N.C.A.A. Puts Tennessee?s Recruiting Under Scrutiny

[Biggin]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/sp...r=1&ref=sports

The N.C.A.A. is conducting a wide-ranging investigation into the University of Tennessee’s football recruiting practices, according to interviews with several prospects, their family members and high school administrators. A significant part of the investigation is focused on the use of recruiting hostesses who have become folk heroes on Tennessee Internet message boards for their ability to help lure top recruits.

N.C.A.A. officials have visited four prospects and are scheduled to visit two others this week in an investigation covering at least three states. The inquiry is unusual in its scope and its timing. It is rare that the N.C.A.A. looks at this wide a swath of one university’s recruits before the players have signed with a program in February.

Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton confirmed that an investigation was under way but declined to elaborate.

“Typically, we do not comment on inquires that are in progress,” he said Tuesday night in New York.

Since Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin took over in December 2008 after being fired as the Oakland Raiders’ coach, the Volunteers have committed at least six secondary N.C.A.A. violations — unintentional violations that provide minimal recruiting or competitive advantage.

Interviews with multiple recruits and their family members revealed that the N.C.A.A. has strong interest in Tennessee’s use of recruiting hostesses, students who are part of a formal group at the university that hosts all manner of prospective students at campus visits, including athletes. It is not clear whether the university sent the hostesses to visit the football players.

In one case, hostesses traveled nearly 200 miles to attend a high school game in South Carolina in which at least three Tennessee recruits were playing.

Marcus Lattimore, a running back who made an unofficial visit to Tennessee but said he would not enroll there, said multiple Tennessee hostesses attended a game at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., in September. He said they brought signs, including one that read, “Come to Tennessee.”

“I haven’t seen no other schools do that,” he said. “It’s crazy.”

The hostesses are considered representatives of the university, which would mean they could not recruit players off campus. Therefore, the visits may be considered violations of N.C.A.A. recruiting rules.

Two of Lattimore’s teammates, Brandon Willis and Corey Miller, have orally committed to Tennessee. Lattimore described the hostesses as “real pretty, real nice and just real cool.” He said he thought they had “a lot” of influence in Miller’s and Willis’s commitments to Tennessee.

Because of their influence on recruits, the recruiting hostesses have become popular with Tennessee fans. Bryce Brown, the country’s top running back recruit last year, who is a freshman at Tennessee, was pictured on a social networking site last year with a hostess. Other Tennessee hostesses have publicly conversed with prospects through Facebook and MySpace.

Some recruits say their influence is significant.

“You don’t want to go to a college where they ain’t pretty,” Lattimore said.

Gary Willis, the father of Brandon Willis, said in a telephone interview Tuesday night that the N.C.A.A. had interviewed his son about the girls’ trip to the game. He said the girls met his son at Tennessee’s football camp last summer and told them that they would attend a game at Byrnes High, which generally has one of the best teams in the country.

Gary Willis said that the trip was not orchestrated by Tennessee’s coaches or staff.

“It was nothing planned on no one’s part,” he said of the girls’ visit.

Despite Willis’s statement that the move was not orchestrated by the university, the hostesses’ driving that far to attend a high school game and hold up signs would be considered highly unusual. Christian Jones, an outside linebacker at Lake Howell High School in Winter Park, Fla., made an official visit to Tennessee in October and said Volunteers hostesses told him they wanted to attend one of his games.

That did not happen, but he said he occasionally exchanged text messages with them.

“That’s real exciting, getting people like that wanting to support you,” Jones said Tuesday night in a telephone interview.

The N.C.A.A. visited the home of Chris Dunkley, an uncommitted receiver prospect who attends Pahokee (Fla.) High School, on Tuesday night. Dunkley confirmed the visit by the N.C.A.A. but said in a phone interview that he did not want to say more.

The N.C.A.A. is also scheduled to visit North Miami High School to talk with Ted Meline, who committed to Tennessee. North Miami Athletic Director Hector Gray confirmed the N.C.A.A.’s visit but said he knew nothing else about it.

On Thursday, the N.C.A.A. will visit the high school of JaWuan James, who has orally committed to Tennessee. He attends North Gwinnett High in Georgia.

James’s mother, Nichelle Mickens, said the visit regarded Tennessee’s hostesses.

“It’s not about the coaches,” she said. “It’s about some of the attendees of the university. It has to do with the hostesses on these visits. That’s as much as I know.”

Rick Evrard, a former N.C.A.A. investigator and a partner in Bond, Schoeneck & King, a law firm that specializes in helping colleges deal with N.C.A.A. issues, said he could not comment specifically on the Tennessee case. He did say, generally, it was not common for the N.C.A.A. to interview recruits interested in a particular university or to ask them about a particular program.

