get some $$$ back. I also think as physical as this kid could be the mental partn may not be the soundest.
Quick question – were you the commenter who mentioned in the comments that you specialize in working gremlins out of IT systems? I can’t recall but I’ve been trying to look back through comments to find the person to possibly help with our site issues…sorry if I got the wrong person. – JP
Definitely not me. I do know one or two folks who are IT workers with UGA, but I am not sure if dealing with WordPress is in their wheelhouse. I do recall someone making that comment, so keep looking – you’re not just imagining it.
NIL!? Oy, talk about letting the genie out of the bottle!
Kirby is on the mf-er. Of that, I have no doubt. Mightn’t there be a considerable Rashada windfall there as well? In any event, liabilities are way down at this point.
I hope he begins 2025 by making them all watch Monday night using the Ludavico technique.
I’m glad the NIL deals have repercussions for not playing for UGA. Random thought – what if the schools did a lock down NIL – all athlete rights were controlled by the school for 5 years. If they go anywhere else the rights stay with the original school. If they go pro in 3 years the school still holds the rights. If that were the case it would be more like soccer – trades and buying players would happen but dudes transferring 4 times would not.
Gotta get some $ together for the Justus Terry / Chase Linton upgrade on defense.
“Apparently, Wilson renegotiated his NIL contract in December.”
I know young men (and sometimes their families) are impulsive but it seems that Wilson is being especially so in this case. Though I guess there are at least high six figures encouraging his impulsiveness.
Related question: Are these kids really worth the outlay? Things have moved so far beyond getting Herschel a TA with a chicken on the hood.
Collectively, yes, these kids are worth the outlay. They collectively create value and drive revenue. Individually, the value generation is a little more questionable, which is why this ultimately ends in collective bargaining and revenue sharing and salary caps and trade deadlines and all manner of professionalization. The rubicon has been crossed, and school affiliation is nearly meaningless.
2024 the year “classic” college football officially died & everything was exposed.
2025 the year “new Coke” college football was placed on shelves for consumers to place their vote with their wallets and eyeballs….
I used to be a huge Nascar fan…haven’t watched it in yrs…but I didn’t graduate from the University of Awesome Bill from Dawsonville so I hope my love, passion and interest will stay burning as hot as it did in 1994 for those damn Dawgs(even when they were losing to fucking Vandy).
is it still “another Bulldog point of pride”? I sure hope so.
I know Kirby loves the Dawgs as much as any GTP Ref. commenter so I have faith that he has Bulldog Nations best interest…I am concerned when we hire some Joey Freshwater type…to me that will be a pivot point…mindless rant over.
Go Dawgs – whip everybody’s ass!
It feels like the greater college football world got so mad at Nick Saban that they decided to ‘eff’ Kirby. Oh hell no, we can’t have this shit again.
What could turn me away from Georgia Football? I don’t know. I doubt it exists. I hope not…
Them dawgs is hell don’t they?
I am still a fan of the drivers or teams I liked before I lost interest in their sanctioning body. I’ll be a UGA fan.
The question is will the sport be close enough to what I loved that I turn it on? That is up to the NCAA and Mickey.
Agreed with the feeling.
The buyout clause makes a lot of sense to me. The program puts a lot of expense into developing the players. In Wilson’s case, he’s leaving right before the season where UGA would get the majority of the ROI from him. For him to leave and take all that development to another program, darn right UGA should be compensated.
Take this for what it is worth. The information I posted in the comments of the “Columbia Housed” thread was from a recent UGA grad who works at the CCC. I understand this would still be considered rumor.
There was a breach of the NIL contract on Wilson’s end because he had already accepted a payment from the Georgia NIL deal which is why the school that took him was on the hook for compensating Georgia. Ohio State wasn’t willing to do that so they passed and apparently Mizzou didn’t seem to be either initially, but changed its mind. Georgia thought for a time he would be staying because he was in breach of his NIL agreement and it didn’t look like either suitor was willing to pony up the additional money.
JP, if you haven’t already tried this, go to the comments and use the search box with whatever you can remember from the comment. Searching IT is going to bring back a lot of hits so if you can remember the phrasing it will help narrow the results.
Damon. Take you, mommie and your daddie and head on out son. If you don’t care to be here, ADIOS. Wish you well.
Not a lawyer but if I give you a contract that pays you upfront money. I have a clawback clause if you fail to perform your duties under the terms of the agreement. Supposedly NIL can’t be tied to attendance of a particular school (/tee hee) but if you’re not going to promote Canes then you are in violation. Pay me back or see you in court.
Side note…one of these deals will end up in a lawsuit and we’ll all see how the sausage is being made these days.