There are a few traditions in Texas you just don’t mess with.

Football is tops among them.

And to that point, lawmakers in the Lone Star State are set to enter into law the stiffest penalties in the country for sports agents and their runners who illegally coax young athletes into contracts and endorsement deals that might make them ineligible to play college sports. If the legislation becomes law, agents and/or their runners could receive a conviction of up to 10 years in prison.

In recent years, the major universities in Texas haven’t been exposed for any wrongdoings with sports agents the way USC and North Carolina have been. But in the state where football is king, the obvious goal is prevention.

"The athlete doesn't know if they are talking to another student or a runner for an agent," University of Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said to the Associated Press. "If we can get those kinds of things stopped, it would be a benefit to the student and a benefit to the university."

Texas, like most states, already has laws that bring fines and even the revoking of licenses for agents who pursue athletes while they are still in college. But putting a tough prison penalty behind it should almost ensure sports agents and their runners will steer clear of the Texas schools.

"Far too many times, agents have caused havoc for athletes and universities and walked away unscathed," said Rep. Harold Dutton, a Houston Democrat who strongly pushing the measure

Contact Terrance Harris at terrancefharris@gmail.com.    

(Photo: Dylan Martinez/Landov)