Kiffin’s numerous secondary N.C.A.A. violations could be a factor or might have prompted the investigation.

“Secondaries mean something to the N.C.A.A.,” Evrard said in a telephone interview. “It’s very telling if an institution continues to report secondaries particularly if they’re in the same category. If you keep doing the same thing over and over and keep reporting it, that would trigger the N.C.A.A.’s enforcement staff to possibly go in and look at some of that activity.”

[1inStripes]

Interesting to see what the deal is here. Rick Evrad must not know too much about secondary violations and how the NCAA feels since 6 is considered pretty low compared to quite a few schools.

[CoeburnCane]

[Biggin]

I dunno a whole lot about it, it was just published today and I heard about it on Sportscenter and found the article earlier.

The six secondary violations dont mean anything by themselves, but knowing how the NCAA works, they could use it as a continuing disregard for policy. They seem to like to pick on some schools, yet let the others get off scot free.

[1inStripes]

They have interviewed Lattimore, Dunkley and Meline about this. I highly doubt UT is sending young girls into Pahokee for recruiting purposes. If so, those gals have bigger cajones than I do. I sure wouldn't roll into the Muck alone. Lattimore is also one of the recruits who rolled Toomers Corner in part of Auburns recent secondary violation.

[Biggin]

haha well Dunkley didnt end up in Pahokee until this year, maybe they were gonna go but changed their minds when he transfered down there.

SI had a really good article about the Muck Bowl a couple weeks ago

[1inStripes]

Yes they did. Oddly enough that was the week NuKeese decided to go Jesse James on some young punks in Knoxville that the Muck Bowl was being played.

[TheBeast]

Sounds sort of like the hostesses were taking it upon themselves to try and get the recruits to come to UT.

I do know that Emory & Henry had some nice hostesses and one girl that wasn't a regular hostess but friends with a couple of them that made the recruiting visit right pleasant.....wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more!

[NotSoSilentBob]

Commitment's father says UT did no wrong

Charles Miller watched the news coverage all day.

Countless times he saw the national media report on the NCAA's investigation on Tennessee hostesses traveling to Duncan, S.C., to see his son, Corey Miller, and fellow defensive end prospect Brandon Willis.

Charles Miller was ready Wednesday to clear the air. First, he stated the obvious: young men like young girls.

As for the implication that UT's football program sent the hostesses to Byrnes High School as recruiters, Miller said nothing could be farther from the truth.

"Nobody put these girls on these boys," Miller said. "It wasn't like they came to our boys. Our boys started talking to them."

The initial conversations between UT hostesses and two highly rated prospects began in Knoxville, Miller said, when his son and Willis visited UT's campus in June.

"They became friends," the elder Miller said.

Perhaps more. Miller said he's not sure if his son is dating one of the unnamed hostesses in question, but said the two have kept in contact.

"I know they talk an awful lot," Miller said. "I don't know if he calls it dating or not. I don't think there's anything wrong."

Miller said he was nearby when his son invited the hostess to Duncan while on UT's campus.

"They asked them, 'Why don't you come watch us play some Friday?' '' Miller said.

As for the visit, Miller maintained the hostesses came as fans, not UT representatives.

"They didn't wear Tennessee colors," Miller said. "They were dressed very nice, like ladies dress."

Miller said his son and Willis parted ways with the two hostesses after the game. Miller said Byrnes players met for a post-game meal as they usually do.

As for the girls, "I don't know where they went," he said.

Miller also said he never saw the poster the UT hostesses were reported to have carried that read 'Come to Tennessee'. Instead, he saw a poster with Corey Miller and Brandon Willis' name on it.

Miller was befuddled by the fact UT's hostesses must have limited contact with prospects just because they are considered representatives of UT.

"You're going to tell people they can't be friends because of whatever school they go to?" Miller said.

Miller said he believes the girls visited Byrnes High School on Sept. 25, 11 days after his son and Willis committed to UT.

"They already said that's where they were going," Charles Miller said. "So how can that be a violation? It wasn't like those girls came down and all the sudden they changed their mind."

Miller said he has no idea who would have turned UT in, that Byrnes is covered up with college football recruiters most every Friday night during the season.

When asked if UT head coach Lane Kiffin may have been targeted by rival schools for some of his brash, public comments, Miller said, "Let me tell you something. I met Lane Kiffin. Now, everybody has different personalities. Because his personality is different doesn't make him wrong. I like him. I like him a lot. Football is a man's sport. He's a fiery coach and I like that."

Miller said UT was a far different place under former coach Phillip Fulmer.

"When I first came to visit, that was the last place I wanted my son to go," Miller said. "It was so laid back - no fire in the belly. When Lane Kiffin and his crew were there, I noticed a difference right off the bat. He might pop off and say a few things and ruffle a few feathers; I'm cool with that. Some people don't like that."

