People are misguided if they think Trooper and Luper, or Chizik, are out paying players. No freaking coach does that, not even Mirando. They may know about it, they may not. Trooper and Luper probably do know about Auburn's schemers, headed up by Tim Jackson, but I'm thoroughly convinced Chizik was not. I think Chizik was hired STRICTLY to be the moral guy on the pedestal who wouldn't ask questions while Jackson and Dye did their thing behind the scenes. Auburn thinks they know their path to success....and that is to run an NFL-esque program where the elite players are given 'motivation'. They are the modern day SMU.
Trooper and Luper and slick talkers, who identify with the players they recruit. Add the incentives received on the visits and other stuff, and you've got a machine at work. Unfortunately, in college, the head guy must actually be respected. Chizik was not. Dye was the perfect figure head for the Auburn Slime Machine.
Terry Bowden almost blew it up. And they tried the 'right' way with Tuberville, but they found out the hard way that the only way to be successful like that was to have some good luck ie Alabama on probation.
MSU is similar....but instead of blatant cheating I wish we'd just go after JUCOs, transfers and Hargrave types to neutralize talent.