UGA’s Orson Charles mentioned in report on NCAA violations at Miami
Georgia tight end Orson Charles has been mentioned in the mess that Yahoo! Sports is reporting about the University of Miami and its relationship with a notorious booster named Nevin Shapiro. Shapiro is a convicted felon who, in several prison interviews, claims he provided impermissible benefits to dozens of Miami players and recruits.
Charles is listed among those recruits with whom Shapiro claims to have had impermissible contact. But, on face value at least, it doesn’t look like he is anything but a bystander in all this.
The bombastic report, written by Yahoo! Sports reporter Charles Robinson, merely alleges that Charles was escorted by a Miami assistant coach to Shapiro to be given “a recruiting pitch.” As we all know, Charles rather famously signed with Georgia. Shapiro is incarcerated in federal prison in Atlanta after being convicted for his role in a $930 million Ponzi scheme.
Current and former Miami players and student-athletes from all over are implicated by Shapiro and other sources in the extensive report, which includes thousands of supporting documents such as bank statements, hotel folios, cell phone records and corroborating quotes from athletes. Here’s the specific passage in which Charles is mentioned (along with several other recruits):
Among the specific incidents, Shapiro or other sources say Hurtt, Hill, Stoutland, Pannunzio and Allen all delivered top-tier recruits to Shapiro’s home or luxury suite so the booster could make recruiting pitches to them. Among the players who were ushered to Shapiro while they were still in high school: Eventual Miami commitments Ray-Ray Armstrong, Dyron Dye and Olivier Vernon (prompted by Hurtt); eventual Florida commitments Andre Debose (Hurtt) and Matt Patchan (prompted by Stoutland and Pannunzio); eventual Georgia commitment Orson Charles (Pannunzio); and eventual Central Florida commitment Jeffrey Godfrey (Allen).
A hot-link on Charles’ name carries readers to a page that provides more details of on Charles and his encounter with Shapiro, including Shapiro’s account of the meeting:
“Orson Charles was a tight end out of Plant City [High School] who was Robert Marve’s teammate. And because I had a real close relationship with Robert, Robert’s high school coach, Robert Weiner, came to Miami, Marve brought him to my house and he was with Orson Charles. I showed [Charles] my closet. The reason why I show all the kids my closet is because that’s where I had like 50 to 70 UM game-worn jerseys of all the best players in the last however long. That was our first visit. I saw him a second time and I think it was a Miami football camp.”
Charles’ name is also on a list of players Shapiro mentions that appears next to the text of the story. Again, click HERE to read the entire report from Yahoo!Sports. Here’s an Associated Press story on Charles’ connection and here’s a link to The AP report about the story.
UGA officials did not return messages sent late Tuesday night seeking comment about Charles. Wednesday morning Athletic Director Greg McGarity said via email UGA is checking into it.
If and when they respond, I suspect they will say something similar to what Alabama spokesperson Doug Walker said: “The University of Alabama is aware of the story, but we will have no further comment.”
Joe Pannunzio was the tight ends and special teams coach at Miami under former head coach Randy Shannon and is now the first-year director of football operations at Alabama. Bama’s new offensive line coach, Jeff Stoutland, is also implicated in the Yahoo! Sports report.
Charles, a junior from Tampa, is a preseason All-SEC first-team selection expected to be one of the Bulldogs’ main offensive weapons this season. He had 49 career receptions for 796 yards and five touchdowns.
We’ll try to sort all this out from Georgia’s end on Wednesday.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
356 comments Add your comment
ramblingbuzz
August 17th, 2011
9:05 am
Is that where you can go look at all the animals?
BehindEnemyLines
August 17th, 2011
9:06 am
re: “Write about football, not OC’s name being mentioned by a convict or scooter accidents.” — You’d end up with no coverage at all, it’s impossible to write about UGAg football without bringing up those things, unless you simply run the police blotter every week.
