Georgia has as many rules violations (6) as Tennessee
Permissible contact: This is a photo of North Gwinnett lineman JaWuan James posing with Orange Pride hostesses, including the controversial Lacey Earps (R), before the Vols game against Georgia on Oct. 10. James committed to Tennessee a short time later.
As it turns out, Georgia has committed just as many NCAA secondary violations as Tennessee in the past year.
Volunteers’ coach Lane Kiffin, once referred to in a Florida Times-Union headline as “Lane Violation,” has been hammered by the national media — and more than once in this space — for his penchant for breaking NCAA rules. Tennessee has been cited for six in the year since he was tabbed their new coach on Dec. 1, 2008. Now they face at least two more violations as the NCAA continues an ongoing inquiry into the possible misuse of recruiting hostesses, impermissible visits and other infractions.
Impermissible contact: This is the infamous photo of Byrnes players Brandon Willis and Corey Miller with UT hostesses Dahra Johnson (L) and Lacey Earps in September in Duncan, S.C. (SI.com photo by Andy Staples)
Those numbers sound roguish, but they can’t really be placed into context without some perspective.
So I contacted the University of Georgia to find out, via a Freedom of Information request, how many violations the Bulldogs had committed in the same period. You may be surprised to find out — I was — that they’ve also had six secondary violations in the last year.
What I don’t have yet, but have set out to get, is the numbers for other SEC schools. Or at least those that comply with federal and state sunshine laws. For some reason Alabama and Auburn always tap-dance around these things. But we’ll try. And Vanderbilt always gets out of it because it’s a private school.
Georgia Tech reported that it had no NCAA violations since Dec. 1, 2008.
So just for the purpose of this blog — don’t mistake this as an investigative piece — I tried to find some of those numbers online. The best Google could do for me was a June 28th story in the Knoxville News-Sentinel that had Tennessee “leading” the SEC with six secondaries, followed by Ole Miss (5), LSU (4), Georgia (then with 3), Mississippi State (3), South Carolina (3), Arkansas (2), Florida (2) and Kentucky (0). You’ll note that Bama and Auburn aren’t included.
LSU, it should be noted, is also being investigated in an ongoing NCAA probe.
So what to make of all this?
I asked Eric Baumgartner, Georgia’s director of compliance, if this constituted a particularly bad year or if it was about the norm for the Bulldogs.
“Well, if you look back over the past couple of years, that’s been pretty consistent, though I don’t like using the word consistent,” Baumgartner said. “I’m not necessarily worried about the number of violations. I’m worried about repeat violations. If the same thing is happening over and over, then something’s not cooking. But (six) doesn’t feel like a significant amount.”
That meshes with what both Kiffin and UT athletics director Mike Hamilton have said throughout.
“I don’t believe it’s an inordinate amount,” Kiffin told reporters recently. “They’re not deliberate but unfortunately they happen.”
Secondary violations are classified as Level I and Level II, I being more serious and thought to create some sort of recruiting advantage. Major violations are the most severe but none have been reported in this case.
The Bulldogs’ were as follows (by date reported by UGA):
- Jan. 9: Matthew Stafford and three teammates received complimentary tickets to an NFL game from an NFL player, a Level I violation.
- Jan. 21: Assistant coaches Mike Bobo and John Jancek left messages for the same prospect on consecutive days (can call just once a week), a Level II violation.
- March 17: New England Patriots tight end and UGA alum Ben Watson (deemed representative of athletics interest) telephoned signee Arthur Lynch to congratulate him on signing with the Bulldogs, a Level I violation.
- July 13: Coaching staff members “inadvertently” called prospective student-athletes (PSAs) before the permissible period and twice called the same PSA in the same week, a Level I violation.
- August 5: A recruiting graduate assistant telephoned high school coaches regarding transcripts, a Level I violation.
- Nov. 17: A coaching staff member evaluated a PSA more than once during the fall evaluation period (level undetermined as incident is still being evaluated by NCAA regulators).
Tennessee’s violations in general involved Kiffin more directly but also are considered secondary:
- In February he mentioned prospect Bryce Brown by name in a live radio interview.
- He mentioned prospect J.C. Copeland on his Twitter page.
- Twice the Vols were cited for impermissible game-day simulations.
- Kiffin was videotaped on an “Outside the Lines” piece while meeting with two recruits.
