Mike Vorel: Why UW football’s success (or failure) will be defined by more than dollar signs

SEATTLE Money isnt everything.

If it was, Oregon would have won a national title by now.

Jimbo Fisher would have stockpiled playoff appearances at Texas A&M.

Texas would not have twice as many losing seasons (4) as 10-win campaigns (2) across the last decade.

In college football, culture matters.

Scheme matters.

Fit matters.

Development matters.

Money matters, too.

But as former Alabama coach (and current Aflac spokesperson) Nick Saban said on ESPNs College GameDay: You guys keep talking about a $20 million roster [Ohio State has assembled this season].

If you dont pay the right guys, youll be [expletive] out of luck.

To translate: money and the talent it attracts offers opportunities.

But money alone cant will wins.

Which brings us to Washington.

On Monday, Jedd Fisch whose Huskies sit at 4-3 entering the bye week was asked where Washington most needs to add this offseason.

The 48-year-old coach outlined the list of starters with expiring eligibility and emphasized that returning players will have a huge head start on becoming the dude next year.

But UW also has 27 verbal commits (and counting) in the 2025 class, and will inevitably add via the transfer portal, producing a huge new influx of talent that will come in here starting in December.

That influx isnt free.

The NCAAs $2.8 billion settlement in the House v.

NCAA lawsuit which will allow programs to share revenue with players received preliminary approval last week and will have a hearing for final approval on April 7.

Should the settlement be finalized, schools will be permitted to split up to $22 million between athletes each year.

Fischs program encourages players to be a pro, and will soon pay them as such.

The new world order of college football will allow us to be able to spend what other programs are spending, Fisch said Monday.

When you have that opportunity, then its going to be much more of a level playing field than it is right now in college football.

We all saw what the Ohio State-Oregon game looked like, and that was a battle of two $20 million rosters.

I think were going to see more battles of comparable compensated rosters, and thatll make it really cool to see what football looks like.

To fact-check those financials: Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork told ESPN in August that the Buckeyes have an NIL budget of $20 million, while Yahoos Ross Dellenger reiterated Saturday that Ohio State and Oregon are each estimated to have spent close to $20 million on their rosters.

While NIL will still be a factor moving forward, revenue sharing gives programs the power to directly pay players and, potentially, win bidding wars.

But Ill push back on Fischs notion that college football is approaching much more of a level playing field.

Many programs will be unable to afford the $22 million maximum, and thus will work with a smaller pool to recruit and pay players.

And even for schools distributing the max revenue share, other financial factors NIL, facilities, nutrition, etc.

may ultimately tip the scales.

Then, now and forever, college football houses both haves and have-nots ...

and everyone wants an edge.

We never want to be at a disadvantage, Fisch said of the rule changes.

The best part of all of my conversations with [athletic director Pat Chun] and [chief operating officer Erin OConnell] have been [them saying], Were not going to be at a disadvantage.

Theyre fully on board that the University of Washington is not going to be at a disadvantage and were going to understand the necessary things we have to do to stay at the top of the conference.

But to stay at the top of the conference, you have to get there first.

On the heels of a 40-16 trouncing at Iowa, the Huskies (and Fisch) are far from that summit.

Some of their struggles are understandable, as Fisch was tasked with rebuilding both lines in a single offseason.

The adjustment to Big Ten travel including back-to-back 9 a.m.

kickoffs in the eastern time zone have also yielded unavoidable growing pains.

When asked to assess the Huskies start, Fisch said in part: I didnt know necessarily what our team was going to look like this year, as were trying to build it into the type of program we want to have sustained success.

So, I kind of knew this year was going to have our ups and downs.

There are so many new faces, new bodies, new people playing positions theyve never played before, in atmospheres theyve never played, in a conference weve never played in.

There was going to be so much new that it was going to be impossible to suggest that it was going to look too different than it is right now.

Impossible to suggest it was going to look too different than 4-3? We can excuse Husky football fans for holding a higher bar.

After all, Fischs predecessor inherited a 4-8 roster and went 25-3, including a 5-0 record against Oregon and Texas (two of college footballs richest teams).

Plus, so many of the Huskies shortcomings seem to transcend talent.

Specifically, UW ranks 108th in the nation in penalty yards per game (108) and 113th in red zone touchdown percentage (50%), factors that proved fatal in narrow losses to Washington State and Rutgers.

The Huskies have outgained their opponent in all seven games but have all too often succumbed to a dearth of discipline.

The above paragraph should not be easily excused, justified as side effects of the Big Ten transition.

Yes, Fisch has done an admirable job in reassembling a roster and keeping the Huskies from careening off a cliff.

And, yes, money matters.

But WSU, Rutgers and Iowa didnt beat the Huskies with bags of cash.

Can Fisch identify, develop and retain Big Ten talent? Can he instill discipline, toughness, consistency and physicality? Beyond calling plays, can he motivate and promote a positive culture? Through seven games, your guess is as good as mine.

In the big picture, everything matters.

Fischs success or failure at Washington will be defined by more than dollar signs.

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