Barry Hinson Named as First Full-Time NIL Administrator

(Robert Allen, publisher of Pokes Report contributed to this story.)

STILLWATER, Okla. – As Pokes Report first reported six-days ago Oklahoma State athletics has moved basketball analyst Barry Hinson into the role of monitoring and making sure NIL at Oklahoma State is done correctly and in a way that pays dividends for Cowboy and Cowgirl student-athletes and allows OSU to compete as NIL continues to make its’ place in major college athletics. It is in the vein of a continuing effort to be among the country's leaders in Name, Image and Likeness programming, Oklahoma State Athletic Director Chad Weiberg has announced Barry Hinson as OSU's first full-time NIL administrator.

"Over the last two years we have assembled an outstanding team to help provide robust NIL opportunities for our student-athletes," said Weiberg. "What we were missing was someone who could quarterback our team. With his experience coaching and recruiting, and his deep-rooted love of OSU, Barry is the perfect fit to coordinate our efforts, connect the pieces and lead our NIL team."

Hinson, who has been a member of head basketball coach Mike Boynton's coaching staff for the past three seasons, will assume his duties as OSU's associate athletic director for NIL immediately.

“I am not nor will I be a fund raiser, but by the time I’m through explaining where we are coming from as an athletic department, what we are up against with NIL initiatives among our competitors, and how important it is that we compete in their area then I know our fans will want to help out.”

In his new role he will head up the athletic department's NIL efforts by conceptualizing and coordinating programming and resources that lead to enhanced NIL opportunities for student-athletes. He will also educate external stakeholders on the benefits of engaging with OSU's student-athletes.

"I love OSU and I love our student-athletes," Hinson said. "This position provides an opportunity to promote and build mutually beneficial relationships for everyone involved. I am very grateful to Chad and OSU Athletics for this chance, and of course very appreciative of coach Boynton. He gave my wife and I a chance to come home."

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Hinson in his head coaching days at Southern Illinois.

Hinson is a native of Marlow, Oklahoma. He and his wife, Angie, both attended Oklahoma State. Upon his graduation, Hinson launched a basketball coaching career that began at Stillwater Junior High School and saw him eventually serve as head coach at Tulsa Bishop Kelley and as head coach at Oral Roberts, Missouri State and Southern Illinois. During his collegiate career, he twice worked for OSU grad Bill Self, at ORU and at Kansas.

Oklahoma State Athletics has embraced the launch of NIL in college athletics. Over the last 13 months, OSU has partnered with the OSU Brand Squad, INFLCR, The BrandR Group, Altius and Recur to provide education, content, compliance and partnerships for its student-athletes.

This is a critical job. Oklahoma State has done well and afforded some excellent opportunities to student-athletes, but there are situations across the spectrum of college athletics that are creating sort of an arms race in NIL. 

Florida head football coach Billy Napier said last week at the SEC Media Days that, “NIL is being weaponized in recruiting. It makes me nauseous.”

Many of the coaches at Oklahoma State, including head football coach Mike Gundy have warned that NIL is going to rapidly escalate out of hand. In many ways, it al;ready has. Hinson will be charged with finding ways for Oklahoma State to compete with those that are bending, if not breaking rules and stay inside the Cowboy culture. Gundy has said that he thinks Barry Hinson will do an excellent job.