Pay to play.

I’m not sure whether this is arising out of heightened sensibilities in the wake of the Reggie Bush stuff, or if agents are simply getting more aggressive, but there’s something depressing about the frequency at which we’re starting to see revelations like this:

Florida and NCAA officials are investigating a potential rules violation that allegedly occurred last December involving former Gators football standout Maurkice Pouncey, sources said.

Florida is internally investigating what sources described as an allegation that a representative of an agent paid Pouncey $100,000 between the Gators’ loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game to Alabama and their season-ending Sugar Bowl victory over Cincinnati. Florida apprised the NCAA of the allegation after it became aware of it.

“We were made aware of some information in early June that we reported to law enforcement and we then shared with the NCAA and the SEC,” athletic director Jeremy Foley said in a statement released Monday morning to ESPN.com. “At this time we have no information that has indicated that there are any compliance issues for the University of Florida.”

I don’t see how the NCAA can police this on its own.  It doesn’t have any control over agents and it doesn’t have any control over players once they leave for the next level.  It seems to me that the NFL and the NFLPA are going to have to step up, assuming it matters to them.

Monday morning buffet

Lots to sample today:

• Simplifying the NCAA rule book isn’t as easy as you may think.
• One little detail about Florida heading into the 2010 season:  “For the first time in three years, there are no returning first-team All-Americans.”
• Did Georgia commit a secondary violation with Zach DeBell this past weekend?
• If you want free Virginia season tickets, here’s your chance.  (h/t Barrel of Rum)
• I’m not sure I want to blog in a world where Mark Richt is on a hotter seat than Mike Hamilton.
• Nick Saban doesn’t have time for this sh… er,  Paul Finebaum’s radio show.
• Here’s Phil Steele’s handy guide to roster changes that have occurred since his 2010 Preview went to print.
• I await Michael Fitzpatrick’s screed on this:  “In one night, Notre Dame surpassed Georgia in off-season arrests of football players (8-7).”

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UPDATE: Chip Towers has more on the Zach DeBell situation.

Kiffin watch: just because you’ve moved 3000 miles away doesn’t mean they’re not thinking of you.

You’ve got to love Steve Spurrier turning lemons – the potential trouble TE Weslye Saunders may be in with the NCAA – into lemonade with this shot at Junior’s current place of employment:

“All I know is they had talked to him, and talked to some players at North Carolina. That’s all I know,” Spurrier said. “Whatever comes (of it), we’ll just have to wait and see. But I can assure that all of our players, our team, has been well-versed or taught about agents or people giving them gifts or money or whatever. … So if we have a player that accepts money, gifts from agents or whoever, they’ll be ineligible to play.

“We’re not going to look the other way like possibly Southern California did. We’re going to abide by the rules.”

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UPDATE: If this is true, abide is about all the OBC will be able to do.

… Austin is close friends with University of South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders, another NFL draft prospect who’s under investigation by NCAA officials for alleged rule violations involving agents.

We’ve been told that Austin and Saunders have been told by their respective coaches to no longer associate with each other.

A source said that Austin and Saunders have been regularly comparing notes on agents and marketing representatives throughout the recruiting process, including what inducements the various businesses are offering to try to win them over.

The players have been talking to try to obtain the best “deal” possible from agents, according to a source.

There have been rampant unconfirmed rumors about money changing hands…