Johnson, The Tech one, not yours
August 17th, 2011
9:07 am
You’ll have to ask Groh. I’m here 24/7 getting ready for Western Carolina. Can’t afford to lose that one. I recruited most of those boys here by the way.
ramblingbuzz
August 17th, 2011
9:07 am
Dang, these Ugag boys do get worked up about they football don’t they?
d earl
August 17th, 2011
9:08 am
All of you haters are just hoping he did something wrong, Yellow Bellies who want to be Dawgs, but too ashamed to be converts, thats all, and Chip if everyone else is smoking crack on th job do you have to do it to? Have some decency about a young student athlete trying to get ready for a season of football, you are showing no-class when you normally do, what changed bro? Did we not learn anythign from Cam Newton, hey maybe OC is the finest tight end in the country, thanks for helping him become that! What a joke….sheeesh
BigTimeTechFan
August 17th, 2011
9:09 am
If UGA fans say Auburn cheated because of what someone at Miss St tried to do for Cam Newton
Does the same logic stand for UGA and O Charles dealings with Miami?
Bo
August 17th, 2011
9:10 am
This implicates Miami not the recruits. As far as I understand the NCAA rules (wh/ is not very much), the kids are not held responsible until after they sign a scholarship and have been informed of the rules. Eligibility is affected once a kid knows the rules and then breaks them. Miami is the one in real trouble.
Johnson, The Tech one, not yours
August 17th, 2011
9:10 am
Hey, did I mentioned we rushed for more yards than Georgia last year in our game with them?
I had to look forever to find that stat in the AJC…..but there it was on page 7 C. Small print but a big deal around here.
uh oh
August 17th, 2011
9:10 am
Where was Richt a former member of the coaching staff I forget?
ramblingbuzz
August 17th, 2011
9:12 am
No D E, we’re just hoping that the same standard the NCAA applies to one school is applied equally to every school.
BigTimeTechFan
August 17th, 2011
9:12 am
Oh wait, when did all this stop?
Last year Nick Menocal had committed to Miami then switched to Tech, hope he’s not involved, anyone know?
ramblingbuzz
August 17th, 2011
9:13 am
It an AJC conspiracy agianst GT. Why didn’t they post that stat on page 1?
Johnson, The Tech one, not yours
August 17th, 2011
9:13 am
I just love the smell of game day around here. All those free pizza’s cooking just fill the air. You just know it’s time for “toe meets leather” when you smell them.
aprilglaspie
August 17th, 2011
9:13 am
pardon me, but anybody that thinks Yahoo is a news organization is a bonehead. Yahoo aggregates “content”.
Milledge
August 17th, 2011
9:13 am
What about the Miami Heat?
Sam Robards, Dawg Fan
August 17th, 2011
9:14 am
Wow, that “report” seems kinda crappy. It’s all heresay and no evidence. It just seems like this guy is trying to take as many people with him as he can. I don’t think Charles did anything, anyway, because he seems like too stand-up a guy to do so.
Let’s move on.
Go Dawgs!
BigTimeTechFan
August 17th, 2011
9:14 am
@Milledge – LoL Miami Heat
ramblingbuzz
August 17th, 2011
9:15 am
Never mind BTTF we’re already in deep doo over a couiple of shirts and a pair shoes. When are we going to learn to cheat with the likes of AU and UM? This is so depressing.
Evansdawg
August 17th, 2011
9:16 am
STOP THE PRESSES…..A recruit was shown a closet full of jerseys. Whoah….thats news-worthy. Did you also report that Obama took a leak?
Johnson, The Tech one, not yours
August 17th, 2011
9:16 am
I’ve offered Miami our Lawyer who handled our case with the NCAA, but his phone has been disconnected.
bitter pay for play
August 17th, 2011
9:18 am
chip–we all no that the all-burn war hoggs and miami cocains—will always cheat
———–if the NCAA does not issue the DEATH PENALTY—–then pay for play will live on
—————————dont think that lame “duck”–kiffin and USC would love to go back to reggie
============2 in the bush era——–cash here cash there——–crack the wipp or go away NCAA
———————————-tide roll and tree killer nation stink—hahahahahah
Johnson, The Tech one, not yours
August 17th, 2011
9:18 am
ACC…………………ALWAYS CAUGHT CHEATING
AltamahaDawg
August 17th, 2011
9:19 am
What? Richt might be able to address (to whom) the the couple of point that an AJC sport blog left out that might have made the story more interesting to its readers? What?
