You can view former sports agent Josh Luchs two ways. You can take the view from Boulder, Colo., that he is an unethical, lying vermin. Or you can take my view that his first-person cover story in this week's Sports Illustrated has enough truth to show that college athletics has a bigger problem with agents than we ever imagined. Whether you believe Kanavis McGhee's denial Thursday during a highly orchestrated news conference that he accepted money from Luchs is not the point. Luchs could very well have mixed up his dates and actually offered the former Colorado linebacker $2,500 after his senior year in 1990, and not before. What matters is eight players confirmed receiving cash and seven others declined comment. Who knows how many lied when denying it? If runners such as Luchs are slithering around college campuses and alleys slipping money to players, the problem is rampant. Still. 'The question is, how much is going on?' Denver-based agent Peter Schaffer said. 'I'd say the numbers are about the same (today).' I think Schaffer's one of the good guys. He has had clients ranging from Barry Sanders to Eddie George and currently has Joe Thomas, Hakeem Nicks and Russell Okung. I've seen Schaffer spit enough venom about crooked agents to know he has his clients' interests at heart more than most. So when he talks about what has become the NCAA's biggest target in its enforcement, I listen. 'There will always be four types of players,' Schaffer said. 'One, those that under no circumstances will take money; two, those that never take money but might think about it; three, players who take money under any circumstances; four, players who have needs and have to.' That means the problem will never go away. Each school gives seminars telling athletes the do's and don'ts of the NCAA. Schaffer has done some of these seminars, and sometimes it's like talking to a wall mural. 'If you're at a seminar, what's the fastest recorded element of time?' Schaffer said. 'When a teacher says good morning and the athlete tunes them out. There's no grade, no test, no credit. Nothing.' Schaffer has an idea of how to correct that. 'I've advocated for years that these promises made to these young men and women, why not have a class for all athletes going pro?' he said. 'Give them school credit so they have to pay attention.' Most athletes know the difference between right and wrong, but few know the consequences. Georgia All-America receiver A.J. Green would not have sold his bowl jersey on the Internet if he had known getting caught would mean a four-game suspension. Schaffer's idea needs tweaking. Classes should be required for every scholarship athlete on campus, and included would be a test on select chapters of the NCAA handbook. If you've ever tried lifting the NCAA handbook, you know this won't be a jock class. Second, give schools immunity when turning in agents. It would give them incentive to know about the company their athletes keep. Defensive tackle Marvin Austin, a certain first-round pick, was kicked off North Carolina's team for dealing with an agent. Defensive end Robert Quinn, another first-rounder, and receiver Greg Little were ruled ineligible. Six other Tar Heels are sidelined while being investigated, poleaxing a promising season before possible NCAA sanctions. North Carolina athletic director Dick Baddour acknowledged the school is partly at fault. 'We should've been doing something else,' Baddour told The Associated Press. 'We should've acknowledged the level that these guys are at and that there were going to be people coming at them. I wish we had done more.' Third, the NFLPA can decertify agents but is working with the NCAA to develop more rules. It's up to them. The states aren't doing much. Also, a little common sense would help. 'I hope that the athletes read the article top to bottom and see the quote, 'I need to do what's best for my family,' ' Schaffer said. 'That player is telling Luchs that, 'I'm not making the most important business decision in my career, the second-most important decision of my life -- next to who'll be my wife -- based on who's buying my affection instead of objective criteria on who'll be the best agent for me.' ' (John Henderson is the college sports columnist for The Denver Post.) 