NCAA probe caught Heels’ Davis off-guard
July 22, 2010
DURHAM, N.C. (AP)—North Carolina coach Butch Davis says an NCAA probe intopotential rule violations in his football program came “out of left field.”
In his first public comments since the investigation began, Davis saidThursday the school is cooperating with the NCAA and that his program followsits rules.
A person familiar with the investigation says the NCAA is looking intowhether two players received improper benefits from agents. Senior defensivetackle Marvin Austin and senior receiver Greg Little are the focus of the probe,the person told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymitybecause the investigation is confidential.
The probe became public about a week ago after NCAA investigators visitedthe campus in Chapel Hill.
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Longtime BYU assistant Lamb retires
July 22, 2010
PROVO, Utah (AP)—BYU assistant football coach Barry Lamb is retiring after 16seasons with the Cougars.
Coach Bronco Mendenhall announced Lamb’s retirement in a statement Thursdayand said graduate assistant Nick Howell will replace Lamb on the staff.
Lamb coached BYU’s outside linebackers and also coached at six other schoolsin his 33-year career. He took a leave of absence in March for health-relatedreasons.
Howell has been a graduate assistant on Mendenhall’s staff the last threeseasons. He has been coaching outside linebackers while Lamb was on leave.
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Spurrier: TE Saunders did nothing wrong
July 22, 2010
HOOVER, Ala. (AP)—South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier says tight end WeslyeSaunders has told him he didn’t do anything wrong in a trip to an agent’s partyin Miami.
Spurrier says he doesn’t know all the details but that the question is whopaid for the trip for Saunders and other players, including Alabama defensiveend Marcell Dareus. The NCAA is also conducting an investigation at Georgia andNorth Carolina connected to the same party.
Alabama coach Nick Saban wants the NFL and the NFL Players Association topunish rogue agents. Spurrier says they “ought to be a little bit more activeand help out in that regard.”
He says coaches can’t monitor players 24 hours a day, seven days a week, andsometimes have to trust them to wait until after their final game to take money.
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Georgia WR Green not focused on probe
July 22, 2010
HOOVER, Ala. (AP)—Georgia receiver A.J. Green says he has “never” been toMiami and isn’t focused on the NCAA investigation of the Bulldogs.
Green told reporters before his scheduled appearance at the SoutheasternConference media days Wednesday that he is “just focused on getting ready forthe season.”
Georgia coach Mark Richt says “we’ll see what they gather” when askedabout the probe.
Georgia officials have confirmed the NCAA has requested permission toconduct an investigation on campus.
Investigations are under way at Alabama, South Carolina and Floridaregarding possible improper contact by several athletes with an agent.
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S. Carolina, UGA players claim innocence
July 22, 2010
HOOVER, Ala. (AP)—A party on Miami’s South Beach and sports agents were onceagain hot topics at the Southeastern Conference media days, with South Carolinaand Georgia taking center stage on Thursday.
Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said tight end Weslye Saunders told him hedid nothing wrong during his trip to South Beach; Georgia receiver A.J. Greeninsisted he’s never even been to Miami.
The party at Club Liv in the Fontainebleau hotel in May has been the subjectof investigations by the NCAA and several schools, including defending nationalchampion Alabama and North Carolina.
Saunders “went with several players on a trip to Miami,” Spurrier saidThursday. “I guess the question is, who paid for it? Who paid for what they didwhile they were there? When the investigation is finished, I guess we’ll findout about all the guys.
“I’ve talked to him briefly. He told me he’s done nothing wrong. We’ll letit play out.”
Green, coach Mark Richt and the other Georgia players were under NCAAinstructions not to comment on the investigation, which was disclosed Wednesdayevening.
Green, the Bulldogs’ star receiver, told reporters at the media gatheringthat he hadn’t been to Miami—ever.
Beyond that, he said: “It’s not my place to comment on it, and I don’t feelI need to.”
Richt told reporters of investigators that “we’ll see what they gather.”SEC officials twice warned that Georgia representatives wouldn’t talk about theprobe.
Alabama is looking into Marcell Dareus’ trip to the party around the time ofhis mother’s death on May 18. Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, the former MiamiDolphins coach who Wednesday compared the actions of unscrupulous agents to thebehavior of a pimp, wants the NFL and the NFL Players Association to punishrogue agents with suspensions.
Spurrier, who coached the NFL’s Washington Redskins, was more subdued whenasked if he agreed with that.
“I think they ought to be a little bit more active and help out in thatregard,” he said. “As coaches we do all we can to tell our guys the rules—you can’t accept anything from boosters, agents or whoever. But it’s hard towatch them all the time.
“It’s a little bit of a difficult situation, but sometimes you’ve just gotto trust your players to know the rules and wait until after their final gamebefore they take the money. If you can get through your senior year …. you canaccept all the dough they want to give you. But you have to wait until youreligibility is over. That’s what we all try to teach our guys.”
Arkansas’ Bobby Petrino, a former Atlanta Falcons coach, said it was“wishful thinking” that the players association and NFL commissioner RogerGoodell can solve the problem for the college ranks.