You are absolutely grasping at straws now to even make up something to say. It’s 9:30 in the morning and you have already posted 4 times in a Georgia Blog having nothign to do with your team. Is that maybe not some kind of a signal of some problem you might be developing?
ramblingbuzz
August 17th, 2011
9:19 am
Hey Sam are you the guy on 960 the Ref sports talk radio in Athens? Can you get your buddy Dave Johnson to quit calling GT fans scum suckers? That ain’t nice thing for a famous radio personality to say.
Johnson, The Tech one, not yours
August 17th, 2011
9:20 am
You know what Auburn thinks about this this morning. Envy.
bitter pay for play
August 17th, 2011
9:20 am
hammer time for miami and all-burn war hoggs————-just saying trolls
DawginLex
August 17th, 2011
9:20 am
uh oh
Richt coached at FSU, not Miami. Plus he left in 2001.
He played for UM and left in 1983. That’s 28 years ago son.
you are too stupid to be a good TROLL
Buck Blew
August 17th, 2011
9:20 am
if true, charles and the gaytor players named will be given suspensions by the ncaa.
Wolfman
August 17th, 2011
9:21 am
@jackyldo: Article says that he gave improper benefits starting in 2002… So how does that implicate Butch Davis????
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 17th, 2011
9:21 am
Orsons got some ’slpainin’ to do.
Tard Dawg
August 17th, 2011
9:22 am
UGA is the Clemson of the SEC.
Johnson, The Tech one, not yours
August 17th, 2011
9:23 am
Hey AJC……we’re over here working hard getting ready for a dust up with the Western Carolina crazy Injuns…….And this is the crap we have to read about??????
Gator Mike
August 17th, 2011
9:23 am
Tampa Gator, I concur with your assessment. Hopefully, DeBose, Charles and Patchen are clean in this matter for their own good. Miami simply never amazes me with their seemingly continual propensity to live on the edge in compliance matters. We have all had compliance problems, but some folks associated with Miami seem to blow it off.
Hopefully, UF, UGA and others do not have players get burned by association. This is disgusting!
techfan
August 17th, 2011
9:27 am
It’s all heresay and no evidence. It just seems like this guy is trying to take as many people with him as he can.
Did you even read the report? They have pictures, phone records, admission from past players, admission from other sources, etc. What kind of evidence do you need? There may not be much on Charles but the entire report looks to be pretty solid.
WDE
August 17th, 2011
9:37 am
Wow this is a great read this guy in the Yahoo article states he bought a box in the new U stadium and tried to have a stripper pole installed in it. If he had given OC benefits outside the rules he would have I think said so, I mean why not he told on everyone else..the folks outside of the U that should be very worried are the Bama folks two of the coaches named by this guy are currently at Bama..and with Suitgate going on over there at the moment I doubt they want this type of exposure..
oneofeach4me
August 17th, 2011
9:38 am
I think slydog (5:05 am post) may be on to something. It sure is a thought…….
WDE
August 17th, 2011
9:39 am
@Tard Dawg what exactly has UGA been accused of doing in this case I kinda missed that part? Honestly the Tard part of you name is spot on!
Delbert D.
August 17th, 2011
9:42 am
@2:02a.m. “Robert Marve graduated way before OC was there.”
Robert Marve did not graduate from Miami; he transferred. He is a QB at Purdue now.
Trojan
August 17th, 2011
9:42 am
Woopthedoo
BIG-D
August 17th, 2011
9:43 am
Hey Dixie Highway (7:27am post), I saw your name meantioned the other day in a blog by tide roll. With your logic I guess that means your a latent homsexual too.
Trojan
August 17th, 2011
9:43 am
Did he mention that Charles really did not know about it but his father did?
C.J.
August 17th, 2011
9:44 am
Take the fanboy goggles off. This guy is just as likely to be guilty as anyone else. You would think that Georgia fans should be used to their players being linked to trouble by now…
BigTimeTechFan
August 17th, 2011
9:45 am
If OC has to sit, who’s there backup? will it be Jay Rome?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 17th, 2011
9:45 am
Just finished reading the report on Yahoo. The “U” is in bigtime trouble. To much verifiable information he has. Some of what he says is so outlandish it is hard to believe, but he has banks records and multiple sources to back it up.
