Laura Rutledge crosses over between the NFL and college football as much as anyone at ESPN, serving as host of NFL Live and SEC Nation while also working as a sideline reporter for College Football Playoff and overseas NFL games.
She has had a front-row seat as NIL has revolutionized college football. Compared with the pros, Rutledge believes college football is getting harder to follow.
And if it’s harder for her to follow as a host and reporter, Rutledge feels for fans trying to keep up with the modern transfer portal.
In a recent appearance on The Varsity podcast, Rutledge explained that while she believes college athletes should be paid, fans are suffering during this in-between era before regulation comes in.
“When it comes to covering it, it’s incredibly difficult,” Rutledge said. “I cover the NFL daily. When I transition out of college and into the draft coverage, there’s a ton of crossover because I’ve been covering these (college) players all year long. When we hit like July, SEC Media Days, August range, I’m thinking, ‘who is on what team?’ What is going on with this?”
Having hosted SEC Nation for nearly a decade and now covering college football and the draft at the highest levels, Rutledge has spoken with coaches and fans who have it much harder than the media.
The sport is being turned on its head, and everyone is just trying to keep up.
“From our perspective, it’s so minor compared to what these coaches are dealing with, but it definitely makes it more difficult,” Rutledge said. “I truly understand when fans say it makes it harder to root for my team, who am I actually rooting for, because so much of it changes. And you can’t blame the players for their lack of commitment at times, because it is about their own families and their own opportunities.”
Of course, college football is no worse for the wear. Viewership for the College Football Playoff was promising in the first year with a new schedule and format, and national championship game ratings figure to be massive with two powerhouses in Ohio State and Notre Dame facing off.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.