UGA reports violation in Crowell recruitment, bars Richt from calling recruits next month
Georgia broke an NCAA rule in the recruitment of prized tailback Isaiah Crowell and will respond by barring coach Mark Richt from phoning recruits next month, according to a letter from UGA athletic director Greg McGarity to the NCAA.
An attempt by Richt in January to demonstrate the Bulldogs’ need for Crowell by having him stand in as the missing tailback in an offensive formation with current players resulted in a secondary violation of the rule against “game day simulation” with recruits, McGarity wrote.
Crowell signed with Georgia last month, and the school’s self-reported violation had the temporary effect of making him ineligible. But the NCAA staff, acting on a request in McGarity’s March 4 letter, already has reinstated Crowell’s eligibility, according to an e-mail from the NCAA to UGA on Friday.
McGarity told the NCAA that Richt did not believe the January scenario constituted a “game day simulation.” However, McGarity wrote that “as a result of the violation,” Richt will receive a letter of admonishment and will be prohibited from telephoning recruits and their parents during the NCAA’s “spring evaluation period” in April.
The NCAA could accept those penalties or could impose additional ones. In most cases, if the NCAA agrees the violation is secondary, meaning inadvertent and resulting in no significant advantage, self-imposed penalties are accepted.
McGarity said Monday that he “will have no comment other than what’s in the letter,” a copy of which was obtained under the state’s Open Records Act. Richt was not available for comment, spokesman Claude Felton said. Crowell did not return messages.
McGarity described the incident in detail in his 1 ½-page letter:
“[Crowell] was on campus for his official visit January 21-23, 2011. . . . [Richt] and the football staff arranged for the offensive linemen, wide receivers, fullback and quarterback to gather . . . in the indoor practice facility that [Richt's] office overlooks. The [players] . . . were dressed in their game-day uniform tops.
“Coach Richt, [Crowell] and [Crowell's] family left his office to join the group. By the time [Crowell] made his way to the field, the team was in an offensive alignment without a running back. [Crowell] was subsequently handed a jersey and stood in the vacant running back position . . . After [Crowell] stood in the position, the student-athletes broke from the alignment and talked to him. The activity lasted less than five minutes.”
Richt’s idea “was to create a feeling for [Crowell] that he was needed,” McGarity wrote, adding that Richt didn’t think having a recruit stand in a formation without running a play constituted a violation. However, Richt “did not check with the compliance office beforehand.”
The SEC subsequently informed Georgia that the NCAA rule against game-day simulation is “all-encompassing and includes the activity [Crowell] participated in,” McGarity wrote. Also, it is against the rule for a recruit to try on or wear a game-day jersey outside of the locker room.
Georgia “does not believe a recruiting advantage was gained as [Crowell's] mother has stated that her son knew he was going to attend UGA since he was a young child,” according to McGarity’s letter.
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755 comments Add your comment
kral
March 14th, 2011
9:23 pm
life is full of contradictions ufart…your lucky i am being nice
carolinajacket
March 14th, 2011
9:27 pm
I’m a Jacket and that is stupid. Pay them above board. Then everyone is equal.
Nick Fairley
March 14th, 2011
9:28 pm
Yo. I am here.
WOW. So after admitting to violations with Ray Drew now here comes Crowell. Where there’s smoke there is fire!
What was that scene from In Living Color? “PILOT TO COPILOT, WE’RE GOING DOWN IN FLAMES.”
So 5 SEC National Champions, Auburn reigning champs and Georgia sliding quickly to being under Kentucky and approaching Vandy territory. 2011 is going to be a bad bad year, just look at the schedule and look at the off season .
tisk tisk. From Ben Jones play on the field to cheating while recruiting off… sort of off… ,the field… SHAME. SHAME. SHAME.
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
9:28 pm
woebegong
DEATH PENALTY!!!!!!!!
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
9:28 pm
kral
You make UGA’s crap look smart.
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
9:31 pm
UGA = Ole Miss
woebegong
March 14th, 2011
9:33 pm
Now UGA fans are retarded,
Don’t be so hard on yourself. Even I don’t want to see you dead. Errrr, I don’t think anywway. LOL.
