The College Football Agent Crisis
Posted on July 27, 2010 by Jacob Bunn
What was the biggest understatement of this SEC Media Days week? "Sports agents have become a detriment to college football." You are probably very aware by now of the recent incidents involving agents contacting players. Several schools from the SEC as well as other major programs are involved in several ongoing NCAA investigations as to whether or not college athletes took any illegal compensation from agents.
Alabama coach Nick Saban, Florida coach Urban Meyer, and SEC Commissioner Mike Slive all weighed in on the issue at their press conferences at SEC Media Days last Wednesday. Slive expressed the need to amend the rules regarding agents, Meyer called the recent outbreak of these situations an “epidemic,” and Saban simply referred to the unscrupulous agents as “pimps.” Personally, I think the head coach of the Crimson Tide’s statement is an insult to pimps.
Here is a triad of solutions that may fix the problem. All of them, though, are going to require the cooperation of multiple parties.
One option is for the coaches to ban professional scouts from their college campuses. It is a good idea if all of the major coaches are on the same page. If Saban or Meyer tries to implement this alone, it will backfire. Rival programs could then begin to advertise the fact that scouts are welcome on their campuses, thus giving them an advantage.
Another potential avenue of ending this problem with agents is involving the NFL Players Association. This organization has the decision making power over who can represent players in the NFL. The NFLPA also has the power to revoke the licenses of corrupt agents as well.
This problem could also be aided by the law getting involved. This option could very well be the only viable one. This problem needs legislation that causes more punitive action to be placed on agents who engage in unscrupulous activity. Several states are already advanced in their efforts to terminate dishonest agents, but not every state. Regulation of sports agents is going to have to come from the federal level.
One thing we must be careful not to do is lump every sports agent in the same boat. All agents are not corrupt. The fact that some agents do involve themselves in dishonest activity should not besmirch the name of the ones who do not. The corrupt ones, though, make headlines in the media and give the rest a bad name.
Unscrupulous agents are bad for college football, but the blame does not completely lie with them. Players must also be held accountable for their actions. It may not seem fair for a college student to have to document every move he makes as if he were a secret emissary. But, such is the territory that comes with being a high profile athlete looking to sign a lucrative professional contract.
On Wednesday, one thing Nick Saban did credit as an aid in this ongoing battle to keep players acting within the rules is the agent education his players are getting today. He said that Alabama has a counselor devoted entirely to making players aware of what is permitted. This more intense agent education seems to be paying off. Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, took a trip to Washington, D.C. in May that was recently scrutinized by the NCAA. Before he left, Ingram took the necessary measures and had the trip cleared. Marcel Dareus, however, did not have his trip to Miami in late May cleared. This left the door open for speculation even if he did not take anything from an agent.
The agent talk began when a report surfaced that Alabama DB Marcel Dareus attended a party in Miami that may have been paid for by an agent. At this party, though, were key members of other BCS-contending teams as well. It is true that these players attended the party. The only question is did they take anything from an agent. If they did, suspensions could be handed them by the NCAA.
It also came out just over a week ago that former Florida right guard Maurkice Pouncey took money (estimated $100,000) from an agent. Allegedly, this occurred before the Gators’ 51-24 pounding of the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl. The difference between this allegation and the one involving Marcel Dareus is the fact that it supposedly took place before the bowl game. As a result, Florida may have to vacate that win.
Agents need to be held responsible for entering college campuses and seducing college students who are just beginning life. For most of us, it may seem easy to just say no to an agent offering us a boatload of money mindful of the fact that we will be able to sign on the dotted line later. But to a young man who comes from a financially lacking home, a few months can seem like forever to wait on several thousand dollars. Agents who engage in unscrupulous activity are becoming a detriment to college football. Can this be stopped? With the team of Nick Saban, Mike Slive, and Urban Meyer on the case, my answer is yes.
Contact Jacob Bunn at Jacob@bunnsports.com
