Steve Sarkisian calls for certification process for agents in college sports

1 week ago 2

While Texas gets ready for the Citrus Bowl against Michigan on Wednesday, the transfer portal looms. The two-week window opens Friday, meaning Steve Sarkisian and the staff have been getting a plan together.

Part of that process includes preparing to negotiate deals. With that, Sarkisian issued a call for a certification process for agents in college athletics.

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Sarkisian cited the NFL as an example of having a system in place for certifying agents to represent players. Representatives for NFL players must have approval from the NFL Players Association and take a 60-question exam. In college, there’s no such formal process. Sarkisian said he thinks college athletics will get to that point, but for now, it’s an area that needs to be addressed.

“I think it’s all so strategic,” Sarkisian said of recruiting the transfer portal. “Because it’s, one, about need. It’s, two, about money and the cost and where’s the market and which agent you’re dealing with. There are some agents that are rational and there are some that this is their first time ever being an agent.

“I don’t even know if they’re licensed to be agents, but all of a sudden they get to be agents because we have no certification process in college football. Where the NFL, you have to be certified. In college football, it might be their college roommate their freshman year who’s their agent right now. And this guy’s throwing numbers at you and it’s like, we can’t even deal with this. You just move on. It’s unfortunate, and we will get there in college football. But right now, it is a tough situation.”

Steve Sarkisian: ‘We just have to tighten it up’

When it comes to evaluating the portal, Steve Sarkisian said there are multiple factors in play. It starts with finding positions of need on the roster compared to “luxuries,” and fit is also important.

Specifically at running back, Tre Wisner announced he plans to enter the portal. Sarkisian was asked if he planned to bring one in, and he mentioned four-star recruit Derek Cooper as someone the staff likes. But when it comes to filling those needs, he pointed out the importance of the financial component.

“We’ve got to have our list of needs, our list of wants and our list of luxuries, and then what’s the dollar sign next to all of that?” Sarkisian said. “And then, what’s the bottom dollar from an organizational standpoint? The idea that I can sit up here in 2025 and talk about money and players and things is pretty crazy. From where we have gotten to, from where we were four or five years ago to where we are today. But that’s the reality of the situation of college football right now, and that’s where we are.

“Again, I think there’s nothing wrong that. We just have to tighten it up. Hopefully, we can get there sooner rather than later because I’m probably going to be on the phone with an agent today that’s going to throw a number at me that I’m going to be like, ‘Good luck. I hope you get it. If you don’t, call us back. But I can’t do that number.'”

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