The NCAA has many rules. One is that contact with players before they enter the Transfer Portal is a violation. Like other NCAA rules over many decades, the rule is practically unenforceable. The reality is what is defined as tampering by the NCAA is now just business as usual in college sports.
Looking back at Monday night's drama, Alabama Crimson Tide fabs were aghast when it became known that Jaylen Mbakwe was considering a seven-figure offer to play elsewhere in 2025. Later it became known that the former Alabama 5-star had received multiple sized offers, and the one that posed the biggest threat to Alabama was from Ole Miss.
Alabama Crimson Tide fans were stunned and angry for multiple reasons. Not the least of which was Mbakwe's talents are so considerable, that his potential was to become an Alabama game-changer. More outcries exploded about contact with Mbakwe before he entered the Transfer Portal were tampering. The furor from Alabama fans was so intense, ire was also aimed at the young man, for making unreasonable demands to remain an Alabama football player. How could any backup player expect to be paid a seven-figure amount?
It took more than few hours, but cooler heads and new information from Alabama Football insiders calmed the situation. Not only did the young man not 'hold Alabama hostage' he reportedly accepted less than seven-figure money to remain in Tuscaloosa. Like it or not Mbakwe did less than many players seeking a better situation with a new team. It was just business as usual in college football and other college sports.
Alabama fans incensed over tampering should consider that communication with players before they enter the Transfer Portal is mostly done through a player's third-party relationships. The third parties can be called agents, handlers, etc.; they are sometimes just family members or friends the player trusts. However the communication is labeled, it is so widespread, that any attempt by the NCAA to control it is pointless.
Alabama has been accused of tampering. One example was an August claim from Miami-Ohio head coach, Chuck Martin. "Alabama stole our kicker. They illegally recruited our kicker and stole him from us. That's a fact," Martin said. "But that's college football." Whether Martin was correct or not is immaterial. Unsavory inducements and violations of contact rules have existed throughout the history of college sports. Players are bought (or paid) today; just in a different manner than before the Transfer Portal and NIL era.
Alabama Football and Jaylen Mbakwe made it right
There is no point in accusing Ole Miss (and others) of tampering. There is no value to be gained from blaming Jaylen Mbakwe for a rocky navigation of the new terrain of college football. No matter how much some fans might dislike it; it's just business as usual in college sports. Let's just congratulate the Alabama Football staff and Jaylen Mbakwe for working it out.