UGA has to report NCAA secondary violation due to comments on Harvey-Clemons
ATHENS — Georgia will have to report an NCAA secondary violation regarding its recruitment of Josh Harvey-Clemons. But as far as secondary violations go, they don’t get much more secondary than this one.
Jim Booz, UGA’s senior associate athletic director for compliance, confirmed to The AJC Thursday that coach Mark Richt ran afoul of NCAA bylaws when he commented on Harvey-Clemons shortly after the highly-touted prospect announced on national television his decision to sign with the Bulldogs on Wednesday. Harvey-Clemons’ signing ceremony at Lowndes High School in Valdosta was televised live by ESPN and the sports network also had a reporter and camera crew with Georgia coaches in Athens.
Shortly after Harvey-Clemons made his announcement in Valdosta, ESPN reporter Cara Capuano asked Richt for his reaction and for his thoughts on prospect’s athletic abilities. Turns out that violates NCAA bylaw 13.10.2, which states that no one from a member institution can comment on a prospective student-athlete until his or her signed letter-of-intent has been received. As has been well-documented now, Harvey-Clemons’ letter-of-intent was not received by UGA until Thursday morning.
“It is something we’re having to deal with,” Booz said. “It’s not a significant issue. It’s not one that’s going to impact any of the individuals involved. It’s going to be considered a Level II secondary violation. Because of how everything transpired yesterday — it was a very, very odd and very unique situation — it just kind of caught everybody off guard.”
Booz said Athletic Director Greg McGarity will send a letter to the Southeastern Conference informing them of the mistake. But he said was highly unlikely any enforcement would result.
“In my opinion there was certainly no advantage gained by any stretch from what transpired yesterday,” said Booz, who came to UGA from Virginia last month. “It is a violation of a technical nature. But the way we’re going to operate is, if something creeps up, even something like this, we’re going to comply and report violations to the SEC if necessary and do it the right way. It’s just one of those things.”
Richt was in Louisville Thursday to attend the Paul Hornung Award banquet honoring 2012 recipient for Georgia senior cornerback Brandon Boykin and could not be reached for comment.
For what it’s worth, here’s how the NCAA bylaw reads:
NCAA Bylaw 13.10.2: Comments Before Signing.
Before the signing of a prospective student-athlete to a National Letter of Intent or an institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid, a member institution may comment publicly only to the extent of confirming its recruitment of the prospective student-athlete. The institution may not comment generally about the prospective student-athlete’s ability or the contribution that the prospective student-athlete might make to the institution’s team; further, the institution is precluded from commenting in any manner as to the likelihood of the prospective student-athlete’s signing with that institution. Violations of this bylaw do not affect a prospective student-athlete’s eligibility and are considered institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1.
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288 comments Add your comment
ATL XMAN
February 3rd, 2012
8:32 am
that is what fox 5 is reporting. what a shame as i think nick marshall could have been a really good player for the dawgs.
DuPuis
February 3rd, 2012
8:45 am
Just another example of cheating by the Sleazemeister Muck Richt.
Same ole same ole.
Notamutt
February 3rd, 2012
8:46 am
2 UGA Players Kicked Off Football Team For Stealing per FOX News, but the AJC fishwrapper has not reported it.
Humpers never cease to amaze me! Another pre-season NC for Jawja.
February 3rd, 2012
8:53 am
Why is that bad NCAA picking on poor Ol Jawja? First it’s Mark May and Lou Holtz, then it is the SEC refs and now the NCAA.
RHall55
February 3rd, 2012
8:53 am
ANOTHER CASE OF NOT KNOWING THE RULES!!! Coach Rodney Garner should know the rules; !) Didn’t know the rules for Chris LeMay, who particpated in some drills for participating in the UCF Bowl game practices, and could NOT play in H/S All Star Games 2) Didn’t know the rules for Chester Brown 3) Couldn’t instruct CMR on what to say comcerning JHC!! I’m sure he knows the entire Wendy’s menu and pricing!! C’mon Man!!
gt mess
February 3rd, 2012
8:55 am
how can tech get a penalty for recruiting–it is like going to jail for robbing a gumball machine, lol
beanster
February 3rd, 2012
8:57 am
Surprised that Nick Marshall would do something this stupid. What a shame.
E v Dawg
February 3rd, 2012
9:00 am
no big deal–what tech did was a lot worse.
10Dawgs
February 3rd, 2012
9:02 am
Good Bubba. Now maybe you can get a real life.
ole yeller
February 3rd, 2012
9:05 am
Some of these by laws are a bit off plum. I understand that young men under age can’t sign anything on their on. With that said he signed what he was suppose to look around for his grandfather to sign and he was no where around. This is something that is not suppose to happen. It is what it is and I am glad it worked out for this young man, and he can go where he wants to go and not where is doesn’t.
Brian
February 3rd, 2012
9:09 am
Cmon, seems like you always poin tout ticky tacky minutia………
ole yeller
February 3rd, 2012
9:14 am
I guess Coach “R” and the rest of the staff will take the position to wait until the close of the signing day and review the list thta has been signed then make a commet.
