It’s “Blue Chips” coming to life.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy said he will spend up to $3 million annually to help the Michigan football team land a premier quarterback now that players can be paid under NIL rules.
The No. 12 Wolverines (3-1) have received shaky play from their quarterbacks this year in their attempt to repeat as national champions.
“Michigan — I will be the quarterback guy,” Portnoy said Thursday. “You just say, ‘Dave, you go,’ — I’ll talk to (coach) Sherrone (Moore). ‘Who do you guys want? Who’s in there? Give me a group, I’ll go get them. I will sign them, million, $2 million, whatever it is.’”
When pressed by “Pardon My Take” host Dan “Big Cat” Katz about what lengths he would go to land a stud, Portnoy revealed the $3 million figure for his alma mater.
While Portnoy referenced the transfer portal, it’s fair to assume he would not pass on a blue-chip recruit.
“I can get a quarterback,” Portnoy said. “We don’t have a quarterback. If I don’t get the No. 1…”
He added: “I’m going to get us a top-10 quarterback, in the portal, coming out every year, top-10 quarterback.”
Portnoy’s comment’s highlight the new reality of college athletics in which players are receiving seven-figure amounts to attend schools due to the name, image and likeness bylaws.
The 1994 film “Blue Chips” highlighted 30 years ago the hypothetical situation of players being illegally paid by a desperate coach and program to stay relevant, but now players can be paid legally.
NIL has dominated the airwaves this week even with a huge Alabama vs. Georgia matchup Saturday after UNLV quarterback Matt Sluka left the program just three games into the season due to a disagreement over NIL pay.
Sluka’s issues stem from an alleged $100,000 payday, while Portnoy is hoping his offer will allow Michigan to compete for the elite of the elite each year.
Michigan’s duo of Davis Warren and Alex Orji has not instilled much confidence and neither were top recruits entering college.
On3’s NIL valuation projections cite Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders ($5.1 million), Texas’ Arch Manning ($3.1 million) and Quinn Ewers ($2.2 million), Alabama’s Jalen Milroe ($2.2 million), Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart ($2.1 million), Miami’s Cam Ward ($1.9 million) and Georgia’s Carson Beck ($1.9 million) among those who, in theory, would be the caliber of players Portnoy could lure to Ann Arbor with his offer.
That lists includes several candidates on The Post’s Heisman list entering Week 5.
Portnoy said the $3 million offer will be rooted in marketing deals with Barstool, noting how the Michigan quarterback would get billing on “Pardon My Take” after Katz said he would consider making the same type of offer for Wisconsin.
“Here’s a little bit of the issue. You’ll have to find something else because they’re doing a weekly spot on ‘Pardon My Take.’ My guy, not your guy, my guy, that’s already been taken.” Portnoy said. “You’re going to have to find something else for the Wisconsin guy. A college football recap and a college football hit, so there’s two things, $3 million marketing agreement, I think that’s legal.”