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📆 What’s Happening Today. The DIII FAR Advisory Group meets virtually.

🔈 What We’re Hearing. “We’re all spending a lot of money on lawyers, and I think all of us would rather spend that money on something else.” - NCAA President Charlie Baker

🎶 Your Morning Pick Me Up. Monday Morning. Fleetwood Mac

“NCAA President Charlie Baker is feeling “pretty good” about the prospects for Senate passage of bipartisan college sports legislation. As for whether it will get to President Donald Trump’s desk this year — well, one step at a time.

“One of the things that you know I learned from my 16 years in state government is: This is a one-bite-at-a-time type business,” Baker told Semafor in an interview this week, adding that “I’m hopeful that if the Senate can get something done here, that the House will find a way to make this part of what they deal with” after the election.”

» Driving The News. “It’s a good moment for an experienced politician to lead the NCAA, whose very future is on the line in Congress one way or another. A former moderate GOP governor of Massachusetts, Baker is guiding his organization to the precipice of a vote that could stabilize college sports after long seasons of turbulence in the $14 billion-plus economy surrounding it.”

» State of Play. “Senate Republicans may face a few defections on the college sports bill in the next few days. But the real question mark is Democrats, who could filibuster it outright. Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut are among those lawmakers advocating against the bill behind the scenes.”

» Quotable. “We are spending more money on championships than we’ve ever spent before. We have more people coming to them than we’ve ever had before. That’s a really great story,” Baker said. “But we’re all spending a lot of money on lawyers, and I think all of us would rather spend that money on something else.”

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“Driving on the highway through Dallas is like encountering a running advertisement for higher education.

Heading southbound on the bottlenecked I-35E, at least eight campuses, university medical centers, and academic colleges pass by in as many miles. Static or digital billboards half the length of a basketball court pepper the roadway. They might tout a Forbes “Top Colleges” accolade, or a Division I football team, or a high-demand credential.

The reason is clear: The area is teeming with students to recruit. And they’re not just in this region, but across Texas. The Lone Star State welcomes more than 1,000 new residents daily and is one of just 12 states that expects to have more high-school graduates by 2041 than it did in 2023, according to the most recent “Knocking at the College Door” report from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, or WICHE.”

» Why It Matters. “Putting boots on the ground has been a key part of colleges’ strategy. About one-quarter of nearly 300 job postings for regional recruiters in the last four years named Texas as a territory, according to an AI-assisted analysis of listings placed through The Chronicle. That was three times the number of mentions as each of the two runners up, Illinois and California.”

» Reality Check. “While states like California, Illinois, and New York continue to produce large numbers of college-bound students, their birth rates are declining — shrinking the pool of projected high-school graduates. Alfred University, a small, private college in rural New York, is exploring Texas’ role in its growing out-of-state strategy amid “tough” recruiting conditions locally, says Christie Smith, vice president for enrollment management. The college saw a nearly 5-percentage-point drop in the number of admitted New York residents who’ve placed deposits for this fall compared to last year.”

» Worth Noting. “Over four crucial months, from August to November, the battle for Texas students reaches a fever pitch. Days can start at 7 a.m. and wrap past 8 p.m. Recruiters may visit as many as five high schools a day. The car mileage racks up quickly. From mid-August to late October last year, Genesis Garcia, who now serves as associate director of Texas recruitment for Knox College, in Illinois, drove about 4,000 miles for work — more than double what she drove from November to June.”

“Three years after Whittier College committed to rebuilding enrollment and strengthening its fiscal health, 103 student-athletes are on campus preparing for the return of the Poet football program. For Whittier College President Kristine Dillon, their presence signals success in helping to rebuild enrollment and strengthen the College's financial future.

Whittier, which first fielded a football team in 1907, faced enrollment and financial challenges similar to many small colleges nationwide. In 2022, the College discontinued several athletic programs, including football, to reduce expenses.

Whittier's enrollment had fallen from roughly 1,700 students before the pandemic to fewer than 700. Dillon developed a five- to six-year strategic plan focused on growing enrollment and fundraising.”

» The Tradition. Whittier’s football history includes NFF College Football Hall of Fame coach Don Coryell, Pro Football Hall of Fame coach George Allen, and U.S. President and NFF Gold Medal recipient Richard Nixon.

» What They’re Saying. "I needed people to trust that Whittier was the same school they cared about," Dillon said. "I needed to improve morale, and football was a big part of what many people thought showed it was the college they knew and loved. So, in some ways, it was symbolic of Whittier's past connecting to its future. "Bringing football back confirms Whittier's resilience. For small colleges today, it's important to be able to show you've got a plan and it's got momentum."

» The Rest of the Story. “Whittier recruited 35 freshmen during a developmental year without games, allowing new coach Cory White to build his staff and roster. The 103 football student-athletes are widely engaged in campus life today and would likely not have otherwise enrolled. Overall enrollment has climbed to approximately 950, with entering classes increasing 15% to 20% annually during Dillon's three years. The goal is a sustainable enrollment of 1,400.”

» Worth Noting. The Poets defeated CETYS University of Tijuana, 56-20, on Saturday for their first win since restoring the program.

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