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
9:35 pm
woebegong
FULMER CUP, 6-7er!!!!!!!!
kral
March 14th, 2011
9:36 pm
what size red panties do you need ufart..wife says it’s okay…an you really need to quit looking and judging crap…tht is another set of issues…i ain’t selling you no crap…does not matter how bad you want to inspect it
Colonel Reb
March 14th, 2011
9:37 pm
No way is UGA = Ole Miss.
We may oversign a little here in Oxford, but we are NOT habitual cheaters!
We also play a more physical brand of football.
woebegong
March 14th, 2011
9:37 pm
Hold on, I hear somebody calling out your name Ufart.
Oh, it is your mommy coming with your milk and cookies. Just hide the computer under the bed and she will never know.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DAWGSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Veritas
March 14th, 2011
9:37 pm
Him holding the bulldog announcing his intent to play at UGA with be a violation…. Gee whiz.
woebegong
March 14th, 2011
9:40 pm
There are some multiple personalities on this blog aren’t there. They go by a lot of different names. Their personality disorders give them away though.
Ok, I have had enough fun at the zoo tonight. Have fun you all.
GOOOOOOO DSAWGSSSSSSSSSSS
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
9:41 pm
“what size red panties do you need ufart..wife says it’s okay’
Well, what I don’t need is plus size red panties like the ones your inbred wife wears.
Colonel Reb
March 14th, 2011
9:42 pm
This dream team has turned into a nightmare for Georgia.
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
9:42 pm
I wonder how many games UGA will lose this year? My guess is 8.
Bama Mike
March 14th, 2011
9:43 pm
Auburn’s Chizik saw the photo of Pollack and Godfrey standing behind the podium “prior” to the announcement and went balistic. If they would have just come out after the announcment GC would have still been chapped but nothing he could do. But nooo not these two DA’s. Auburn filed a complaint with the SEC. Really cant blame them. I am surprised they didnt have Buck Belue as the quarterback when Crowell went to Athens with Munson doing a radio broadcast when Richt put on his now famous game day performance.
gatorman770
March 14th, 2011
9:46 pm
NCAA rule book has more pages than the democraps healthcare bill plus the > a thousand new exemptions for democraptic party contributors!
Colonel Reb
March 14th, 2011
9:48 pm
UGA’s season:
Boise State = loss
South Carolina = loss
Coastal Carolina = win
Ole Miss = loss
Mississippi State = win
Tennessee = loss
Vanderbilt = loss
Florida = loss
New Mexico State = win
Auburn = loss
Kentucky = loss
Georgia Tech = loss
Does their staff survive a 3-9 season?
With NCAA sanctions hanging over their heads, I would say, no.
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
9:49 pm
Bama Mike
What’s your take on Auburn right now? I don’t think the arrests will have any effect on recruiting since UGA had 12 players arrested and they did ok….until now.
kral
March 14th, 2011
9:49 pm
I am sorry ufart…you did not want to buy red panties …you wante t sell your used ones I will pass…I hate to think you actually measured the iQ of crap…the wife comment proves what kind of person I am trying to assist in personal growth…tuff job but someone must try
Bama Mike
March 14th, 2011
9:50 pm
Gatorman to make it worse I understand the NCAA is looking into hiring the Enviromental Protection Agency as an outside consultant.
Colonel Reb
March 14th, 2011
9:51 pm
I don’t like Auburn, but Chizik did the right thing.
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
9:52 pm
kral
Ma’am, please take remedial English. Your grammar is horrible.
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
9:52 pm
“I don’t like Auburn, but Chizik did the right thing.”
Yeah, unlike UGA where CMR just let it slide and everyone of those players played.
Bama Mike
March 14th, 2011
9:54 pm
I commend GC for taking a quick stand on the matter. In the long run he has reinforced the university’s commitment to bringing in quality student atheletes. We all have our critics but notice how quickly the dust settled. I say well done Auburn. Still chapped that you won the game though.
BAMA FAN #2
March 14th, 2011
9:57 pm
Georgia is racking up with slap on the wrist violations just like Kiffin
did at UT. Richt is a good man but kiffin is a sorry SOB.
kral
March 14th, 2011
9:58 pm
huh …wellufart be sure to edit anything you wish..appreciate the concern…and will your at it work on personal skills…communicatiion skillls…and be sure to judge when ever you get a chance…because you the man…are you wearing red panties right now…dang kral you do not want to really know that..some people you must judge by what they say not what they wear
Crowell
March 14th, 2011
9:59 pm
I hopes theys don find outs that I gots all f’s this sumesta. I’s gon to runs for 200 yds next yer.