“We have to worry about what we can control, our education, our continuingto work on the decision making, the understanding of what’s right and what’swrong, not try to think that somebody else is going to handle it for us,”Petrino said.
NFLPA assistant executive director George Atallah said Wednesday the grouptakes “violations of NFLPA rules by agents seriously and investigate themvigilantly. This situation is no different.”
Meanwhile, teammates of Saunders voiced their support but shed little lighton the trip.
“I really don’t know what’s going on except what people are reporting,”Gamecocks linebacker Shaq Wilson said. “He’s been working his butt off. He’sbeen in there every day working out. He’s a model student-athlete and I thinkhe’s a great person. I support him.”
“We’re just hoping for the best for Weslye,” added fullback PatrickDiMarco. “He’s in a tough situation right now.”
Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, a fourth-year junior who was eligible forthe draft after last season, said his policy with agents is to avoid them.
“Obviously as a college athlete you’ve got to be aware of who you’re aroundat all times,” Mallett said. “I’m not talking to any agents at this time. Ifthey contact me, I tell them if I’m going to go to the NFL, I’ll talk to themafter the season.
“That’s how I’m doing it, because I don’t want to have to deal with any ofthe stuff that’s going on.”
Arkansas is among the SEC schools employing consultant Joe Mendes to helpplayers and their families in dealing with agents.
Outside the SEC, the NCAA is investigating North Carolina players MarvinAustin and Greg Little regarding alleged improper benefits from agents, a personwith knowledge of the probe has told AP.
North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall said her office has begunan investigation about potential misconduct involving agents and two Tar Heels.
“It’s probably got to be a federal issue because it’s one of those thingsthat cross state lines,” said Duke coach David Cutcliffe, a former Mississippihead coach and Tennessee assistant. “It’s not a North Carolina problem,obviously, and it’s rampant through the country.
“We’ve seen it on the West Coast raise its ugly head just recently (atSouthern California), and I’ve been in the Southeastern Conference for a longtime. You’re constantly looking for those signs. You see these people hangingaround outside your gate after a game. After doing it for 30 years, you startfiguring out who they are. It’s something you’d like to see authorities—legalauthorities—help us where there’s a problem. It’s bigger than the NCAA canmanage.”
At Georgia Tech, quarterback Joshua Nesbitt said he doesn’t agree withcollege players taking money from agents, but he can understand why some mightbe tempted to do it.
“Overall, I think it’s a bad thing to accept money when it’s not your jobto play,” Nesbitt said. “But you don’t know everybody else’s situation. Theirback might be against the wall and that’s their last leg. Who’s to say they’rewrong.”
AP Sports Writers Joedy McCreary in Durham, N.C., Aaron Beard in Raleigh,N.C., and Paul Newberry in Atlanta contributed to this report.
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NCAA probe at N. Carolina agent-related
July 22, 2010
DURHAM, N.C. (AP)—A person familiar with the investigation says the NCAA islooking into whether two players at North Carolina received improper benefitsfrom agents.
Senior defensive tackle Marvin Austin and senior receiver Greg Little arethe focus of the probe, the person told The Associated Press. The person spokeon condition of anonymity because the investigation is confidential.
The probe became public about a week ago after NCAA investigators visitedthe campus in Chapel Hill.
Coach Butch Davis was expected Thursday to make his first public comments onthe inquiry. Davis is attending a football preview luncheon in Durham with Dukecoach David Cutcliffe, East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill, North CarolinaCentral coach Mose Rison and North Carolina State coach Tom O’Brien.
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NCAA to have inquiry on Georgia campus
July 21, 2010
ATLANTA (AP)—Georgia associate athletic director Claude Felton says the NCAAhas requested permission to conduct an inquiry on campus.
Felton says Georgia officials assured the NCAA it will receive fullcooperation. He says the NCAA has asked that athletic association officials,coaches and student-athletes decline comment until the inquiry is completed.
Felton says the notification from the NCAA came late Wednesday afternoon. Hetells The Associated Press the instructions from the NCAA prevent him fromdisclosing any details about the reason for the inquiry.
The inquiry comes as three SEC teams—Florida, Alabama and South Carolina—are investigating allegations involving improper contact with an agent.
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Navy, Penn State to renew ties in 2012
July 21, 2010
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP)—Navy and Penn State plan to renew their footballrivalry in 2012.
The schools have announced they will meet at Beaver Stadium on Sept. 15,2012, in their first game since 1974. Navy won that meeting when former PennState assistant coach George Welsh led the Midshipmen to a 7-6 upset over No. 8Penn State in State College.
The Nittany Lions lead the series 18-17-2. The series began in 1894 with a6-6 tie in Annapolis, Md.
To accommodate the Navy game, a previously announced Penn State home gameversus Temple for the same date has been moved to Sept. 22, 2012.
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Saban compares some agents to a ‘pimp’
July 21, 2010
HOOVER, Ala. (AP)—Nick Saban didn’t pull punches Wednesday when discussing theimproper contact with athletes by unscrupulous agents, comparing their behaviorto that of a “pimp.”