- Improper contact by Kiffin, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
In any case, the SEC has been outspoken in its stance that even secondary violations are taken serious. And as evidenced by the stack of papers that passes through the hands of compliance officers, coaches, ADs, commissioners and NCAA administrators for each one, they do.
“Every one of them matters,” Greg Sankey, SEC associate commissioner for compliance, told the Birmingham News a while back. “I have a 427-page rule manual with thousands of interpretations. The reality of the regulatory culture is you’re going to have violations — circumstances where people go outside the boundaries of the rules. There is a system that involves conferences, the NCAA staff, the Committee on Infractions, that determines what type of action is warranted as an outcome of secondary violations.”
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341 comments Add your comment
kiff
December 17th, 2009
11:32 pm
Thanks for the good wishes. I know that the Dawgs will soon wish that they played in Conference USA.
And yes. Please tell your sister to meet with our recruits at Hooters this Saturday as usual. Stop by if you can make it.
West Coast Bee
December 17th, 2009
11:51 pm
UGA = sleezebag low class school. Mama Don’t let ur babies grow up to bee idiot bulldawgs.
Link: The NCAA is conducting an investigation into Tennessee recruiting - Page 3 - TideFans.com
December 17th, 2009
11:53 pm
[...] Re: The NCAA is conducting an investigation into Tennessee recruiting Check out the picture of Jawuan James in the article below. For some strange reason under the circumstances of his switch to Tennessee it strikes me as very funny. Georgia has as many rules violations (6) as Tennessee | AJC College Sports Recruiting [...]
JimmyO
December 18th, 2009
12:18 am
Just as I figured, Little Lawrence(Larry) has no more comments. his Momma only lets him play on the internet until his 9p.m. beddytime.
tennezz
December 18th, 2009
1:04 am
I HATE TO BE THE ONE TO TELL YOU THIS, BUT THESE GIRLS WERE NOT SENT BY KIFFIN OR THE ATHLETIC DEPT. OR THE UNIVERSITY! THEY WERE INVITED BY MILLER AND WILLIS [WHO WERE ALREADY COMMITED] TO COME AND WATCH THEM PLAY! IF ANYONE IS INTRESTED IN THE TRUTH! THESE GIRLS PAID THEIR ON WAY AND BOUGHT THEIR OWN TICKETS!
Happy Endings
December 18th, 2009
2:24 am
Who do I call to set up an appointment with one of Tennessee’s “head” recruiters ? Do they take credit cards ? What about group discounts ?
ROFL
December 18th, 2009
2:28 am
tennezz
December 18th, 2009
1:04 am
THESE GIRLS PAID THEIR ON WAY AND BOUGHT THEIR OWN TICKETS!
__________________________________________________________________________
I would offer to sell you a bridge or some swampland but there is no way anyone this stupid has more than two nickels to rub together LOL
zlp
December 18th, 2009
3:59 am
Enter your comments here
Knelson
December 18th, 2009
5:36 am
militarydawginDC – Obviously you failed English. You cannot spell cheat with both a U and a T. “Georgia Homer”
Knelson
December 18th, 2009
5:39 am
jessee james – Did your parents produce any children that lived?
Uncle Rico
December 18th, 2009
6:25 am
If Coach had put me in in the 4th quarter we would have taken State.
SickandTired
December 18th, 2009
6:58 am
Speaking of violations. When is the NCAA gonna show up in Athens and ask to see the “Bag Man”.
All you dawgs know who I’m talking about don’t ya. You know it’s been going on and you turn the other way. If they want to investigate Georgia and their recruiting violations in earnest, Sanford Stadium will be the nicest soccer venue in the college ranks.
Everybody does it
December 18th, 2009
7:13 am
Any major Division I program will break the rules…they will push the line…just like in NASCAR…it ain’t cheatin’ unless you get caught!
abandoned stray
December 18th, 2009
7:52 am
Tickets to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport now on sale 2 for $5. Price includes roundtrip wagon fare and personal spit cup. First 50 buyers receive free bucket of chitterlings.
BIG FAT BOWL CHALLENGE AND MORE | Block-C
December 18th, 2009
8:02 am
[...] All this talk of Tennessee racking up secondary violations and little discussion over Georgia having the same number of reported violations, not that it will matter a bit in the long [...]
buzz
December 18th, 2009
8:35 am
It is amazing how some dog fans are willing to look the other way on arrests and ncaa infractions. For God’s sake stand up and demand excellence in the total picture as opposed to the twelve Saturdays in the fall. You can have both !
