Did A Former Deion Sanders Assistant Coach Try To Secure NIL Funding For Colorado With Saudi Investment Group?

As we've all seen over the past few years, putting together funding for NIL purposes for a college football team can lead to some interesting partnerships. Now, according to one report, a former Colorado assistant was reportedly looking to the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund for help when it came to raising NIL funds. 

According to Sports Illustrated, former Colorado special teams coordinator Trevor Reilly sought funding for the Buffaloes 5430 NIL Collective group via private funding with the Saudis, the same way we've seen some professional leagues fund their companies. 

Trevor Reilly says he spent time during the holidays in the Middle East, trying to lobby the PIF (Saudia Arabia Public Investment Fund) into getting involved with Colorado's collective or pretty much buy a stake in the NIL collective. 

Colorado has not responded to the SI report.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 10: Head Coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes speaks at the 2024 Big 12 Conference Football Media Day at Allegiant Stadium on July 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Louis Grasse/Getty Images)

In the report, Reilly states that when he resigned on August 1st, he wrote athletic director Rick George and head coach Deion Sanders a resignation letter that included him saying that he took a trip to the Middle East to try and secure the funding, acting on his own. 

"The arrangement was that, because I did all the NIL work at Jackson and got us through, you guys would pay me a modest salary and make me the Special Teams Coordinator, which should have freed up time for me to handle NIL activities," Reilly wrote, according to Sports Illustrated. 

"You paid me $90,000 a year and let me handle special teams. I did all this work in your name and was told to pursue it. I burned through all my contacts in my Mormon community, which is worth about $3 trillion. Now, I can't get these people to answer my calls because I just found out today that none of my endeavors will happen."

Also, was this former assistant coach banking on the Mormon community to help with his endeavors to raise money? I have so many questions regarding this alleged incident. 

Trevor Reilly also reportedly says that he has email receipts that can prove he tried to secure the funding, but that Colorado let the potential deal ‘fall flat on its face’. 

"I even went to Saudi Arabia and got a meeting with the Saudis, who were interested in pursuing business. I have email receipts to prove it, and you guys let it fall flat on its face."

Does Any Of This Hurt Colorado Or Deion Sanders?

No, this would not affect Colorado in any way, since Trevor Reilly said that he acted on his own accord. But at the end of the day, it sounds like one former assistant coach was trying his hardest to raise money for Colorado's collective, and looking outside the box for fundraising opportunities. 

TEMPE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 07: Quarterback Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes watches from the sidelines during the second half of the NCAAF game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium on October 07, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. The Buffaloes defeated the Sun Devils 27-24.  (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

It's been previously reported that some schools around the country are looking for private equity firms to get involved with potential revenue-sharing opportunities. There will be a time, in my opinion, where we do have athletic departments looking towards the private sector to fund certain programs, but we have yet to see a school pull the trigger. 

As for this former assistant coach, if he decided to try and pursue deals with this Saudi investment group, then good for him. That's one way to stand out in staff meetings, and within the NIL community in Boulder. 

But there certainly has to be more to this story, given that Trevor Reilly reportedly resigned from his position on August 1st. The question now is how Colorado will respond to this story, and if anyone else inside the program knew about his trips to the Middle East to lobby for additional NIL funding.