It was a memorable homecoming Tuesday as former SMU Mustangs running back Eric Dickerson returned to campus for an event hosted by Influxer, a company that helps student-athletes connect with companies through name, image and likeness offers to kick.

Dickerson is fondly remembered for his time with the Mustangs as one half of the “Pony Express” with Craig James.

While at SMU, Dickerson recorded 4,450 rushing yards and 47 touchdowns on 790 attempts in four seasons, led the Southwest Conference in yards and touchdowns in his junior and senior campaigns, and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 1982.

Dickerson wasn’t on campus Tuesday to reminisce about his on-field accomplishments, but rather shared his thoughts on the recent implementation of NIL.

“I always believed that athletes should be paid,” he said.

The Hall of Famer said he doesn’t believe an athlete’s game-day performance or commitment would change because of an NIL deal, rejecting an argument from opponents of the concept who say players pursue money, not team goals would.

“Athletes are going to play hard no matter what,” he said.

The former Mustang also didn’t hold back on the NCAA during his time on the microphone, stating that they are useless in this era of college football.

“I hate them,” he said of the NCAA. “To me they’re just crooks.”

Dickerson suggested that the NCAA should be removed from college football and that each conference should oversee and regulate its own member schools and games.

The legend can only be proud of the season SMU had this year, its first in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

After spending the last 11 years in the American Athletic Conference, the Mustangs joined the ACC this year and have an 11-1 record overall and an 8-0 record in conference play.

The program is poised to face the Clemson Tigers in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday, and with the program ranked eighth in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, they can clinch a win-or-loss spot.

NIL has become a polarizing topic in the college sports landscape, but if you have Hall of Famers in your corner, you must be doing something right.