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Hall of Fame
http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefoo...-helped-with-recruiting-ncaa-violation-072012
Miami coach Al Golden's second season at the school is beginning much like his first one, with new accusations of rule breaking, the looming threat of serious NCAA sanctions and no apparent end in sight for the long probe into the Hurricanes' compliance practices.
Citing unidentified sources, Yahoo! Sports reported Friday that former Miami football employee Sean Allen - who has been linked to one-time booster and now convicted Ponzi scheme architect Nevin Shapiro through the improper-benefits scandal that broke last year - assisted members of Golden's coaching staff with recruiting.
If true, that could be a major NCAA violation by the troubled program, despite Golden's repeated insistence that he wants to ''get it fixed.''
''The inferences and suggestions in the Yahoo! Sports story that my conduct was anything but ethical are simply false.''
Golden also said that he has been a college football coach for more than 18 years and stands by his record of compliance.
Earlier Friday, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that NCAA investigators visited Miami for several days earlier this month, just the latest round of the lengthy inquiry into the Hurricanes' athletic department. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because information about the probe has not been publicly released. Shapiro's claims that he provided dozens of Miami athletes and recruits with extra benefits over an eight-year span were published by Yahoo! Sports last August.
Golden is scheduled to discuss the coming season at the Atlantic Coast Conference media days in North Carolina early next week.
A significant portion of Shapiro's allegations from last year revolved around Allen, who was an assistant football equipment manager until leaving the program last year. Shapiro said he gave Allen more than $200,000, most allegedly spent on players and recruits, as well as a luxury car. Allen denied those claims to Yahoo! Sports in 2011, and has not responded to interview requests from the AP.
Shapiro's attorney, Maria Elena Perez, also did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday. She deposed Allen late last year, shortly before court records showed Miami entered into an agreement with a bankruptcy trustee to return $83,000 it said it received ''directly and indirectly'' from Shapiro.
Miami has been bracing for additional allegations, and was aware earlier this week that they were coming. In an e-mail obtained by the AP, university President Donna Shalala told trustees Thursday that ''someone who had a low level position at one time'' was expected to allege that Miami assistant coach and former NFL player Micheal Barrow committed recruiting violations. Shalala said it has already been investigated.
PRESEASON TOP 30
No. 30: Notre Dame
No. 29: Virginia
No. 28: Texas Christian
No. 27: Mississippi State
No. 26: Georgia Tech
No. 25: Rutgers
No. 24: NC State
No. 23: Florida
No. 22: Nebraska
No. 21: Auburn
No. 20: Oklahoma State
No. 19: West Virginia
No. 18: Arkansas
No. 17: Boise State
No. 16: Michigan State
Yahoo! Sports reported Friday that Allen tried to aid both Barrow and former assistant Aubrey Hill, who left the Hurricanes less than a month after Golden was hired and is now the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida. It cited Allen's phone records, detailing calls he made to recruits - often moments before or after calling Barrow or Hill. It also listed other alleged violations, such as Allen giving recruits rides to the Miami football offices or to restaurants for meetings with coaches.
Some current players were listed as having contact with Allen during their recruiting process, including standout defensive lineman Anthony Chickillo, cornerback Thomas Finnie and incoming freshmen Randy ''Duke'' Johnson and Herb Waters.
Chickillo, according to the new Yahoo! Sports report, was taken to a strip club on his recruiting visit, and that the trip for him and former Miami defensive end Olivier Vernon was arranged by Allen. Vernon decided after last season to skip his final season with the Hurricanes and make himself eligible for the NFL draft. Vernon was one of the players sanctioned by the NCAA last season for accepting money from Shapiro.
It's unknown when the joint NCAA-university investigation will end, said the people who spoke to the AP on Friday. When the probe is over, Miami would first receive a notice of allegations, then have the chance to appear before the NCAA's infractions committee.
Miami coach Al Golden's second season at the school is beginning much like his first one, with new accusations of rule breaking, the looming threat of serious NCAA sanctions and no apparent end in sight for the long probe into the Hurricanes' compliance practices.
Citing unidentified sources, Yahoo! Sports reported Friday that former Miami football employee Sean Allen - who has been linked to one-time booster and now convicted Ponzi scheme architect Nevin Shapiro through the improper-benefits scandal that broke last year - assisted members of Golden's coaching staff with recruiting.
If true, that could be a major NCAA violation by the troubled program, despite Golden's repeated insistence that he wants to ''get it fixed.''
''The inferences and suggestions in the Yahoo! Sports story that my conduct was anything but ethical are simply false.''
Golden also said that he has been a college football coach for more than 18 years and stands by his record of compliance.
Earlier Friday, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that NCAA investigators visited Miami for several days earlier this month, just the latest round of the lengthy inquiry into the Hurricanes' athletic department. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because information about the probe has not been publicly released. Shapiro's claims that he provided dozens of Miami athletes and recruits with extra benefits over an eight-year span were published by Yahoo! Sports last August.
Golden is scheduled to discuss the coming season at the Atlantic Coast Conference media days in North Carolina early next week.
A significant portion of Shapiro's allegations from last year revolved around Allen, who was an assistant football equipment manager until leaving the program last year. Shapiro said he gave Allen more than $200,000, most allegedly spent on players and recruits, as well as a luxury car. Allen denied those claims to Yahoo! Sports in 2011, and has not responded to interview requests from the AP.
Shapiro's attorney, Maria Elena Perez, also did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday. She deposed Allen late last year, shortly before court records showed Miami entered into an agreement with a bankruptcy trustee to return $83,000 it said it received ''directly and indirectly'' from Shapiro.
Miami has been bracing for additional allegations, and was aware earlier this week that they were coming. In an e-mail obtained by the AP, university President Donna Shalala told trustees Thursday that ''someone who had a low level position at one time'' was expected to allege that Miami assistant coach and former NFL player Micheal Barrow committed recruiting violations. Shalala said it has already been investigated.
PRESEASON TOP 30
No. 30: Notre Dame
No. 29: Virginia
No. 28: Texas Christian
No. 27: Mississippi State
No. 26: Georgia Tech
No. 25: Rutgers
No. 24: NC State
No. 23: Florida
No. 22: Nebraska
No. 21: Auburn
No. 20: Oklahoma State
No. 19: West Virginia
No. 18: Arkansas
No. 17: Boise State
No. 16: Michigan State
Yahoo! Sports reported Friday that Allen tried to aid both Barrow and former assistant Aubrey Hill, who left the Hurricanes less than a month after Golden was hired and is now the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida. It cited Allen's phone records, detailing calls he made to recruits - often moments before or after calling Barrow or Hill. It also listed other alleged violations, such as Allen giving recruits rides to the Miami football offices or to restaurants for meetings with coaches.
Some current players were listed as having contact with Allen during their recruiting process, including standout defensive lineman Anthony Chickillo, cornerback Thomas Finnie and incoming freshmen Randy ''Duke'' Johnson and Herb Waters.
Chickillo, according to the new Yahoo! Sports report, was taken to a strip club on his recruiting visit, and that the trip for him and former Miami defensive end Olivier Vernon was arranged by Allen. Vernon decided after last season to skip his final season with the Hurricanes and make himself eligible for the NFL draft. Vernon was one of the players sanctioned by the NCAA last season for accepting money from Shapiro.
It's unknown when the joint NCAA-university investigation will end, said the people who spoke to the AP on Friday. When the probe is over, Miami would first receive a notice of allegations, then have the chance to appear before the NCAA's infractions committee.
