University of Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne has worked in college athletics for over three decades, including previous stints as the AD of Arizona and Mississippi State.

He's seen it all, at least until late Friday night, when he began officially facing a new challenge -- paying college athletes directly, or more specifically deciding which teams Alabama would pay directly, and how much, in an effort to keep the entire operation going.

Claudia Wilken, a federal judge in California, approved a settlement Friday between the NCAA and athlete plaintiffs that established a revenue sharing system that allows athletic departments to pay out about $20.5 million directly to their players. The agreement lasts 10 years, and the money is expected to increase annually.

While college athletes

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