The Alabama coach was upset about the rash of recent agent-related incidentsthat have resulted in NCAA investigations at several Southeastern Conferenceschools.
“I don’t think it’s anything but greed that’s creating it right now onbehalf of the agents,” Saban said in a rant at the Southeastern Conferencemedia days. “The agents that do this—and I hate to say this, but how are theyany better than a pimp?
“I have no respect for people who do that to young people. None. How wouldyou feel if they did it to your child?”
Agents, not national titles, was the primary topic on Day 1 at the WynfreyHotel. Three SEC teams—Florida, Alabama and South Carolina—are investigatingallegations involving improper contact with an agent. Saban and SEC commissionerMike Slive both emphatically said it was time for a change to NCAA rulesgoverning agents.
Saban confirmed that Alabama is looking into a trip defensive end MarcellDareus took to an agent’s party at Miami’s South Beach. South Carolina islooking into claims from the same South Beach party with tight end WeslyeSaunders.
Florida and the NCAA are reportedly investigating whether offensive linemanMaurkice Pouncey—now an NFL rookie with the received $100,000 from a sportsagent’s representative between the SEC championship game and the Sugar Bowl.
Pouncey denied the allegation.
“I did not accept $100,000, it is an absolutely ridiculous claim,” he saidin a statement through his attorney. “I have completely cooperated with theinvestigation and answered any and all questions put to me.”
Saban said he wants the NFL Players Association to get involved and suspendagents whose dealings help cost players eligibility, sending a message throughtheir bank accounts.
“That’s the only way we’re going to stop this happening, because it’sridiculous and it’s entrapment for young people at a very difficult time intheir life,” the former Miami Dolphins coach said. “It’s very difficult forthe NCAA to control it, and it’s very unfair to college football.
“I think we should look into doing something about that.”
Slive said he wanted the NCAA to change its philosophy for dealing withagents from one based on rules enforcement to a policy that is more orientedtoward educating student-athletes.
He said the current NCAA rules “may be as much part of the problem as theyare the solution.”
It’s hardly just an SEC issue, and it appears the rest of college footballis paying attention.
At Miami, players said Wednesday they’re reminded “constantly” about therules prohibiting contact with agents. And the investigations that have come outin recent days led to a reiteration of those rules, Hurricanes wide receiverLaRon Byrd said.
“It’s kind of crazy,” Byrd said. “You look at things like that, and Ifeel like those guys are being selfish, not looking out for the team. That’ssomething we always instill. It’s all about teamwork here. I would not put myteammates in danger, in jeopardy of losing games or damaging this programbecause I want to be greedy and take gifts or take things.”
Alabama is among SEC schools who use former NFL executive Joe Mendes tocounsel players and families about dealing with agents. Heisman Trophy runningback Mark Ingram said Tide players are educated about dealing with agents ortheir representatives.
“We have a great program in our organization that teaches us how to dealwith situations like that,” said Heisman Trophy-winning tailback Mark Ingram, ajunior. “Everybody is educated on how to deal with situations and how toapproach those situations.
“My focus is on this team and this football season. Anything else isirrelevant.”
Tide junior linebacker Dont’a Hightower said he hasn’t personally beencontacted by agents.
“We try to keep away from things like that and not bring it into theteam,” Hightower said.
AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Coral Gables, Fla. contributed.
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Ex-Gators OL Pouncey denies taking money
July 21, 2010
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP)—Former Florida Gators standout Maurkice Pouncey deniedallegations Wednesday that he took money from a representative of a sports agentwhile he was still at the university.
“I did not accept $100,000, it is an absolutely ridiculous claim. I havecompletely cooperated with the investigation and answered any and all questionsput to me,” Pouncey said in a statement released through his Gainesvilleattorney, M. Stephen Stanfield.
Florida and the NCAA are investigating an allegation that Pouncey was paid$100,000 between the Southeastern Conference title game and the Sugar Bowl lastseason, ESPN.com reported earlier this week.
The offensive lineman was selected 18th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelersin this year’s NFL draft. His twin brother, Mike, will be a senior at Floridathis season.
Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley has said the university became awareof the allegation in early June. He said the school reported the information tothe NCAA, the SEC and the university’s police department.
Gators coach Urban Meyer and Pouncey’s brother were scheduled to speak laterWednesday at SEC media day.
Pouncey’s agent is Joel Segal, but the allegation is not necessarily tied tohim. If the allegation is proven true, however, Pouncey could be ruledineligible for the Sugar Bowl game and Florida might have to vacate that victoryover Cincinnati among other potential penalties.
The investigation is one in series lately involving sports agent-relatedinquiries in college football.
North Carolina announced last week that the NCAA is investigating itsfootball program. The NCAA is looking into a possible rules violation involvingSouth Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders.
And Alabama coach Nick Saban told ESPN.com that university complianceofficials are trying to determine if defensive end Marcell Dareus violated NCAArules by attending an agent’s party in Florida.
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