10Dawgs
February 3rd, 2012
9:15 am
WOW! 2 UGA students players arrested. News has been out since last night. But the AJC rag is still a no-show. IT’s 9 am. IS ANYBODY HOME????? HELLO!!!!!! And they wonder why liberal rags are in fear of extinction. D, JD!
Reaper
February 3rd, 2012
9:32 am
Stupid rule. Rules are always getting the way.
John Mc
February 3rd, 2012
9:33 am
Just another example of why the NCAA needs to go away.
bill
February 3rd, 2012
9:36 am
Where are Bradley and Schultz on this….the humilation, OOPS it’s not Tech.
ken farrar
February 3rd, 2012
9:41 am
another event that will affect the world like the temperature last wednesday
Bama fan
February 3rd, 2012
10:02 am
if this had of been Saban it would have made front page headlines.
Buck Blew
February 3rd, 2012
10:30 am
i thought McGarity laid down the law on Richt and told him he needed to get his act together as far as committing ncaa violations. i guess Richt didn’t take him very seriously. what a tool.
SEC Fan
February 3rd, 2012
10:33 am
NCAA violations, dismissing 2 players, Dawg fans are back on their heels now watch the excuses roll in!!!
Alabama | MrSEC
February 3rd, 2012
11:06 am
[...] Will Muschamp had more time to work on this year’s signing class… and it showed.3. Georgia will actually have to report a secondary violation in the case of Josh Harvey-Clemons.4. This writer says Kentucky has some positive momentum… [...]
UGA Insider
February 3rd, 2012
11:22 am
I should have stayed in bed today. It’s been a disaster.
Shell Answer Man
February 3rd, 2012
11:36 am
Congratulations for this less-than-breaking news, Towers. You’re a tool.
killerj
February 3rd, 2012
11:46 am
Open mouth insert foot,Two more let go for team violations! Secondary violations from staff,more players arrested! it keeps getting better and better! by the way,the death penalty should have happened with Kemp.Thwg!
NERD ALERT
February 3rd, 2012
12:22 pm
Tech dorks,
Worry about your own (on probation) program, vacated league titles, and current RECRUITING VIOLATIONS, resulting in a coach being fired.
That’s a lot on your plate, given your horrible recruiting classes and lack of wins under CPJ.
Since you can’t compete on the field, are you trying to compete with the U and Ohio State in cheating and corruption?
62-39-5
NERD ALERT
February 3rd, 2012
12:24 pm
HAHAHA
You f*****g jars. A coach mentions a player that just announced on national TV and you act like it;s a big deal. What a bunch of douchenozzles.
Dawghater
February 3rd, 2012
2:04 pm
This time next year we can find out which kids from this year UGA class will get kicked off the team! An annual UGA experience.
Johnny B. Goode
February 3rd, 2012
2:22 pm
Cheaters ! ! !
Ted
February 3rd, 2012
2:23 pm
It’s crazy this is even a story. He announces on TV on signing day, but it’s not in hand, so Richt can’t say anything? The NCAA and its technical rules get way too much attention.
G-Dawg
February 3rd, 2012
3:06 pm
I can see everyone is blowing this outta proportion like everything else!!! Geez ppl!!
G-Dawg
February 3rd, 2012
3:07 pm
Is/Was this article really news worthy?? NO!!
Gatormeat
February 3rd, 2012
3:56 pm
I’m wondering when the SEC is going to do something about these out of control programs like georgia, who are breaking rules right and left and having players arrested constantly. Too bad georgia does not know how to win with class and without cheating like Florida, Bama and LSU.
GT fan
February 3rd, 2012
4:57 pm
Cheaters!
You UGA fans are all-over our site. How does it feel? Payback is a b—h.
BuzzEngineer
February 3rd, 2012
5:58 pm
Arrests, NCAA recruiting violations, 3 players kicked off the team for stealing….. what’s next for the university of football in athens??????
REDNECK ALERT
February 3rd, 2012
7:15 pm
HEY NERD ALERT
Lack of wins under CPJ? Son you are smoking some serious crack. Get off your UGA HOLIER THAN THOU kick and smell the roses. UGA’s program gets in trouble 10 x more than Tech does and it’s not even funny. Please don’t even compare. You know nothing.Tech competes on the field all the time. When’s the last time your sorry team did anything?? 1980 lol LOSERS!!!
BobDog
February 5th, 2012
10:10 am
Here’s my understanding: the letter of intent was received with Josh’s signature. Things appeared to be right, then after Richt had commented it was rallied that because Josh is 17, a parent or guardian’s signature was required and the LOI in hand was not valid.
Secondary violations sometimes bring punishment, for example, banning a coach from contact with recruits for a short period. I won’t be surprised to see something like that in this case.
JC
February 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
Mark Richt and jimbo Fisher should be near the top or on top at the end of the year or they should be+++++++++++++++.
The Four Horsemen of Recruiting « The Red and Whack
February 7th, 2012
5:05 pm
[...] These four harbingers of “can’t miss” recruits that bust, NCAA secondary violations, and outright walking, talking scandals mark every recruiting season, year in and year [...]