Miller said he's concerned that the NCAA investigation could prevent his son from enrolling at UT, as he planned to do in January.

"I'm concerned about what you don't know," he said. "We're new at this. We don't know what to expect."

At this time, there's no reason to believe the NCAA would deal out such a harsh penalty. That could largely depend on how involved UT's football program was in their hostesses' road trip.

Miller's desire is clear. He said his 6-foot-4, 225-pound son will honor his UT commitment.

"No deviation in the plan," Charles Miller said.

Willis doesn't seem so sure.

He told PalmettoSports.com on Wednesday that his commitment is "medium."

"I wouldn't say soft, I wouldn't say firm. It's in between," the 6-3, 255-pounder said.

Willis told the South Carolina Web site that he had talked to UT's staff about the NCAA investigation.

"Nothing that happened was inappropriate," he said. "Of course, they are going to investigate because things like that happen. But, the things that happened, none of that was illegal."

Willis said the NCAA investigation won't have an affect on the decision-making process for his college choice.

Willis is rated as the 88th best prospect in the nation by Scout and the 41st best prospect in the nation per Rivals.

Miller ranks 80th and 27th best in the nation, according to Scout and Rivals, respectively.

? 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.

[NotSoSilentBob]

Something Stinks In Pahokee
http://13psi.com/something-stinks-in-pahokee/
New York Times sports reporter Pete Thamel ?broke? the story of the NCAA?s investigation into Tennessee?s football recruiting practices. After inititial investigation into this story, there seems to be a stink arising from little Pahokee, Fla., which drifts over to Gainesville and all the way north to a couple of offices in mid-town Manhattan.

The Players -

Pete Thamel ? College sports reporter for the New York Times
Connor Ennis ? Sports department staff editor, New York Times
Chris Dunkley ? Pahokee football prospect being recruited by Tennessee and Florida
Ariel Alejo - Pahokee principal, Florida Alum, Huge Gators fan
Urban Meyer ? Head coach, University of Florida
Lets start with a flashback to 1998. In the first game of Tennessee?s national championship run, the Vols narrowly defeated the Donovan McNabb led Syracuse Orangemen. A Tennessee loss looked eminent until a fourth down pass interference call allowed the Vols to move within range for a last second field goal for the win. The pass interference call led to a fervent outcry of referee bias by the Syracuse faithful. Conner Enis and Pete Thamel were both Syracuse students and writing for the Syracuse Post Standard and The Daily Orange at the time. Getting Interesting?

Thamel was at the forefront of reports on the recruitment of Bryce Brown, the heralded running back who eventually committed to Tennessee and was seen as a major coup for young head coach Lane Kiffin. It was a surprise when Brown was briefly declared ineligible by the NCAA roughly two weeks before the season began so they could investigate some reports they had gotten. Brown was eventually cleared to play. Pete Thamel has also witten so many gushing stories about the Florida Gators and Tim Tebow that it led one Gators blogger to refer to him as the ?program?s most talented chronicler.? After Thamel?s prediction of a Gator blowout over Tennessee in this year?s contest didn?t come to fruition, he met with Meyer in his campus office the following morning. Here is the resulting article which blamed the lack of a blowout on the Flu and ?Tennessee?s apparent lack of interest in actually winning the game? One thing is clear..Pete Thamel and Urban Meyer have a relationship.

The NYT article states that the NCAA has interviewed a handful of recruits regarding the investigation. The most interesting is Chris Dunkley. While the other players and/or their families were willing to talk about what they discussed with the NCAA and were generally complimentary of Tennesse, Dunkley refused. Dunkley happens to play for Pahokee High School. The same school whose principal, Ariel Alejo, tried to ban Tennessee coaches from recruiting his student-athletes. This was after Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin made statements to the press that he didn?t trust the way things were done in Pahokee regarding the recruiting process, insinuating that they tried to steer players towards Florida. Of note: Ariel Alejo is a Florida Alum that has a good relationship with Urban Meyer and is known to be a huge Gators? fan.

Urban Meyer. With the verbal jabbing back and forth between Gainesville and Knoxville since Lane Kiffin was hired at Tennessee, it is apparent that the ****y Tennessee coach has gotten under his skin. It is also apparent that the Vols have been raiding the state of Florida of some of its best football prospects which had until lately been almost guaranteed locks for the Gators. Meyer has friends in the administration at Pahokee. He also has a more tight than common relationship with an investigative sports journalist at the New York Times. Motive and Means?

In an ominous sign of things to shortly come, and a possible inside joke between the two, Pete Thamel wrote this of Meyer just a week ago ? ?The most memorable moment from the news conference may have been when Meyer was asked about Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin?s assertion that Alabama is the better-coached team. Meyer smiled big and said, ?No comment.??