UPDATED: Georgia LB Jarvis Jones cleared to play by NCAA
ATHENS – Georgia not only got good news from the NCAA regarding the eligibility of Jarvis Jones, it got it fast.
Jones, a sophomore linebacker from Columbus, was determined to have not violated any NCAA rules and therefore will be eligible to play every game for the Bulldogs this season, UGA confirmed on Tuesday. Georgia received the news from the NCAA on Monday night, exactly one week after filing the report on its internal investigation with the SEC.
“I think the NCAA is making a concerted effort to turn things around as quickly as possible,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We’ve been hearing in these various meetings they were going to try to do a better job of that. So we’re just thankful NCAA was able to do that in this case. Whether the decision was up or down, we’re able to move forward now. At the end of the day that’s all schools want.”
Last year the Bulldogs had to wait until the second week of the regular season to learn from the NCAA that wide receiver A.J. Green would have to sit out four games for violating NCAA rules. UGA held Green out of the first game on its own.
“I appreciate the work of our compliance office for its time and effort in providing a thorough, comprehensive report and I’m thankful for the timely manner in which the NCAA reviewed and evaluated all the facts to reach a decision,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said in the statement. “We’re ready to move on with preparations for our season opener.”
Richt was not made available to reporters on Tuesday.
The NCAA’s decision is significant for Georgia as it prepares to open the season against a pair of highly-ranked opponents. The Bulldogs open against No. 7 Boise State on Sept. 3 in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, and follow that with a home tilt against No. 12 South Carolina in Athens.
Jones, a sophomore linebacker from Columbus, is slated to start at strongside linebacker for Georgia. He was having his eligibility reviewed after a police investigation into alleged corruption within the Columbus parks and recreation department revealed an administrator had provided benefits to him and basketball signee Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the summer of 2009.
Jones’ relationship with that administrator, Tony Adams, was the center of UGA’s investigation. Adams reportedly paid for four flights for Jones to and from Los Angeles in the summer of 2009 as well as some other benefits. At the time Jones was a freshman signee at Southern Cal.
In its investigation, Georgia was able establish that Jones’ legal guardian, Shelley Stephens — who also worked for the rec department and flew with him to LA — had been in a long-term relationship with Adams.
“Based on the information that we reviewed, it was interpreted that it met the four-pronged test of an established relationship,” UGA compliance director Eric Baumgartner said.
The main criteria for meeting the stipulations of NCAA Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 (preferential treatment, benefits and services) is that a relationship was established before a prospects ninth-grade year.
McGarity said Georgia has not yet completed its investigation of Caldwell-Pope. The five-star shooting guard from Greenville allegedly was using a cell phone that was paid for by Adams.
“We’re still processing that case,” McGarity said. “Jarvis’ situation was a little more urgent.”
Jones transferred to Georgia from USC — where he played in eight games as a true freshman — last summer and sat out per NCAA transfer rules. He’s a former AJC Super 11 player who was rated among the top linebackers in the nation.
Jones has not been available for comment but Tuesday night he addressed the news on his Facebook page. (Edited) “The right support, great mentors, friends/fans. I’m so grateful for everyone that’s in my corner. I put my trust in a higher power and not in man. No stressing, just hard work and dedication. Stand up Bulldog Nation, we have business to tend to. — #29″
Georgia launched an internal investigation earlier this summer and turned over its findings to the SEC office on Aug. 2. UGA declined the AJC’s open records requests under the Freedom of Information Act to view that report under the claim that the document was protected by a federal law protecting the privacy of students. The AJC disputed that claim.
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305 comments Add your comment
UGA Alumnus
August 9th, 2011
1:54 pm
@moleman
August 9th, 2011
1:42 pm
Don’t know if you followed the story, but Oregon wanted out of the match-up too. But I understand you can more effectively rable rouse when you just make things up.
moleman
August 9th, 2011
1:54 pm
good one BG. GATA!!
gt4ever
August 9th, 2011
1:54 pm
Yeah, Boise State doesn’t even belong in the stadium with the mighty Bulldogs….. I can’t wait for the BLOWOUT….
slydog
August 9th, 2011
1:56 pm
there are A LOT of haters on here…lol
moleman
August 9th, 2011
1:56 pm
it doesn’t matter if Oregon wanted out, you wanted out too. don’t know why they would want out. it was a gimme win for them. SILVER BRITCHES FOREVER!!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 9th, 2011
1:56 pm
Boy I hope we dont lose to Boise
This fanbase has become so arrogant thats its not even funny
they play one decent caliber team every other yr and they demand to be considered to play for a NC
Come on
moleman
August 9th, 2011
2:01 pm
Boise plays one good team almost every year. and they win the vast majority of those big games. thats a fact, UGAAlum.
