UCLA Football: Are Josh Rosen’s comments about football, school right?

The UCLA Bruins have struggled with keeping their star quarterback Josh Rosen healthy over the past two years and he spoke out today about other issues.

Junior UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen had himself quite the Q&A with Bleacher Report’s Matt Hayes. The interview was published yesterday on B/R’s College Football section and had a controversial quote featured from Rosen himself.

Rosen was quoted saying that “football and school don’t go together”. He went on to elaborate even further saying:

"Trying to do both is like trying to do two full-time jobs. There are guys who have no business being in school, but they’re here because this is the path to the NFL. There’s no other way."

In terms of the 2018 NFL Draft, Rosen has the potential to be the No. 1 overall pick, but he’s usually projected to be the third or fourth quarterback selected. USC’s Sam Darnold, Wyoming’s Josh Allen and Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph have been some of the players along with Rosen discussed as being the top QB’s in the 2018 class.

However, this quote from Rosen brings up a bigger question that’s been looming over college football and the NCAA as a whole. Should college athletes be paid?

The pressure that’s put on college football “student athletes” on a day-to-day basis, especially during the season, is incredible. Having to be a full-time student and practice, lift weights, and watch film for multiple hours each day as well is more than what almost any other college student has to deal with.

It’s only a matter of time before the NCAA has to face this problem head first. They already put forward a very short-term solution with the “cost of living” payment program. Cost of living gives college athletes stipends each year to cover everyday expenses during the school year. However, most schools have a stipend that is between $2,000-$4,000, and no more than around $5,000.

The lawsuits and controversy surrounding the payment of college athletes have slowed down since the Northwestern lawsuit fell through and the EA Sports NCAA Football video game settlement wrapped up. Now college football fans have no video game released each year and no progress to look forward in regards to the monetary compensation of some of the nation’s most famous players.

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Rosen was able to say the thing that most college football players are thinking anyway. It’s refreshing to here someone right in the thick of things be able to talk about the issue of the “student-athlete” label and the payment of college football players.