Colonel Reb
March 14th, 2011
10:00 pm
FAN #2,
You know Tennessee is going to get hit with some major penalties for Kiffin’s work there. The same thing is coming at Georgia.
One thing the NCAA does not tolerate is cheatin’ and losin’.
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
10:04 pm
Bama Mike
I venture over to Roll Bama Roll and the vitriol of some of your brethren is insane. I think they talk about Auburn more than they do about Bama.
Bama Mike
March 14th, 2011
10:04 pm
This will be one of the most unpredictable seasons ever for the SEC. The West is wide open top to bottom. The last place team in the west could be better than the first place team in the east. East is incredibly weak this year with every team loaded with freshman looking to contribute which is a recipe for disaster in our conference. I look for a lot more 17-13 type games as the defensive coordinators put a hold on the spread this season.
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
10:05 pm
Bama Mike
As long as the West represents the SEC again in the championship game, I’m fine with that.
kral
March 14th, 2011
10:06 pm
use context clues ufart…if grammar bothers you
Bama Mike
March 14th, 2011
10:08 pm
That is the beauty of living over here in Atlanta for the last 27 years. You learn to expand your level of dislike to your next opponent and not focus on just the one. You have to remember in most cases Alabama men marry Auburn girls so I beg you to be a little more sensitive to our emotional written communication
Colonel Reb
March 14th, 2011
10:10 pm
After the season is over, does McGarity line the team up in a missing coach formation?
Bama Mike
March 14th, 2011
10:12 pm
Colonel Reb LOL
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
10:12 pm
kral
How many barn animals do you sleep with?
kral
March 14th, 2011
10:14 pm
who knows col..I salute you..for you ability to foretell the future…bet em col…just do not lead any charges please
Bama Mike
March 14th, 2011
10:15 pm
I hate to be so hard on the Dawgs, generally speaking they are a good group as fans go. But to quote Saint Bobby. They make it so “Dadburn easy”.
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
10:16 pm
“I hate to be so hard on the Dawgs”
I sure as heck don’t. I love seeing the trailers all decked out in UGA red and black and then seeing their toothless fans in agony at the end of the season.
JE
March 14th, 2011
10:17 pm
How can a coaching staff paid as much as UGA’s staff not be cognizant of possibly anything they may do being a violation? Not knowing the fact to always be careful is going to eventually get them into a more difficult thing. Do they not know the rules? Do they not read the book? Can they not imagine something is a violation and check on it before they do something? Hit them in the Pocket book and they will wake up and learn the rules.
kral
March 14th, 2011
10:17 pm
now you really got me worried about you..ufart..selling red panties..offering to buy red pantinties..now showing an interest in beastiallity..who by man you got problems
UGA fans are retarded
March 14th, 2011
10:19 pm
kral
Go crawl back up your boyfriends butt hole.
Travis McGee
March 14th, 2011
10:20 pm
Isn’t that kinda like give the coach five demerits?
kral
March 14th, 2011
10:20 pm
10:16 blog ufart sounds like latent hostilityor envy of a red and black trailor…
Bama Mike
March 14th, 2011
10:21 pm
That photo of Pollack and Godfrey behind the podium “PRIOR” to the announcement of the recruits college intention is priceless. Dont you know when McGarity saw it his first words were “Rutt Ro”. Dawg translation is “WTF”
kral
March 14th, 2011
10:22 pm
I so enjoy you childish since of humor..ufart…guess the grammar is not affect the comprehensiion..good your improving right before eyes
Next Violation
March 14th, 2011
10:22 pm
Ga’s racking up violations at all levels—sending former players to signing ceremonies, violating rules when the recruit is on campus….. Does anyone know the recruiting rules over there or are they just breaking rule after rule, figuring it will be a slap on the wrist if they ever get caught. Coach Spurrier at USC would not put up with this—-he may report GA to the NcAA if this keeps up.
UGA Dawg 97
March 14th, 2011
10:26 pm
Richt is a sleeze ball who has sold his soul to try and save his job. We need to get him out of Athens ASAP!!!!!