USC Football: School to host agent awareness summit

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USC, which has had its share of agent-related issues and is in the midst of the NCAA appeals process, will host an ‘agent awareness, education and eligibility summit,’ Tuesday at the Galen Center, the school announced.

Representatives from the NCAA, the Pacific 10 Conference, Southeastern Conference, the NFL, the NFL Players Assn. and several agents will attend, the school said.

USC is awaiting word from the NCAA regarding its appeal of sanctions that resulted, in part, from former football player Reggie Bush and former basketball player O.J. Mayo and their involvement with agents and would-be agents. Trojans tailback Dillon Baxter also was ruled temporarily ineligible last season after he accepted a ride on a golf cart from a USC student who was an agent.

‘Obviously, the issue of college student-athletes dealing with agents is a hot-button topic,’ USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said in a statement. ‘We at USC know that firsthand. We decided to organize this summit so that all of us at USC can pick the brains of our peers throughout the Pac-10 and also hear from those on the firing lines at the NCAA and Pac-10, at the NFL and within the agent community.

‘Our goal is to gain valuable input in this area as we move forward here at USC, and also to provide a constructive dialogue and exchange of ideas between all of the participants.’

Haden, USC President Max Nikias, vice president for athletic compliance Dave Roberts and senior associate athletic director Mark Jackson will represent USC at the conference.

-- Gary Klein