95Vol
December 18th, 2009
8:40 am
FYI regarding Auburn & Alabama…I have heard it reported that the terminology in the Freedom of Information Act in the state of Alabama in essence says that the information requested has to be provided in a reasonable timeframe. Thus, if the SID at those institutions deems 5 years, for example, as a reasonable timeframe for providing that information that can do so. In other words, don’t sit by the phone waiting for the information about secondary violations.
dt4c
December 18th, 2009
8:51 am
Yeah, right, the HC constantly pushing the rules = a GA accidentally calling a HS coach. Good grief. why don’t we try defending Kiffy a little harder.
Jake
December 18th, 2009
8:55 am
Let the one without sin cast the first stone.
Pups are cheaters
December 18th, 2009
9:20 am
haha puppies are cheaters too and the best they can do is shreveport….
Charles
December 18th, 2009
9:20 am
Really, Chip? The AJC is this desperate for hits? Nice cheap shot article at Georgia out of nowhere. Any moron can see that all of Georgia’s infractions were true secondary violations in that the school honestly made mistakes. Tennessee’s infractions are a different story, and it’s not even really the secondary infractions that are at issue here.
This is an intellectually dishonest piece of garbage and I look forward to seeing the AJC go under. I normally don’t get worked up about these things, but this article is simply a cheapshot and for many of the morons who read this rag and aren’t in tune to how this stuff works…well, they can now run off screaming Georgia’s rogue.
Garbage…100% garbage.
Alphare
December 18th, 2009
9:25 am
Those kinds of violations look to me are the fault of NCAA other than the schools. Calling recruits no more than once a week? isn’t that against the constitution?
Shreveport Bound!
December 18th, 2009
9:28 am
Question: can I pull my single-wide to shreveport, to save money on hotels? If so, where do I park it?
Alphare
December 18th, 2009
9:29 am
Charles,
Cool down. Reporters simply report what they find. It’s up to the readers to digest it. Chip did a good job reporting it, while you sir, obviously cannot digest it.
Rocky Top
December 18th, 2009
9:30 am
Tenn owns UGA like no other school has ever been owned. When we say jump, you say how high? 45-19 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bama Ramma!
December 18th, 2009
9:31 am
Georgia and Tennessee cheat more than any schools in the SEC!! Bama’s clean as a whistle, and heading to the title game, where an easy win over Texas is in store—mark it down. Bama’s back for good—the 2010 team may be even better!!!! Bama–it’s hard to be humble.
Jody Moore
December 18th, 2009
9:32 am
UGA, Tennessee owns you all. So hate on losers. Bunch of puppies nowhere near being dawgs
Jody Moore
December 18th, 2009
9:34 am
Bama how many years were you on probation? Shut up!
Stinger
December 18th, 2009
9:34 am
Shreveport Bound, Did you know that Motel 6 has a special? It may be cheaper than pulling your single-wide. Oh, I forgot, Motel 6 is sold out. It seems that they had 40,000 reservations from UGA. Most fans just wanted to party and watch on TV and did not want tickets even thought Motel 6 included the ticket with the room.
timthebrave
December 18th, 2009
9:49 am
I would worry more about my players doing armed robbery than secondary violations. At the same time I would hope that my coach wouldn’t call the NCAA and SEC investigations into these violations as a complement
elvis
December 18th, 2009
9:54 am
This is silly.
This is like comparing Tiger’s mishaps to staring at a girl in a bikini.
Mike
December 18th, 2009
9:55 am
big difference in the two head coaches, big difference in the words
“deliberate” and “inadvertent”, big difference in arrogance and level-
headedness.
Crimedog
December 18th, 2009
9:58 am
Expect to see a photo of Tiger Woods and Lacey any day now. You just can’t hide from these cell-phone cameras.
Charles
December 18th, 2009
10:06 am
Alphare – you’re wrong…this is a recruiting blog. Chip’s ‘job’ is to call recruits and get comments on where they may or may not be going to school. Instead, Chip lazily requested some information from Georgia that is not even remotely relevant and regurgitated it as if these are actual infractions that matter. Again, it’s not the secondary infractions that have UT in hot water right now – make no mistake about that.
