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South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier agreed with an advocacy group's report that college football and basketball players don't get what they're worth from their schools.
Spurrier was asked his opinion Tuesday on the study from a national college athletes' advocacy group and a sports management professor.
The study calculated that if college sports shared their revenues the way pro sports do, the average Football Bowl Subdivision player would be worth $121,000 per year, while the average basketball player at that level would be worth $265,000.
Those values aren't a surprise to Spurrier, who's watched media revenues skyrocket in college sports yet scholarships remain fairly stagnant, often not covering the full costs of college.
''Of course, I think it's true,'' he said. ''I mean, 20 years ago, 50 years ago, athletes got full scholarships. Television income was what, maybe $50,000? And now everybody's getting 14, 15 million bucks and they're still getting a scholarship.''
Spurrier said at last spring's Southeastern Conference meetings that 70 football players should be paid $300 a game with the money coming out of the coach's pocket. The proposal was backed by several of his SEC football coaching colleagues, including Nick Saban of Alabama and Les Miles of LSU.
The report, ''The Price of Poverty in Big Time College Sport,'' said the demands of their sports and limited opportunity to make money outside of school leave some athletes living below the poverty line.
Ramogi Huma, a former UCLA linebacker who heads the National College Players Association, wrote the report with Drexel University professor Ellen J. Staurowsky.
Spurrier said those in charge of college sports have discussed the issues. ''But they're not going to do anything until maybe they have to do something,'' he said.
NCAA president Mark Emmert and college presidents advocated increasing grants-in-aid to cover the full cost of college. The NCAA said Emmert has made it clear that paying athletes a salary is not on the horizon.
Spurrier, a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback at Florida in 1966, understands how much more time athletes must train, work and study to keep programs winning than in his time 45 years ago.
Football and basketball players bring in enormous amounts of money and an extra $3,000 to $4,000 would be equitable, Spurrier said.
South Carolina tailback Marcus Lattimore says he and teammates talk all the time about how nice it would be if they received more money for everyday living and even extras like dinners and clothes.
''But there are rules,'' he said with a smile.
If college coffers weren't filling with money, Spurrier would be fine with a simple scholarship. But if coaches and athletic departments benefit, the coach wonders why those who fill the stadiums and arenas with their play.
''That's just my opinion,'' Spurrier said.
