South Carolina Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier proposed paying football players $300 per game out of his own salary, finding six other SEC coaches on his side. As Spurrier himself acknowledges, this idea is not going to happen -- Title IX considerations alone ensure that. Appearing to favor paying players by any legal means necessary, however, looks mighty enticing to potential recruits.
Kudos to Georgia Bulldogs coach Mark Richt, Kentucky Wildcats coach Joker Philips and (HURK!) Auburn Tigers coach Gene Chizik (Never thought I'd type that!) for not only voting against the just-throwin'-this-out-there idea but publicly shooting it down. HBC knows good press when he sees it, and branding himself as the football coach who wants to pay players more than any other coach in the SEC does is tremendous press.
None of this is to say college football players shouldn't be compensated the same as students attending college with athletic scholarships are, of course. It's just that anybody straight-up reporting the story without acknowledging what's going on is doing work in Carolina's favor.