If I where a player who benefited from this and is currently in the NFL making millions I would be terrified that the innocent people taken by this guy in the Ponzi scheme will come and seek litigation against them. Much like the Wilpons, Mets owners, are going through with the Madoff deal.
The Univeristy of Miami is in tons od trouble. USC, Ohio State will look like Boy Scouts after all of this is said and done. The ghosts of SMU circa 1987-88 may be calling Miami very soon.
Kiss The Ring
August 17th, 2011
9:45 am
BUT BUT BUT….CAM NEWTON..>>AU CHEATS…NICK FAIRLYE IS BAD….
Let the "BIG" Dawg eat!!
August 17th, 2011
9:46 am
The AJC is the biggest recruiting tool for Bama, Auburn, and Fl. It’s a shame the largest paper in the state doesn’t support the State University like other papers support their State’s schools. Read a paper in Birmingham, Orlando, Jacksonville, and you get none of this constant garbage you get from these incompetent writers the AJC has to offer. These guys get off on writing articles when UGA loses out on a recruit, or when something as minor as a kid getting thrown from a scooter. For grown men to get off on trying to smear a 17 or 18 yr. old kid is a testament to the character of these
writer’s. If you want to write a story, you should be writing about how corrupt both schools in the state of Alabama are. Bama hires a D.L coach that was fired by Clemson, and he has a long list of improper recruiting allegations against him, Now Bama hires as it’s O.L. coach one of the coaches that is in the middle of this scandal. And people wonder why Bama does so well in getting top players from florida to commit to them. Auburn, which is a disgrace to the SEC, hires Trooper Taylor whose name has been linked to several illegal recruiting violations while he was at Tenn, and now at Auburn. Ever heard of his “Pimp Mobile” the white limo where he entertains recruits with paid prostitutes. This has been well documented by 2 papers now. Even a top w.r. recruit from the State of Ga. mentioned the reason he picked Auburn was how well the coaches were at entertaining him on his visit. How can the AJC not write about these 2 outlaw schools? If the New York Times, and Yahoo Sports knows about these illegal tactics, it’s funny the writers for this paper have no clue of all of these stories. Good job once again AJC, but it’s only a matter of time before both outlaw programs are brought down. Wish these 2 schools would take their obnoxious fans and join another conference, so the SEC can try and gain some type of respectability back.
Dawglasville
August 17th, 2011
9:48 am
This Shapiro cat is Satan in a suit. I love these hot shots who think they are Gordon Gecko. They are so slick. Apparently they never stuck around to see the ending of Wall Street. Their version of the American Dream is what is screwing up these kids. They work hard, party harder, and end up broke and alone.
Dostoyevskiy
August 17th, 2011
9:48 am
My opinion, Charles most likely did go to Shapiro’s house. No flame intended. If a player on my favorite team was mentioned in the same context, I would conclude the same thing. You can’t pick and choose; you can’t say he was telling the truth when it fits your agenda and that he was lying when that would fit your agenda. You can’t have it both ways.
Football Insider
August 17th, 2011
9:49 am
OC will be fine. I wouldn’t worry about it dawg fans.
I wouldn’t jump on Towers either. He’s just reporting something related to UGA, that’s his job. Towers does not give any opininos in this thing about OC other than quotes from other reports so leave him alone.
You guys are sensitive as hell, what is the AJC supposed to just write glowing rainbows and sunshine reports about UGA all the time? OC’s involvment with Niel Shapiro is a non-issue. Don’t have to be so sensitive about it. It’s really annoying, this is why most other college fanbases hate UGA fans. Because they are the most pollyanna fanbase ever and god forbid anything get said about their players…let the excuses roll.
AltamahaDawg
August 17th, 2011
9:50 am
I hope Richt suspend him for this!
Then lets him back.
Then suspends him for something else.
Then lets him back again.
Then suspends him for something else.
Then lets him back again
Then suspends him for something else.
Then lets him back again.
Then suspends him for something else.
Then lets him back again, makes him the leader of the team, and publically praise what a great kid he is.