Omaha, Neb. ? Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne says there is nothing inappropriate about his department having a business agreement with the father of the Cornhuskers’ starting quarterback.

Casey Martinez of Corona, Calif., owns an apparel company known as Corn Fed. He signed a contract with Nebraska in June 2007 that entitles Nebraska to a 10 percent royalty on Corn Fed products bearing the Huskers’ logo. The Los Angeles Times first reported the agreement.

Nebraska offered Martinez’s son, Taylor, a football scholarship in June 2008, and he signed his letter of intent in February 2009 without visiting another school.

NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson said the deal is not against the rules.

Osborne said he didn’t understand how it could be perceived that the licensing agreement helped Nebraska land Taylor Martinez or be considered an ongoing extra benefit to him.

“The arrangement was done before we even knew about Taylor Martinez or that we knew he was a football player,” Osborne told The Associated Press on Thursday from San Diego, where the Huskers were playing in the Holiday Bowl. “This hasn’t changed anything. It would be really odd if we said that now that Taylor plays with Nebraska we can no longer do business with you. We’re doing nothing that violates NCAA or university rules.”