Bubbatavious Smith
August 9th, 2011
2:02 pm
@ name police……. easy on my cuzzins please…
moleman
August 9th, 2011
2:07 pm
moleman is outta here. you guys are too easy. GATA!!!hahahahaha!!!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 9th, 2011
2:09 pm
VT a good team LOL they lost to George Mason or whatever that high school team was the next week
UGA beat the crap out of them
Yea thats a fact
WDE
August 9th, 2011
2:12 pm
moleman = St.Simon
moleman
August 9th, 2011
2:13 pm
i’ll come back one more time for flat tire. VT had a winning record last season. UGA lost every game they played against a team with a winning record. that, my friend, is a fact. GATA!!!
cynic
August 9th, 2011
2:13 pm
What a joke, his amateur staus is compromised beyond a doubt.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 9th, 2011
2:14 pm
VT is 1-19 against top 10 teams molehole
thats a fact
Palmetto State Dawg
August 9th, 2011
2:17 pm
moleman, VT plays in the VERY weak ACC. I find it hilarious that the ACC champ lost to George Mason.
BackHomeDawg
August 9th, 2011
2:20 pm
From: Dirty Dawg
To he!! with the AJC…if you guys were as intent on digging into the crap every Republican politician in this state is into as you seem to be on kids with nothin’ but their athletic ability going for ‘em and just out of high school, you’d be going a long way to measuring up to the standard that Henry Grady and Ralph McGill set for you all those years ago.
TO: Dirty Dog
Hey Dirty…I think you must have your blogs all confused. Perhaps the DNC/SEIU/Obama campaign “How tp Ruin the Country in 4 short years” blog would be more to your liking. Or, since your conscience seems to drive you to an analysis of journalism, you might consider a letter to the editor at the NYT. Lastly, to your concerns for the downtrodden players…a $200K+ college education and room and board ain’t exactly a bad deal.
VININGS DAWG
August 9th, 2011
2:20 pm
Jarvis needs to be thankful for the Cam Newton defense, as saying he didn’t know his legal guardian didn’t pay for the tickets.
As far as Auburn goes guys, even though they may not be through with the Cam Newton investigation, there is no current investigation of Auburn. Auburn has not received a letter of investigation regarding anything. Now their rivals to the West, they are sitting on one.
DTC
August 9th, 2011
2:24 pm
Feel better about the entire season.
dawgforlife
August 9th, 2011
2:27 pm
did Anyone notice the article? the whole article was about Jarvis being innocent…then, when UGA refused to give them those papers, ajc went all just the facts man…and printed every allegation slanting it as if it were true…instead of his being innocent…they got their nose out of joint because UGA tried to protect the players privacy…mighty big of you ajc.
D BAG TROLLS!
August 9th, 2011
2:31 pm
Congrats on JJ!
The JUNKYARD will be eating your teams bone marrow for dinner after each game!
DK
August 9th, 2011
2:40 pm
Columbus is well represented with three potential impact players on the team in TE-Bruce Figgins, TB-Isaiah Crowell and LB-Jarvis Jones. Hope they all do a great job for the bulldogs.
Tobias Funke
August 9th, 2011
2:45 pm
AJC editors must be bummed. They have tried with all their might to ruin a 19/20 year olds college career.
GREAT JOB UGA. KEEP PROTECTING YOUR STUDENTS’ PRIVACY RIGHTS. FUDGE THE AJC!
DawginLex
August 9th, 2011
2:46 pm
The AJC is causing the market to implode
Nikoli Volkov
August 9th, 2011
2:47 pm
Columbus like Moscow..without the pretty women.
WDE
August 9th, 2011
2:52 pm
@Nikoli Volkov dude its Georgia you can’t swing a dead cat in this state and not hit a pretty woman..and if you take away the dismal artwork,faulty electrical grid, lack of music, poetry and people that bathe and the 10 month long winters..I’d have to say Columbus is just like Moscow.
Nikoli Volkov
August 9th, 2011
2:56 pm
I stand by my statement. You are American trash.
Delbert
August 9th, 2011
2:59 pm
Nikoli does have a good point. Those Russian women are pretty hot, and they love American men. I think I may look into getting a Russian mail order bride.
Gamec*ck Jeff
August 9th, 2011
3:06 pm
You puppy fans are so delusional. Lattimore is the best running back in college fball and is gonna run smack dab over that puppy defense just like last year. He’ll have at least 150 yards…..at least! Jones will be sore on Sunday from trying to tackle ML. Don’t forget Alshon, who is the best receiver in the nation. Our defense is gonna be flat out nasty with Robertson, Devin Taylor, Clowney etc….. we’re going to throw around Murray and Crowell like little rag dolls. You may beat Boise, but Carolina will dominate you between the hedges this year. cannot wait to see all those sad UGA fans leaving the stadium after the game. It is Carolina’s year!
RedandBlackDAWG
August 9th, 2011
3:07 pm
GT4ever,
We will save the blowout for when we hand you your lunch. It will prepares us for the bowl season to scrimmage with you. We can help you fill your stadium for at least one game.
Do you know how to eliminate a mole? You step on it and crush the little snot. Think it might work on the idiot calling himself the moleman as well.
