NCAA will announce Tech findings at 3 p.m.; Cooperation an issue; Thomas, Burnett deny involvement
The NCAA will announce the results of an investigation into alleged violations committed by Georgia Tech’s football program at 3 p.m. today.
The alleged violations occurred within the past several years. The NCAA considers the violations, which included improper benefits, minor. However, Tech allegedly didn’t cooperate with the investigators as enthusiastically as the NCAA would have liked. A phone conference is scheduled with Dennis Thomas, the chair of the NCAA’s infractions committee, at 3 p.m. Georgia Tech President Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson and Athletic Director Dan Radakovich will hold a press conference at 4:30 p.m.
At issue for Tech is that after receiving penalties for the 2005 and ‘06 seasons for infractions that occurred in the 1990s, the NCAA said that if Tech commits another major infraction before Nov. 17, 2010, it will be subject to added penalties as a repeat violator. Colleague Mark Bradley (@markbradleyajc) just tweeted, “I’m told nobody is getting fired, but Georgia Tech people are bracing themselves for a big hit from the NCAA.”
Demaryius Thomas, a wide receiver and first-round pick in the 2010 draft, denied a blog report that he is one of the reasons for the investigation. In a text message, Thomas said he was offered things by people not affiliated with Tech, but never accepted. Morgan Burnett, a safety and third-round pick, also denied the report, texting that he “did not knowingly or unknowingly receive any gifts from any agents … These reports are baseless and false.”
Thomas and Burnett signed with Tech when Chan Gailey was the coach. Paul Johnson, who led Tech to the ACC title in 2009, was hired after Gailey was fired by Radakovich after the 2007 season after five years at the helm.
If there are immediate penalties, it would be the second time within five years the Jackets have been punished.
Tech learned in 2003 that it had been misapplying an NCAA eligibility rule and worked with the NCAA to investigate the nature and results of the error. They learned that 17 athletes, including 11 football players, who were academically ineligible were allowed to compete during the 1998 and ‘99 seasons.
As a result, Georgia Tech was on a two-year probation that resulted in self-imposed scholarship cuts (from 85 to 79) and a reduction in signing classes (from 25 to no more than 19) in 2005 and 2006. In addition to those penalties, the NCAA infractions committee added a limit of 79 total football scholarships for the 2006 and 2007 teams, six below the normal maximum.
The infractions committee also recommended that Tech vacate wins from seasons, 1998-2002, plus 2004, which were all winning seasons that ended in bowl trips. Tech appealed and the NCAA appeals committee agreed, allowing the results of those seasons to stand.
The NCAA has been in what appears to be a testy mood regarding alleged violations and lack of cooperation in wake of scandals at Ohio State, Southern California and North Carolina, among other places. The Trojans were forced by the NCAA to forfeit their 2004 national championship and the Buckeyes voluntarily forfeited 12 wins and their 2010 Sugar Bowl victory in an attempt to appease the infractions committee. Penalties against North Carolina’s program haven’t been announced. However, numerous players were suspended for all or parts of last season.
Please keep checking back for news.
– Doug Roberson, AJC. Follow on twitter @ajcgatech
Here’s a step-by-step guide to NCAA investigations.
Here are some stories about Tech’s previous NCAA issues.
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478 comments Add your comment
Tommy
July 14th, 2011
1:18 pm
How is misapplying a rule different from breaking it? See, officer, I wasn’t speeding, I was misapplying the speed limit.
RJ Voorhees
July 14th, 2011
1:18 pm
@Tom Shane, only problem is that Tech doesn’t have stars and every player is a lower level player!!
George Stein
July 14th, 2011
1:19 pm
Funny post, dawgmatic. #notfunny
Harry from da Burn
July 14th, 2011
1:19 pm
Don’t worry. None of our players have been arrested or failed out. Our athletic director wasn’t caught driving hammered with prostitute. We’ll be fine.
5150 UOAD
July 14th, 2011
1:20 pm
RedandBlackDAWG posts this all the time on Bill king’s Blog
If you don’t know what the term means, “troll” refers to an online personality that uses his/her anonymity to “bait” users or turn valid discussions into full-blown arguments.
Dawgs post about Tech people on Their blog, but look at all the UGA fans on the Tech Blog today.
Pauls Johnson
July 14th, 2011
1:21 pm
Their biggest infraction was believing they actually have a football program.
