Did Nebraska Perform Some Sleight of Hand to Get T-Magic?

The Los Angeles Times reported yesterday that the father of University of Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez signed a contract that entitles the university to a 10 percent royalty on products from his apparel company that bear the Huskers’ logo. At issue is whether the business agreement, struck prior to his son’s recruitment, violated NCAA rules.

The agreement between the university and Casey Martinez, owner of the Corn Fed apparel company, was signed in June 2007. Nebraska offered his son, “T-Magic,” a football scholarship in June 2008, and he signed his letter of intent in February 2009.

Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne said this about the agreement: “The arrangement was done before we even knew about Taylor Martinez or that we knew he was a football player. ... We’re doing nothing that violates NCAA or university rules.” Osborne’s comments are interesting on several analytical levels.

First, his convincing language appears to be an attempt to spin the “what did we know and when did we know it” angle of the L.A. Times’ revelation. Second, we wonder how Osborne is able to speak with authority about the business agreement, given that he wasn’t even appointed as interim athletic director until October 2007, four months after the deal was inked. Finally, his use of the present tense “we’re doing” conveniently excludes the knowledge, intentions and actions of the athletic administration that preceded him.

Not surprisingly, the NCAA concurred with Osborne’s assessment when it said the business partnership does not violate any college rules. Still, NCAA spokesman Eric Christianson acknowledged that such deals “could raise concerns” about recruiting inducements. Steve Morgan, an attorney who represents schools and athletes in NCAA cases, told the L.A. Times that “there’s a danger in not knowing what’s occurred before someone comes to your campus.”

This case may be another example of what we saw in the case of Cam Newton, with the NCAA ignoring one of its own rules: that family members of a football recruit are not allowed to benefit financially because of that recruit’s football status.

Like Newton, T-Magic appears to be the victim of an overreaching father. As for Nebraska and its highly-respected football program, the appearance of impropriety had better be fixed before the NCAA is left with no choice but to swoop in, Ohio State style.