Chuck
August 9th, 2011
3:07 pm
Wow – all the losses to UGA have driven moleman over the edge.
The poor, poor laddie.
WDE
August 9th, 2011
3:11 pm
@Nikoli Volkov and the Russian “gentry” are mobsters and pimps…see anyone can play this game Comrade..
culdesac84
August 9th, 2011
3:11 pm
Why didn’t Andy Bitter from Columbus Ledger, Auburn beat writer, break this story….oh wait he’s the Auburn beat writer who broke the initial story…if Jarvis was kicked off the team Andy would have been all over it
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 9th, 2011
3:12 pm
Gamec*ck Jeff
Seriously delusional, really, are you sure about that.
SC has never beaten UGA 2 yrs in a row
And we are delusional WOW
Terry
August 9th, 2011
3:16 pm
Said John Jenkins intercepted a pass in practice today and run it back for a touch down.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 9th, 2011
3:20 pm
SC has never beaten UGA 2 yrs in a row
—————————
Incorrect.
Most recently 2000 – 2001.
A SC win this year would make 3 of the last 5.
Loyal Dawg
August 9th, 2011
3:21 pm
AWESOME! Now go do some serious damage Jarvis!!!!!
Biggdawgk
August 9th, 2011
3:27 pm
This is great news. It’s about time the NCAA made the correct decision in a timely fashion. I don’t know whether to be more surprised by the NCAA getting it right or by the AJC actually reporting a positive story about UGA.
Who knows if the trend continues maybe the intrepid reporters at the ajc will run the story about all the dead bodies found in ga tech’s athletic dorm instead of the rumour that one of UGA’s walk on players was 3 minutes late to breakfast.
the Spurrier way
August 9th, 2011
3:29 pm
is the only way.
F.S.U. Fan!
August 9th, 2011
3:30 pm
Great news for UGA!!!!!!!!!!
bham dawg
August 9th, 2011
3:32 pm
http://www.obnug.com/2011/8/8/2305015/boise-state-vs-georgia-sizing-up-the-match-up
bham dawg
August 9th, 2011
3:32 pm
bulletin board material
Palmetto State Dawg
August 9th, 2011
3:33 pm
Nothing Could Be Finer, your Chickens better do it this year because after Garcia nd Alshon are gone, you don’t have a prayer. Conner Shaw?? LOL! Lattimore cannot do it all by himself. The way UGA is recruiting and will recruit, it is just a matter of time before we are back. Enjoy it while you can. Sure, you did sign Clowney and he is a stud but that was the only real highlight of your class. UGA signed tons of studs and more importantly we got the best players in our coveted state. Sure, we cannot get em all but we’ll get our share. I keep hearing how South Carolina has several GA boys committed in the 2012 class, but most (not all) are not kids that UGA wanted. For the record, we currently have the number one player in the state of GA committed to us. His name is Jonathan Jenkins, and he is a beast at defensive tackle.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 9th, 2011
3:35 pm
The Spurrier Way
—————————
Lull you to sleep with Lattimore pounding away then a quick strike to Alshon.
Its no secret.
Opposing defenses know its gonna happen.
Problem is stopping it.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 9th, 2011
3:37 pm
Ga always recruits well.
Problem lately is coaching.
We’ll see how that works out.
We will shred you!
August 9th, 2011
3:41 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5yaKYuhEno
Biggdawgk
August 9th, 2011
3:41 pm
chug a lug garcia has finished undergrad work and has no classes to attend fall semester. I’m sure with the restraint and good judgement just leave the bottle stephen has shown in the past, he will not use all this free time to do something amazingly self destructive and illegal. After all he has a stellar group of ethically sound coaches to be his role models.
reebok
August 9th, 2011
3:43 pm
congrats to Jarvis…i would hate to see ANY young man’s dreams derailed so early…and I hope he has a great college career…except for that one saturday each november when he takes the field against Tech, of course!
just a fan
August 9th, 2011
3:47 pm
Not sure if this is the proper forum to do this or not but I have UGA season tickets that I would like to sell. Feel free to contact me at fantasynfl3100@yahoo.com. I will answer all your questions that you have
CDAWG
August 9th, 2011
3:57 pm
I just read this on the Boise State Blog posted by Robert James:
With the improved recruiting in the recent year for Boise State the size and speed issue normally facing a non BCS against an SEC opponent should be a non issue. With 7 returning starters, expect the Bronco offense to move the ball with relative ease against the Bulldog defense. Georgia will have a difficult time establishing the run in this match up and will have to relay heavily on the passing game. The Bronco defense should win this match up, also returning 7 starters on the opposite side. If the Bulldogs offense has to become one dimensional, with the Broncos shutting down the young and inexperienced rush attack, they will have to relay heavily on the passing game, and should put Georgia at a huge disadvantage. This game should be a easy win for Boise State
He says final score Boise 34 UGA 20. We should just cancel this game!
AltamahaDawg
August 9th, 2011
3:57 pm
Wow, fun with numbers. And if Georgia wins, that would be 3/4, 8/10.