Georgia Bulldogs head football coach Kirby Smart has expressed concerns about college collectives engaging in what he describes as unethical recruiting practices, specifically alleging that they are making monthly payments of up to $20,000 to high school recruits to secure and maintain their commitments. According to Yahoo! Sports, Smart claims that if a recruit decommits, these collectives demand the return of the compensation.

The state of college football is headed towards a direction that needs more structure and regulation. More states are allowing high school players to get paid and sometimes payments for that comes from college football powerhouses. With a coach with a stature like Kirby Smart there is going to be more attention and more problem solving to be had if he is one the speaking out about the issue.

This complaint from a major Power Four program like Georgia, which typically benefits from significant name, image and likeness resources, is notable given that smaller programs often voice similar grievances about wealthier schools luring away their committed players with more attractive financial offers. The practice of collectives offering recurring financial incentives to high school players, sometimes months or even years before they can officially sign, underscores the largely unregulated nature of the current NIL market, particularly as the House v. NCAA settlement awaits finalization.

This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Kirby Smart calls out surprising practice in high school recruiting