Solving NCAA’s Agent & Tampering Crisis: Time for Action

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Continuing on the current path without regulation is unsustainable in this new era of the NIL.

That's why most everyone associated with college football, from coaches and administrators to sports writers and fans, agrees that change is needed. 

Yet, we’re stuck in a continual holding pattern while everyone waits for someone else to take action. The NCAA has resisted taking action for fear that any regulations it places will be undercut by laws passed by state legislatures or the United States Congress. 

Two weeks ago, the President of the United States proposed a commission on collegiate athletics, led by the Texas Tech Board of Regents chairman, Cody Campbell, and legendary former coach Nick Saban. However, those plans were paused last week while senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) continue to work on a bill to address some of the issues.

NCAA President Charlie Baker said, “I’m up for anything that can help us get somewhere,” when asked about a potential presidential commission during an informal session with the media at the ACC meetings.

“I’m not sure we really need a commission,” Saban said during an appearance on “The Paul Finebaum Show” on May 14. “I think a lot of people know exactly what the issues are in college football and exactly what we need to do to fix them. I think the key to the drill is getting people together so that we can move it forward.”

Most Non-FBS coaches agree with Saban. The issues are clear, and one of the most significant could easily be solved.

“The biggest problem is the street agents,” Stephen F. Austin head coach Colby Carthel said. “The NFL has agents, and they’re all regulated and registered. But it’s the wild, wild west in college football. We have street agents calling our starting quarterback, offering half a million dollars to sign with them. It’s unfortunate and something we need to get regulated.”

Some agents receive as much as 25% of a player’s NIL deal. In comparison, the NFL Players Association only allows an agent to receive a maximum of 3% of a player’s NFL contract.

“Some people without a moral compass have jumped into this market,” Austin Peay head coach Jeff Faris said. “Often, these players don’t have someone in their life they can lean on, so these (street agents) take advantage of these vulnerable student-athletes, and that’s a shame.”

Gaining control of the street agents with regulations and certification would provide immediate relief to every college football coach, something the NCAA should legislate immediately.

But regulating the street agents won’t solve the primary issue facing Non-FBS coaches.

In April, Grambling coach Mickey Joseph made headlines across the college sports landscape when he advocated for player buyouts. 

“I think I can speak on (the troubles facing college football) because I’ve coached near the bottom of college football in NAIA to the top of the Power 4 at LSU and Nebraska, and both of those schools have money,” Joseph said. “I know what these FCS coaches go through when they lose players. I lost one guy with 120 tackles to Ole Miss, my 6-foot-6, 280-pound defensive end to Wisconsin, our starting cornerback to Southeast Missouri State, and a starting receiver to Georgia State.”

One solution I pitched to Non-FBS coaches nationwide in preparation for the summer magazine received unanimous support. My idea is similar to the structure of most contracts signed by college coaches, where another team is expected to pay a buyout if they want to hire the coach during the length of the agreement. 

This requires admitting that college athletes are employees, and costs will be associated with that. Admittedly, this will add another burden to schools already struggling with financial difficulties and many other issues at multiple levels. Still, these programs should receive compensation for their Non-FBS coaching staff finding and developing recruits, not counting the costs the schools encounter associated with recruiting and the scholarship provided to the player. 

“We lose these players, and we have to replace them,” Joseph said. “There should be compensation for that to the school or program. That would stop these guys from picking starters off my roster to be a backup.”

Sam Herder crunched the numbers in January for the number of snaps played by those who transferred from FCS to FBS schools in 2024. The Hero Sports senior FCS analyst found that 55% played fewer than 300 snaps last season. A whopping 81% played fewer than average snaps (roughly 600) from a typical college player at that position. 

My plan isn’t the best, and those far smarter than I will develop an actual plan. However, every plan should include a safety net for the student-athlete by requiring the school to pay a buyout to the player if they are cut from scholarship during their agreement. A university should pay a monetary price for breaking its promise to provide an athletic scholarship for four years.

It’s time to start treating these players like professional athletes to rescue the collegiate game we love. Some bemoan the idea of treating a college athlete like a professional athlete, while acknowledging that it’s likely the only option to save college football at the Non-FBS levels.

“If we’re going to pay these athletes, we need to treat them like professional athletes. If a team cuts a guy in the NFL, they must pay the guaranteed money left on that contract. If we have contracts with a buyout, these coaches will pause and rethink whether they need that player,” Joseph said. “I’m advocating for the kids. You gotta do right by the kids. Coaches have been doing it for years, and these players deserve to get paid. Let’s use some common sense.”

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