Adam Schefter's foray into college football reporting took an unexpected turn on Monday. His initial claim that Sacramento State was in discussions to hire Michael Vick as its next head football coach quickly faced challenges. The assertion that Sacramento State had over $50 million in NIL funding also sparked immediate pushback.

Controversial Reports and Backlash

Sacramento State was indeed in discussions to hire former Pro-Bowl QB Mike Vick, with plans to move up to FBS and build a new stadium. However, the figure of $50 million in NIL funding seemed to be misleading. Stewart Mandel from The Athletic pointed out that Sacramento State did not have anything close to that amount. It likely referred to fundraising commitments over the next decade.This led to a series of events. Sacramento State itself pushed back, with The Sacramento Bee reporting that multiple athletic department officials refuted Schefter's claim. Joe Davidson of the Bee cited an unnamed source who described the report as a "rumor," adding that Vick wasn't close to becoming the Hornets' next head coach.This marked the second time during the current coaching cycle that Schefter's college football reporting faced immediate challenges. In November, he reported that Ray Lewis had emerged as a candidate for Florida Atlantic's head coaching vacancy, but that report lasted only a few hours before being debunked. FAU ultimately hired Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley, and ESPN's own reporting undercut Schefter's claim.With Sacramento State more directly rejecting Schefter's latest report, the backlash grew louder. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk took aim, accusing Schefter of being played. He questioned whether the reporter knew he was being scammed or was willingly going along with it.To his credit, Vick did meet with Sac State officials. But whether they are actually in discussions to hire him as the next head coach is a different story.The situation highlights the importance of accurate reporting in college football. A single misstep can lead to significant consequences and damage to a reporter's credibility. Schefter will need to be more careful in his future reports to avoid similar situations.