University of Hawaii football coach Todd Graham said he favors new NCAA legislation that is supportive of players.

Graham was responding to the NCAA’s policy change that will allow student-athletes to make money from their name, image or likeness. NIL breaks from the previous NCAA policy prohibiting such money-making opportunities.

“I fully support our players,” Graham said. “I want to do everything we can to help them in that endeavor within the framework of the rules.”

On Monday, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled the NCAA’s restrictions on education-related benefits were illegal. On Wednesday, the NCAA decided to allow student-athletes to create and benefit from NIL opportunities. The new NCAA policy still prohibits boosters from paying players and does not allow endorsement deals that influence recruiting.

Because Hawaii does not have an NIL law, UH is consulting with conferences on how to craft institutional NIL guidelines.

“Let’s figure out a way to do it the right way,” Graham said. “Let’s figure out a way to help young people, and to make it better for them. I’m all for that.”

Graham has been supportive of previous measures to help student-athletes, such as the cost-of-attendance supplements to scholarships. Graham noted the dual workload for student-athletes.

“It’s two full-time jobs being a full-time student and competing academically in the classroom, and it’s a full-time job being a college player on the Division I level,” Graham said. “That’s very difficult.”

A balance is sought between competitive balance and benefits for players.

“I do think we want to protect the integrity of college football,” Graham said. “I think college football is different from professional football. And I think in a lot of ways, it’s a lot more positive in how we do things. On the same hand, I’m all for being able to help these players. Many of them are not going to go on and play in the NFL or have long careers where they can get a pension from the NFL. … When they pass things, we’re going to embrace them. We want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to help our players. That’s our job, to serve our players, to help them accomplish their dreams and aspirations academically as far as a degree and career. And we’re going to embrace it and everything we can to support and help them within the framework of the rules.”