The Bag Man
College football's new power brokers aren't the coaches, collectives, or even the players... Meet the agents that are shaping the new era of college football.
For years in college football, there was a not-so-secret world of under-the-table payments to players. Pre-NIL, the guy or gal handing over the brown bag of cash was usually anonymous, and taboo to speak of. Not every school participated in the illicit affairs of The Bag Man, but every school knew it was happening.
Now, the money is no longer hidden in a brown paper bag. It appears as NIL contracts, brand deals, and revenue-sharing agreements (so boring, right?). The people behind those deals are no longer anonymous boosters or sketchy car dealers (allegedly, of course). They are agents, attorneys, and player representatives.
That distinction matters when looking at Coach Steve Sarkisian’s comments at SEC Media Days.
Despite saying a very similar line at a press conference in February (to very little public outcry), Coach Sark doubled down at SEC Media Days, lifting the veil on the current landscape of roster and “cap” management.
The backlash to Sark’s comments largely treated the departing players as powerless victims. But Parker Livingstone’s own words suggest a more complicated dynamic:
“If I didn't have an agent, I'd probably still be in Austin.”
Parker’s quote is proof of the new reality of modern college football: Players aren’t always being pushed out— sometimes, they’re actually being advised out.
Both Livingstone and Sark were winners of the transaction, despite what public sentiment would have you think. Livingstone got paid by Oklahoma what he and his representation felt he was worth, and Sark allocated that roster space and money to bring in a player he viewed as an upgrade in Cam Coleman. Win-win, right?
Welcome to modern college football. Players are compensated, roster spots carry dollar values, and agents are helping determine who stays, who leaves and how much it will cost to replace them.
So, who is really running the show?
Meet the Agents
David Mulugheta: Athletes First
AKA, the Godfather of agents. The founder of super agency Athletes First, David Mulugheta is one of the most powerful NFL agents in the business. He has leveraged his NFL notoriety into representing a carefully selected group of elite college talent. Not just any collegiate athlete gets to sign with Athletes First.
Mulugheta graduated from The University of Texas and has deep ties to the Longhorns. His path into the business actually started with Texas legend Jamaal Charles (watch his entire backstory on 3rd & Longhorn).
However, despite the Texas connection, you will never — I repeat, NEVER — see him giving Texas a hometown discount. A consummate professional at the top of his game for a reason, his clients’ needs always come first. Sometimes this benefits Texas, other times, not so much.
For example, Mulugheta represents Cam Coleman. During Texas’ pursuit of Coleman, another client of Mulugheta’s ended up being an instrumental piece in helping Cam decide where he wanted to play football: Ryan Wingo.
On the flip side of the coin, Mulugheta also represents Bo Barnes. After limited playing time as a freshman in 2025, Barnes was allegedly unhappy with Texas’ financial offer. So Mulugheta helped him pivot, landing a deal at the University of Kentucky.
Those two examples alone prove what a delicate balance Texas has to manage when working with players and their representation. And they have to do it across an entire roster… college coaching ain’t for the weak!
Mulugheta’s current client list of Texas Football players is truly impressive, and goes to show why having a great relationship with him is key for Texas Football’s success in high school recruiting and the transfer portal:
Current Texas Football Clients*: Colin Simmons, Lance Jackson, Ryan Wingo, Cam Coleman, Richie Wesley, Kade Phillips, Brandon Baker.
Current Clients Who Transferred*: Bo Barnes.
Texas-Exes & NFL Clients*: Joseph Ossai, Anthony Hill Jr., DeMarvion Overshown.
*Publicly available info via players’ Instagram bios, agency reporting, or NFLPA website. List includes examples and is not all-encompassing.
Ron Slavin: LIFT Sports Management
The guy who was on the other end of the Parker Livingstone quote mentioned above. Ron Slavin runs LIFT Sports Management out of Southlake and has built one of the deepest Texas-to-the-pros pipelines in the business. His Southlake roots are a big reason why he represented former Southlake Carroll and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers.
While the fan in me wants to be ‘angry’ at Slavin over the Parker Livingstone situation (Parker didn’t write that statement without LIFT’s help), I also have to respect how Slavin handled Quinn Ewers.
After the devastating 2024 College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Ohio State, it was widely assumed Quinn would declare for the NFL Draft. However, Slavin’s phone was blowing up with calls from other college teams hoping to lure Ewers into the transfer portal.
Allegedly, teams like Miami and Notre Dame had $4-million+ offers for Quinn to be their 2025 starting quarterback. Despite the enormous figures, Ewers elected to declare for the NFL Draft and preserve his legacy as a Texas quarterback — the one who brought us back to national prominence. I credit Quinn for making the decision, but I cannot discount Slavin’s support of it.
It’s a fine line Texas must walk while managing relationships with agents. The same agent involved in a messy Texas departure also supported Texas legend Quinn Ewers as he turned down millions to preserve his legacy.
While Slavin’s list of current Texas players is not as public or robust as Mulugheta’s, these are a few of the highlights:
Current Texas Football Clients*: Ryan Niblett, Colton Vasek.
Current Clients Who Transferred*: CJ Baxter, Parker Livingstone, Trey Owens.
Texas-Exes & NFL Clients*: Quinn Ewers, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Byron Murphy II, Jonathon Brooks.
*Publicly available info via players’ Instagram bios, agency reporting, or NFLPA website. List includes examples and is not all-encompassing.
Fine Lines
When you realize Sark and the Texas staff are managing players, parents, agents, marketing representatives, outside offers, locker-room dynamics, and a finite pool of money, all while trying to build a championship roster, the SEC Media Days comments seem relatively tame (Seriously, I would be telling guys to kick rocks lol).
So, who is really running the show? The answer is… it depends.
Sark and co decide who fits the roster and what Texas can afford. Players decide what they are willing to accept, and agents make sure their clients understand exactly what leverage they have.
The team may still mostly be in charge, but the new Bag Man has a permanent seat at the table.