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
Definitely Losing Now. Oh Well.
March 14th, 2011
2:59 pm
HEY-OH!
chad
March 14th, 2011
2:59 pm
new violations every week. bunch of cheaters
dan
March 14th, 2011
2:59 pm
Dammit, we can’t even run a dirty program right! C’mon man!!
Tech SUX
March 14th, 2011
2:59 pm
All this does is feed the Techies fire.
Big Deal.
I actually saw a picture on Vad Lee’s former twitter page of him wearing a Jacket jersey in the Jacket’s locker room. This was before NSD. And that is an infraction EXACTLY like this one, and one in which Arkansas had to report a few months ago.
Nobody is perfect with these nit-picky infractions. NOBODY. But the rule book REALLY needs to be re-written.
Buckeye
March 14th, 2011
2:59 pm
Schmeck,
Was the new OL coach nailed as well? It was his first day on the job as I recall.
wayxdog
March 14th, 2011
3:00 pm
If the missing man formation was 4th and inches i hope we ran out a kicker instead of Crowell.
They'll be cryin' in their red panties
March 14th, 2011
3:00 pm
I’m stunned. Say it ain’t so.
Typical College Football Fanatic
March 14th, 2011
3:00 pm
But…but…it’s the media’s fault! (insert rival school) cheats too! What about them!? The media is just out to get us!
DawginLex
March 14th, 2011
3:01 pm
http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/
***********************************************
WDE, want to compare?
I’ll take a secondary violation that lands us a star recruit over your mess any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
BTW, congratulations on the 2011 Fulmer Cup.
It is a runaway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ncbulldawg86
March 14th, 2011
3:01 pm
Yeah, Original, look at that. And not even with the use of a hand gun, or anything!!!! Amazing, isn’t it??? Now go away, boy, you’re botherin’ me, I say in my best Foghorn-Leghorn imitation.
South GA Dawg
March 14th, 2011
3:03 pm
Are you serious? Four AU players arrested for armed robery,and you headline this? AU is nothing but thugs ans all we see is CMR had a secondary violation, he is so bad. I would take Richt over any of those other coaches.This paper needs to clean up its act. how about some good news instead of negative comments about UGA.How many players at UGA have been arrested for felonies? Tenn? AU? Florida?
Ramblin Man
March 14th, 2011
3:03 pm
This is stupid. It amazes me that you can’t let the recruits run a few plays god forbid you get a first hand look at what they can do before offering them a free ride. It was a recruiting ploy that worked and nobody was hurt so what is the big deal.
BG
March 14th, 2011
3:04 pm
Why does UGA always report these silly violations? UGA should be like Bama,UT and Auburn and not self report these things to the NCAA.
Beast from the East
March 14th, 2011
3:04 pm
No harm no foul. Next story………
Maconbulldog
March 14th, 2011
3:05 pm
@The Original WDE ……yes I mean look at this young man he is a thug. Not like the outstanding student football players at your school huh?
Dawg1
March 14th, 2011
3:06 pm
Buckeye, your right.
Since you clearly realize that throwing stones from glass houses isn’t a very intelligent move – we’ll leave it at that.
Have a good week and good luck in the tournament.
1eyedJack
March 14th, 2011
3:06 pm
The NCAA and it’s rule book are beginning to remind me of the U.S and it’s tax code.
Texas Pete
March 14th, 2011
3:06 pm
Mark,
Great job in landing that Crowell kid but don’t let it happen again. Take April off from recruiting. Just continue with Spring Practice and get ready for G-Day. After G-Day, take some time off and come back in May ready to push towards summer with camps, road tours, and welcoming the team back for the 2011 season.
God bless and Go Dawgs!
Greggy Mac
Maconbulldog
March 14th, 2011
3:06 pm
Give me a break …
Dead Mike
March 14th, 2011
3:06 pm
Bring back Donnan! Yeah..yeah!
schmeckdawg
March 14th, 2011
3:06 pm
@Buckeye
I think the new OL coach was nailed also. From what I have heard, the NCAA found out that he had taken a drink from a water fountain before he had completed his application. For real though I haven’t heard anything Buckeye.
Tim Teblows!
March 14th, 2011
3:07 pm
For the NCAA to be so strict, they certainly didn’t care that SCam Newton was paid to play or to Susupend the Ohio state players before thier bowl game.
JB
March 14th, 2011
3:07 pm
But, any sign of 180,000 large looming anywhere?
#1Stunna
March 14th, 2011
3:07 pm
Nothing to see here guys…keep it moving…
Raleigh Dawg
March 14th, 2011
3:08 pm
At this rate, it was probably a violation when Crowell held up that pup. It was wearing a “G” so it must be a booster and not allowed to be present during a committment ceremony.
reebok
March 14th, 2011
3:10 pm
pretty lame ‘violation.’ and i’m a g-tech fan.