No, this is lazy and intellectually dishonest journalism aimed at shock value for people who ‘don’t get it’. There’s no ’story’ here. For this blog’s purposes, a story might be any one of a million things concerning recruits who might or might not be committed. Not requesting some information via email and cutting and pasting as an article so Chip can pack for his vacation without distractions.
Get a clue, dude.
Chip Towers
December 18th, 2009
10:12 am
Charles: You don’t get it, dude.
Frank Wren
December 18th, 2009
10:17 am
Shreveport Bound, Did you know that Motel 6 has a special? It may be cheaper than pulling your single-wide. Oh, I forgot, Motel 6 is sold out. It seems that they had 40,000 reservations from UGA. Most fans just wanted to party and watch on TV and did not want tickets even thought Motel 6 included the ticket with the room.
Id rather be in Shreveport than play in the ACC. At least we play real football.
Charles
December 18th, 2009
10:17 am
Then explain to me, Chip…anxious to hear it.
Chip Towers
December 18th, 2009
10:19 am
tennezz: Doesn’t matter if they were sent or not and you’d never be able to prove if they were. However, they clearly are representatives of the school’s athletics interest contacting recruits during a non-contact period. Those are violations.
Frank Wren
December 18th, 2009
10:20 am
Charles: You don’t get it, dude.
I think you dont get it Chip. Charles called you out and is just telling the truth.
What you have done is compare minor violations at UGA to what is going on up at Tennessee. Players committing felonies. Coeds driving hundreds of miles to hug a HS player after a game ( with their own money of course LOL )
Youre a joke.
Prospective recruit
December 18th, 2009
10:36 am
Layla; Lay—la hmmm are you a hostess too?
McDawg
December 18th, 2009
10:39 am
what is a single-wide
Shreveport is a fun time-if only for a weekend
Frank Wren
December 18th, 2009
10:43 am
One good thing…..there are plenty of tickets left
Actually its already sold out.
juvenal
December 18th, 2009
10:47 am
some folks put up statues to people that got them on multiple probations…
Frank Wren
December 18th, 2009
10:49 am
Lane Kiffin record as Head Coach 12-20
Mark Richt record as Head Coach 89-27
Yeah im sure Mark Richt is scared of the kitten. What has Lane Kiffin ever done? Nothing
Lane Kiffin would have to go 77-7 over his next 84 games to match Mark Richt’s excellence.
Good luck with all that.
Horny Old Dude
December 18th, 2009
10:54 am
I’m old slow and out of shape but if Lane will send those babes to my house for an hour I’ll be back in shape and I’ll sign with UT.
Florida Dawg
December 18th, 2009
11:03 am
Seems like to me that the NCAA should be investigated for making stupid rules.
Alphare
December 18th, 2009
11:16 am
Charles,
Chip did not say GA (or TN) is more guilty. He simply stated GA has the same number of violation as TN. What’s the big deal to compare the two schools? Will UGA collapse bacause of it?
If somebody tells you that you may have a problem, go ahead and thank him because he cares about you. Well, the weak may run away or hide. But does that do you any good?
bill_in_atl
December 18th, 2009
11:58 am
UGA (since the Kemp affair) looks for violations with a microscope and self-reports EVERYTHING.
UT (for as long as I can recall) sweeps everything under the rug and only reports what is ALREADY public knowledge.
This “comparison” is a joke.
It’s like comparing the number of arrests where one school has a bunch of scooter violations while others have armed robbery and drug trafficking.
I understand the rationale Chip, but honestly you had to know you were making a mistake.
abandoned stray
December 18th, 2009
12:02 pm
“Lane Kiffin record as Head Coach 12-20
Mark Richt record as Head Coach 89-27″
So now we’re comparing a coach with 32 games under his belt as HC to a coach with 116?? Is this what desperate times call for?
I’ve still got plenty of tickets left here, folks. Get ‘em while the gettin’s good, they’ll make good Christmas gifts. 2 for $5 right on the 50 yd line in Shreveport.
Doofus Dawg, I can make you a deal. I’ll throw in an extra tik for your troubles, no spit cups left. You’re on your own gettin to Shreveport, though. I hear the team bus will be picking up hitch hikers in black and red.
Volman
December 18th, 2009
12:03 pm
Thanks for showing some FACTS and not the usual AJC CRAP that these idiot Bulldog fans can drool over. This’ll shut up these rednecks for a little while.