Big Ten Champs Nebraska
July 14th, 2011
1:21 pm
@ Techwrecker……You can’t make a comparison between UGA and Nebraska if you have to go back over 15 years reference a Nebraska issue. That’s like me calling you a racist because the south was for slavery a long time ago.
GT Alum
July 14th, 2011
1:21 pm
The funny thing to me about this is this sounds like it’s going to be major penalties. Usually, when there’s major penalties coming, people know about the infraction ahead of time and it’s all over the place. I wonder how it was kept so quiet.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 14th, 2011
1:21 pm
The NCAA is working on their image with this case. They want to be looked at as a vindictive dictatorship. Then the major cases like Ohio State and Oregon will be looked upon by the public as another witch hunt by the NCAA. I applaud the NCAA for busting schools on the minor violations and trying to sweep the major ones under the rug. Keep up the great work
George Stein
July 14th, 2011
1:24 pm
Speaks to intent, Tommy.
Knoot Rockne
July 14th, 2011
1:27 pm
2 words…Cam Newton. My parents did it, and I had no knowledge whatsoever….case closed.
GT Alum
July 14th, 2011
1:27 pm
Tommy -
As George Stein said, I think it’s more like seeing the speed limit sign and thinking it said 65 when it really said 55. An honest mistake, rather than intentionally breaking the rules.
Rodney King
July 14th, 2011
1:28 pm
Can’t, can’t we all juss git along?
headley lamar
July 14th, 2011
1:28 pm
Death penalty???
RJ Voorhees
July 14th, 2011
1:29 pm
@GT Alum, i wonder how much of a “fine” GT will have to pay. Speeding tickets are expensive!
5150 UOAD
July 14th, 2011
1:30 pm
Why did this just now come up?
Who said something?
We knew about AJ Green, Cam, UNC, and Ohio St before anything was really out from the NCAA.
Why all the secrets about the check into Tech’s issues?
Honolulu Dawg
July 14th, 2011
1:31 pm
5150 UOAD, quit acting like you never posted on a UGA blog. I’ve seen your handle a number of times on UGA blogs. So don’t sit their and start crying.
Tech Fans sell us your single/season game tickets for the Tech vs. UGA so we can get Bulldog Nation in your seats cheering our team to victory.
Goooooooooo DAWGS! Sic em’
GT Alum
July 14th, 2011
1:32 pm
Hmm, Bradley’s saying no one’s losing their job, and it doesn’t involve a postseason ban or loss of scholarships. If that’s true, doesn’t that just leave vacating wins and suspensions, if the player(s) are still at Tech?
While it would suck to lose our ACC title, I’d be happy if Bradley’s right. A postseason ban or loss of scholarships and especially both would do significant harm to our already less than great recruiting.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 14th, 2011
1:33 pm
Speeding fines are cheap when you are only going 5 miles over the limit which this is for Tech. The violations are no differen’t than the 3 that Richt just turned in on himself for butt texting a recruit. It will probably be treated as such is my guess.
Tom Shane
July 14th, 2011
1:33 pm
Per Mark Bradley: “Also hearing that Georgia Tech penalties will not involve a postseason ban or a loss of scholarships”
So it doesn’t seem too bad. Also @ RJ didn’t Morgan Burnett and Thomas start until they got injured?
RJ Voorhees
July 14th, 2011
1:35 pm
@Tom Shane, i wouldn’t consider them stars…
Here's what I'm hearing about Georgia Tech and the NCAA | Mark Bradley
July 14th, 2011
1:37 pm
[...] blog that the violations themselves aren’t believed to be major but Tech’s cooperation might have been, at least in the NCAA’s eyes, less than rigorous. (Mr. Roberson has also reported that both Demaryius Thomas and Morgan Burnett, members of the 2009 [...]
Moobs Johnson
July 14th, 2011
1:38 pm
Just wait until this fall Mutt fans, I’ll prove how much smarter I am than Richt when I lose to him by three touchdowns.
George Stein
July 14th, 2011
1:38 pm
Could you define what you consider to be a star then RJ?
The Ohio State Buckeyes
July 14th, 2011
1:39 pm
Thanks Tech for taking the light off of us.
RJ Voorhees
July 14th, 2011
1:39 pm
I heard it was improper benefits given to recruits, don’t take that to the bank though.
