Alabama Crimson Tide

Players reveal surprising plans for cost-of-attendance checks

Published Jul. 20, 2015 1:46 a.m. ET

foxsports

The 2015 season will be the first season in which Power 5 conference players will receive an extra payment from the NCAA, known as the cost-of-attendance stipend. In January, the NCAA passed the stipend to much debate.

The cost-of-attendance figures vary among schools and are said to be set by the state officials outside of each universities athletic department, thus each school cannot dictate the amount given to student athletes.

During SEC Media Days, Arkansas coach Bret Bielema spoke of the dangers of handing out large sums of money to collegiate athletes. While Bielema appears to support the cost-of-attendance stipend, the coach questioned the choices that will be made by players around the country.

"You give a young man 18, 19, 20, 21 with a little bit of pocket change, with a lot of money to make bad decisions, things can do sideways in a New York minute," Bielema said. "So you got a kid that's never had $1,000 in his pocket, and all of a sudden he's got $2,000, that's dangerous. That leads to dumb decisions."

It's a fair question to ask. How will these young players spend their money with no rules in place to prevent them from buying whatever they desire? Well several players in attendance for SEC Media Days were asked that very question by AL.com and the answers may surprise you.

-- Reggie Ragland, linebacker, Alabama Crimson Tide: "Pay bills. Make sure my rent is paid every month and make sure I have food in my house. I love to eat and I want to make sure I can entertain people a little bit. My teammates always love to eat and always over my house eating so I need to make sure I have food in the house."

-- Leonard Fournette, running back, LSU Tigers: "Groceries. Food, man because I've got my daughter with me. Anything to possibly help out."

-- Vernon Hargreaves, cornerback, Florida Gators: "I'll buy some food though. I'll go to Chick-fil-A or something like that."

-- Keon Hatcher, wide receiver, Arkansas Razorbacks: "Probably send some back home or help around the community. I don't have any big plans for it, just stay the course."

-- Skai Moore, linebacker, South Carolina Gamecocks: "Stocking up the fridge, honestly. Probably get a new pair of shoes or something. But definitely stock the fridge up first."

-- Brandon Powell, running back, Florida Gators: "I don't go out. I don't buy clothes or anything. I'll use it on food."

-- Nigel Bowden, linebacker, Vanderbilt Commodores: "I'll probably save it or mostly I'll give it to my mother for everything she's done for me before I got here."

Sounds like Bielema's concerns may be unwarranted, as most of the players just want to ensure they have food and their bills paid.

We won't know how well the new stipend checks will work until the players actually receive their money and we may not be able to accurately judge the results until several years of stipends have been given out. But if these players were honest and represented the majority of their peers, the cost-of-attendance stipend could prove to be one of the best moves the NCAA has made in years.

(h/t AL.com)