JB
March 14th, 2011
3:10 pm
Any word when the Auburn gang getting out of jail? I mean, this is not a Expired DL or a DUI. I understand it’s Hard core Robbery with a hand gun. The Auburn Way I guess. And this guy WDE been on here talking about the Angles they have on that team…..LMAO
dawgfan
March 14th, 2011
3:10 pm
LMFAO. This is front page on the AJC right next to “Japan nuke fears worsen.” Of course, the Japan story also has to compete with a story on celebrity sex tapes and the Beckham’s 1st child.
AJC=JOKE.
This blog will be taken down shortly. Watch and see.
fulldawg
March 14th, 2011
3:12 pm
Wonder if it would have been a recruitment violation to simulate a celebration?
@timthebrave
March 14th, 2011
3:12 pm
Great post … I am a Tech fan, but had to agree with you on that one.
BG
March 14th, 2011
3:12 pm
Tim Tucker, Why is this front page news??
JB
March 14th, 2011
3:12 pm
Do they have time to read this letter at the NCAA with all that’s going on at Ohio state?
ClinchCountyCanine
March 14th, 2011
3:13 pm
BG
At Auburn and Alabama, they consider any incident involving less than two deaths or less than $500,000 in payola to be minor violations that shouldn’t be reported.
GIVE ME A BREAK
March 14th, 2011
3:13 pm
The point is that every other NCAA coach knows this is a violation except Richt. Did this guy graduate from college?
Why is this a headline story?
March 14th, 2011
3:13 pm
Just askin…
ClinchCountyCanine
March 14th, 2011
3:14 pm
Buckeye
I look for Crowell to be an asset to UGA and not another Maurice Clarett.
TigersNow: Calls cut for Georgia coach after violation – Michael Burns on Recruiting
March 14th, 2011
3:14 pm
[...] of Georgia football coach Mark Richt won’t make phone calls to recruits or families during the Ap… during the recruitment of 2011 running back signee Isaiah Crowell, who also considered Alabama and [...]
ufounddave
March 14th, 2011
3:14 pm
As long as Crowell didnt know, ALA $cam Newton, what difference should it make? After watching UGA the past few years, Richt probably didnt know they were in a formation either. They didnt know, no violation…
JB
March 14th, 2011
3:15 pm
Thank goodness we don’t use Limo’s or drop dancing girls or strippers on the sidelines of HS games to recruit…..( hello Auburn and Tenn)
Buckeye
March 14th, 2011
3:15 pm
According to McGarity’s letter to the NCAA, Richt knew it would be against the rules to run a play involving Crowell but did not check to determine whether it would be a violation to simulate a formation.
Richt knew it was a violation? Since when? Who did he tell? When did he tell them? For how long? Were the offensive lineman aware it was a violation? Are they facing suspensions? When were they told it was a violation? Oh My God!!
Curious anyway, did he have a play called? Play action?
Would they have made a first down? Would they have gone for it on 4th down?
Y’all say what you will about Tressel. The NCAA is a joke.
JB
March 14th, 2011
3:16 pm
Good question….If only Crowell’s Daddy knew, we’re fine…..LOL
Berzerk8dawg
March 14th, 2011
3:16 pm
Seriously NCAA…WTF
The Insane
March 14th, 2011
3:16 pm
NCAA rule change for next year recuritting: When the recurit is on a visit he must keep his eyes shut while on campus or the coach will have to pay a $200,000 fine for each eye that is open. If an eye is opened more that a minute than that recurit will that school will not beable to have recurits on campus for 10 years.
Yes I know this is insane but it is a Mad Mad world we find college football in.
Texas Pete
March 14th, 2011
3:17 pm
GIVE ME A BREAK,
Maybe every other coach sweeps this stuff under the rug along with the major violations? Hello, Tressel? Maybe Richt should have said he heard a rumor that Crowell might have lined up in a formation.
donte
March 14th, 2011
3:17 pm
As a Georgia supporter I am sick and tired of the gross stupidity of Richt. All of you folks out there can say the NCAA is crazy, stupid, and controlling. However, the fact remains that Richt knew it was wrong, he knew it was a violation and it still happens. No wonder there is no discipline, no wonder that so many players get arrested – they act with the same degree of stupidity as the head coach.
Buckeye
March 14th, 2011
3:17 pm
Clinch,
Take your shot. Make it count. For the record, all of his troubles occured after he left.
JB
March 14th, 2011
3:17 pm
Did we run little Carton Thomas off tackle on third and 15 ?
nerds! nerds! nerds!
March 14th, 2011
3:17 pm
THIS is a violation? I figured every school did this.
PS Japan is melting into the Pacific. This is all George W.’s fault.
Jimmy Crack
March 14th, 2011
3:19 pm
What a travesty of a mockery of a sham! The Tressel diversionary cover up continues!
JB
March 14th, 2011
3:19 pm
Hire Cam’s Daddy to speak on our behalf…..I know that Church needs more work…..