Tech Wrecker
July 14th, 2011
1:39 pm
Thunder Collins was just sentenced in ‘09 for 110 years for murdering someone in ‘08. I hardly think that is going back 15 years.
reebok
July 14th, 2011
1:40 pm
this do not sound good, cats and kittens.
Buckeyes
July 14th, 2011
1:41 pm
Yeah Tech glad to see the fall next will be the SEC. Sweet
5150 UOAD
July 14th, 2011
1:41 pm
Honolulu Dawg
July 14th, 2011
I am not crying I am laughing at the UGA fans that do the same thing but (as you put it ) CRY about Tech, Bama, Gator, and whoever posting on the dawg blogs. UGA fan don’t complain and then do the same thing. I have never said I don’t post on UGA blogs.
Repeat violators
July 14th, 2011
1:41 pm
the headline says it all, lack of cooperation, could be a very bad day.
RJ Voorhees
July 14th, 2011
1:41 pm
@George Stein, AJ Green
dawgmatic
July 14th, 2011
1:42 pm
Nothing counters the nerd label like Twitter hashtags. Enjoy a lifetime of virginity, nerd.
GT Pal
July 14th, 2011
1:42 pm
Dawgs will never get it..nor do we want you to…It’s great to be a Yellow Jacket!
NCAA to announce GA. Tech punishment today
July 14th, 2011
1:42 pm
[...] today I had no idea they were being investigated. Some think they might get hit hard. NCAA will announce Tech findings at 3 p.m.; Cooperation an issue; Thomas, Burnett deny involvement |… RTR Reply With [...]
Tech Wrecker
July 14th, 2011
1:43 pm
Get what? The highest level possible in Dungeons and Dragons? You can keep that one all to yourself…
GT Alum
July 14th, 2011
1:45 pm
George Stein/Tom Shane -
I think Voorhees is a dawg troll who’s saying he wouldn’t consider anyone who’s ever played at Tech a star. In other words, he’s not worth bothering with.
Honolulu Dawg
July 14th, 2011
1:46 pm
Ohio State still 0-10 vs. SEC in bowl games
George Stein
July 14th, 2011
1:47 pm
OK, that’s not a standard, RJ. That’s an individual. Let’s try this again. Give us some objective criteria for what you define as a star.
If, however, you meant the first WR taken in the draft, then by your own rule, Bay Bay was a star.
5150 UOAD
July 14th, 2011
1:49 pm
Like we all know the NCAA is a JOKE when deciding who and what penalties should be handed down. AJ Green was given too much and Ohio St not enough. UNC & Auburn are still waiting. Crime and Punishment is this country has become such a Joke.
Honolulu Dawg
July 14th, 2011
1:49 pm
5150 UOAD, 2 wrongs don’t make it right. I too hate when UGA fans gloat at another teams misfortune and the same when other teams do it to us. Some people just need to grom up. No program is perfect thats darn for sure.
Tech Wrecker
July 14th, 2011
1:50 pm
July 2002,
ACC releases the 50th Anniversary All Time Team. These are the Tech Players:
Marco Coleman
Joe Hamilton
Ken Swilling
That is a joke. No wonder you are a loser program.
George Stein
July 14th, 2011
1:50 pm
Oh I know that, GT Alum. I’m doing this for my own amusement.
Your comments don’t even warrant a response anymore, dawgmatic. Let me know when you’re done with the third grade.
JB
July 14th, 2011
1:50 pm
My sources say Tech was ask for help and told the NCAA “nothing to see here”….and there was something to see. Whoops. could be trouble………and my source is a Tech grad with contacts in the program.
Reality Stinks
July 14th, 2011
1:51 pm
Tech has always cheated.
The reason they don’t get caught is because they are irrelevant in college sports, so the NCAA doesn’t waste time or money on a program that cannot fill a high school stadium in the middle of 5.6 million people.
paul hewitt
July 14th, 2011
1:51 pm
paying d. thomas to catch 13 balls was really smart
Mack
July 14th, 2011
1:52 pm
tech continues it’s long time tradition of lying and cheating
PerimeterCenterJacket
July 14th, 2011
1:56 pm
Mack, before 2005 Tech had not once been cited for breaking an NCAA rule. No lying. No cheating.
gtfanfrom1951
July 14th, 2011
1:57 pm
Its true what they say about UGA fan they have no class and put them below Clemson fans or to hell with Georgia!
George Stein
July 14th, 2011
1:57 pm
We are relevant enough for Reality Stinks to post on a Tech blog every chance he gets.