Former Georgia Coach Jim Donnan Breaks Down Revenue Sharing Era and Its Transformative Impact on College Football Roster Building

On the latest episode of UGASports LIVE, former Georgia Bulldogs head coach Jim Donnan joined hosts Radi Nabulsi and Jake Reuse to unpack what may be one of the most transformative shifts in the history of college football—the introduction of revenue sharing with student-athletes. With the NCAA and power conferences agreeing to allow schools to directly pay players, the longtime analyst and Hall of Fame coach offered a candid and informed look at how this financial evolution will reshape the way programs like Georgia build and maintain rosters moving forward.

Donnan, who coached the Bulldogs from 1996 to 2000 and remains deeply connected to the college football world, didn’t mince words when describing the seismic nature of the change. “This isn’t just a little ripple,” he said. “This is a tidal wave. You’re talking about fundamentally changing the relationship between schools and student-athletes, and that affects everything—from recruiting to development, to retaining talent.”

The episode, which came just days after the landmark settlement that will allow athletes to receive a portion of the revenue generated by their respective programs, centered on the practical implications for coaching staffs, athletic departments, and especially for powerhouse programs like Georgia. Donnan’s insight painted a vivid picture of both opportunity and chaos as programs adjust to this brave new world.

“The old ways of roster building are gone,” Donnan emphasized. “It used to be about recruiting top kids out of high school, developing them over three to four years, and plugging holes with the occasional transfer. Now, every roster move has a price tag, and that changes the dynamic completely.”

Georgia, a school already entrenched in the upper echelon of college football under head coach Kirby Smart, finds itself well-positioned to navigate these changes, but that doesn’t mean the path forward will be without challenges. Donnan pointed out that Georgia’s strong financial backing, booster support, and institutional commitment to athletics make it a frontrunner in this new model. However, he cautioned that with increased spending power comes increased pressure—and scrutiny.

“You’re going to have players who know exactly what they’re worth,” Donnan said. “And you better be able to justify who gets what, and why. That’s not something coaches have traditionally had to deal with on this level. It’s almost like managing a professional team now.”

What that means in practical terms is a complete rethink of roster construction strategies. Donnan explained that in the past, coaches could count on a player sticking around to develop, knowing that their big payday would come in the NFL. Now, with schools essentially offering salaries, players may prioritize short-term financial gain over long-term development. A promising sophomore might look elsewhere not because of playing time but because another program is offering a more lucrative package.

Retention, Donnan argued, becomes just as critical as recruitment. “It’s not just about signing the best high school players,” he said. “It’s about keeping them happy. That means making sure they’re developing, playing, and yes, getting paid in a way that reflects their value to the team. If you don’t, someone else will.”

To that end, Donnan believes athletic departments will need to invest in infrastructure that can handle the administrative and emotional complexity of this new system. He mentioned the need for financial counseling, mental health support, and staff specifically tasked with managing player compensation and expectations.

“There’s going to be resentment,” he said. “If your starting quarterback is making $600,000 and your All-SEC linebacker is making $75,000, you better believe that’s going to cause friction. You need to be ready to handle that.”

And then there’s the matter of transparency. Donnan noted that with the NCAA likely to push for standardized compensation reporting, teams may no longer be able to keep their internal financial dealings under wraps. That, he believes, could further complicate recruiting battles and locker room dynamics.

Still, Donnan sees an opportunity for schools like Georgia to lead rather than react. He lauded Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs’ administration for building a program culture rooted in accountability, excellence, and structure—qualities that will be vital in the revenue-sharing era.

“If anyone can navigate this, it’s Kirby,” Donnan said. “He already runs a program that’s organized like the NFL in a lot of ways. They’ve got player development, nutrition, strength, mental health—everything. Now you add player pay to that equation, and Georgia is already ahead of the curve.”

Another intriguing wrinkle Donnan and the UGASports LIVE crew discussed was how revenue sharing could affect walk-ons and depth players. Traditionally, these athletes played without scholarships, often for love of the game or the hope of eventually earning a spot. With revenue sharing in place, schools may be pressured—or even mandated—to compensate everyone on the roster, not just stars and scholarship players.

Donnan expressed concern that some programs may respond by shrinking rosters, eliminating walk-on opportunities to reduce costs. “It would be a shame,” he said. “Walk-ons are the heart and soul of a lot of programs. They give you depth, they push starters in practice, they often turn into contributors. Losing that would hurt the game.”

Recruiting, meanwhile, becomes a high-stakes game of budget management. Donnan predicted that NIL collectives may become more integrated with athletic departments as revenue sharing formalizes the previously murky NIL marketplace. The recruiting pitch will now include a dollar figure—guaranteed money in some cases—and schools will need to tread carefully to stay competitive while avoiding internal implosions.

“There’s always going to be a balancing act,” Donnan said. “If you spend too much on one recruit, you might miss out on three others. Or worse, you blow your locker room up. Coaches are going to need to be part general manager, part psychologist.”

The hosts also raised the question of Title IX and how equitable compensation might be enforced across men’s and women’s sports. Donnan acknowledged the complexity, noting that while football and men’s basketball generate the lion’s share of revenue, schools are legally required to ensure equal opportunity. That could lead to difficult decisions about funding across non-revenue sports.

“You’re going to see some hard conversations,” Donnan said. “There’s only so much money to go around, even at a place like Georgia. Balancing fair compensation with legal requirements and athletic competitiveness is not going to be easy.”

Despite all the challenges, Donnan remains optimistic that the sport will survive—and even thrive—in this new era. “College football is resilient,” he said. “It’s changed a lot over the years, from scholarship limits to the playoff system to NIL. This is the next step. The schools that adapt will keep winning. The ones that don’t will fall behind.”

He pointed to Georgia’s recent dominance—multiple national championships, top recruiting classes, and elite player development—as evidence that the Bulldogs are already wired for success in a competitive, high-stakes environment. Adding revenue sharing to the equation is just another variable for Smart and his staff to master.

“There’s no playbook for this,” Donnan concluded. “But Georgia’s been writing its own for a while now. If they stay aggressive, stay smart, and keep their culture strong, they’ll be just fine.”

For fans of the Bulldogs and college football at large, UGASports LIVE offered a sobering yet enlightening glimpse into the sport’s next chapter. The revenue-sharing era is here, and as Donnan made clear, it’s going to change everything—on the field, off the field, and especially in the locker room. Whether programs sink or swim will depend on their willingness to evolve, communicate, and manage not just football players, but now, salaried young professionals navigating fame, finances, and fierce competition. Georgia, it seems, is already diving headfirst into the future.