The agent/athlete contact and transactions outside of the knowledge of the Corches and/or administration is a totally separate issue from cheating or any benefit being derived by the school. However, let's not keep our heads in the sand. Cheating goes on everywhere. It's not limited to a handful of universities who were dumb enough or unlucky enough to get caught. Some get popped simply because they're so blatant with it that it's almost impossible not to notice.
USC got hammered because of Reggie Bush...and O.J. Mayo in basketball. USC has been signing top 5 recruting classes since Pete Carroll arrived on campus. Does anyone really believe that Reggie Bush was the only player to cash in at USC? Please. Does anyone recall the class signed by Alabama when Albert Means' tubby ass brought them down? Was he the only player in that class that caused $$$ to change hands? Really? Why? There were much more high profile signees in that class than Means. Not picking on those schools. I've witnessed things myself first hand where I just wanted to do the 3 monkey thing...hear no evil...see no evil....speak no evil. It goes on everywhere. Some get deeper into than others, but make no mistake, it's going on at some level.
College football is BIG, BIG business, generating untold millions for the athletic departments and universities. I've told the story of being at an FSU/Miami game where they paraded the Million Dollar donors out at halftime. They lined them up across the field and introduced them. One couple had given $10 million and all of this money was donated directly to the athletic department. When you are responsible for keeping the golden goose laying those eggs, you'll do whatever it takes to keep that going. That means getting the best players possible signed and doing what it takes to keep some of them happy. It could be as simple as a little cash on the side. It could be as blatant as buyin' Mama a crib. But it happens. That's why I don't get too caught up in the point and laugh when the NCAA comes knocking on someone else's door. These are not choir boys running these programs and their multi-million dollar jobs depend on keeping up with the Jones' and Lord Saybinz' and Corch Meyers of the world.