I think there are some uneducated knuckleheads on this board. There are basically 4 ways schools cheat:

1. Direct payments from the school...this is what SMU did.

2. Indirect payments through boosters or other people tied to programs: here is how some schools get busted. This is basically what the original posts in the "As the Plains Burn" thread were accusing Auburn of in the Cam Newton saga.

3. Payments by agents to players for future considerations: Here is where the school has to forfeit games but is not necessarily liable, depending on how much they knew and what safeguards were in place to prevent it. Schools will let it happen so that recruits know that when the time comes form them to cash in professionally, the school will not get in the way of them fast forwarding the process a year or two, even though no money changes hands out of any desire to help the school. Schools busted here get nailed for lack of institutional control or dishonestly after the fact. This is how USC got nailed for Reggie Bush.

4. Payments from Bagmen. This is how 99% of college athletes get their illicit benefits. Bagmen have zero connection to the schools the represent and work only out of a desire to direct top talent to their school. They neither donate money to the school or accept any kind of payment for what they do. Every school has their network of bagmen who operate autonomously who are on their own to find out who they need to target.

No one does #1 anymore. Only the truely stupid do #2. The arrogant (See Carroll, Pete) do #3. Everyone does #4.

This post was edited on 7/31/14 at 8:58 am