Former South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia saw college players being paid for autographs all day every day, he told a Charlotte radio station Thursday.
I wish it would have came to me, but they thought of me as some rich white kid so I didnt really get a whole lot of benefits from that, Garcia said on The Mac Attack show on WFNZ. I mean, Im just being honest with you, and thats what it is. I saw it firsthand with a lot of players.
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I am friends with a lot of players around the SEC and some of the stories they tell me, it makes the Todd Gurley thing seem insignificant by a long shot, Garcia said.
Im going to go out on a limb and say it does not happen at Vanderbilt, said Garcia, who is now a college football analyst for Saturday Down South. I dont think that is really prevalent over there. Maybe Kentucky not either, but every other SEC team, I guarantee you some of these guys are getting some handshakes with some cash in there.
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The most money Garcia heard of a college player receiving was $160,000 for the season for autographs and stuff, he told the radio station.
I think it is absolutely ridiculous that these kids cant profit from their name, their likeness, and sign their name on their own jersey, Garcia said. I dont understand that, and I really hope that that rule changes. I absolutely think that these guys deserve to get paid for their own (dang) autograph.
Garcia did not take any illicit money during his college career, he said.
Not one dollar man, he said. Not a dollar was offered to me unfortunately.
Garcia absolutely would have taken the money had it been offered, he said.
I dont know one person who would not take free money, he said.