One of the biggest conflicts that exists in college sports is the fact that some of the main agents for NFL players, also represent many of the major college coaches.
It is hard to imagine a greater conflict in motivation or undue influence than having the coaches agent being given access to that college’s players.
The NFLPA attempted to limit this type of activity by implementing the junior rule which prohibits those agents from speaking to the student athletes while they are in school. (For now we will leave aside an extensive description of why the Junior Rule is actually one of the worst rules ever conceived).
But when the coaches agent comes into the school to do presentations to the players or has the coach refer the players in exchange for doing the coaches contract for free, then there is a problem.
While we may not have hard evidence of this occuring, there are numerous stories about coaches pushing/steering/directing players to their own agents.
The latest occurred when Iowa’s prized left tackle signed with Neil Cornrich, agent for Kirk Ferentz.
But Iowa is not alone, there have been stories like this at many other major schools and Cornrich represents many high profile coaches. Still, when you talk to the players who were directed in this fashion, you have to wonder whether they feel they got proper representation.
