Louisiana head coach Billy Napier caused a stir Friday as the story that he was requiring scholarship players to give a minimum $50 to the Ragin’ Cajun Athletic Foundation made the rounds. There was some controversy around his announcement of the policy, specifically it being announced by Napier as mandatory for all scholarship players (a school spokesperson later said it was not mandatory). The former Alabama assistant opened his Friday press conference by addressing the controversy surrounding the $50 donation. The full text of his opening statement can be found at The Advocate, but here are some of the key points:

“I think it’s important that I address some of the criticism that we’ve caught from our $50 contribution by the players to RCAF. I think anybody that knows me or knows my intentions on that would tell you that basically we want to have a program here that’s about teaching young people principles and values that are going to help them after football is over.

…

I think it’s part of my job to teach them the principles and values that go along with our football program. We’re talking about $50 a year for four years – $200 bucks – four dollars and a quarter a month, 17 cents a day to basically say ‘thank you’ to the people who have contributed to their experience and their opportunity. I know they respected it. We had several that said they’re going to do more than $50, because of their appreciation.

I know it came across maybe there nationally as a mandatory required experience. Maybe I misspoke in the way I presented it and that’s my fault. I do think that’s something we’ll continue to do and I think it’s going to be good for our players to be educated about that process and have perspective and not feel entitled and know that it is a privilege to be a college student-athlete.”

Napier also called into “The Paul Finebaum Show” on Friday to discuss the policy with guest host Tom Hart.