blockallhaters
05-09-2006, 04:47 PM
Florida in the clear on recruiting question
Michael C. Weimar/The Gainesville Sun
CJ Spiller rushes for a first down in the Union County Tigers 23-21 loss to the Ocala Trinity Catholic Celtics Friday, October 28, 2005 in Lake Butler, Fla.
Robbie Andreu/Sun Sports Writer
hat is being presented as breaking news in South Carolina turns out to be old news and a non-issue in Florida.
Citing unnamed sources close to the Clemson football program, the Anderson Independent-Mail in Anderson, S.C., reported Tuesday that the Florida football program sent quarterback Tim Tebow to spend time with Union County star running back C.J. Spiller on Jan. 31, the day before national signing day, to urge him to sign with UF, a violation of NCAA rules.
The newspaper said sources added that the matter had been forwarded to the NCAA for investigation.
The reality is this: UF officials learned on Feb. 1 that Tebow had visited Spiller, investigated the situation and on the same day forwarded the information to the Southeastern Conference and the issue was resolved months ago.
"I asked our coaches about it and I sat down and talked to Tim Tebow about it," UF associate athletic director for compliance Jamie McCloskey said Tuesday. "We reported the information to the SEC. We did not feel there were any (NCAA) violations and the SEC agreed. The conclusion is it's a non-issue."
McCloskey said Tebow's friendship with Spiller, which goes back to when they were both freshmen in high school, and the fact the UF coaches were not aware of the visit, cleared UF of any possible wrongdoing.
"In talking with Tim Tebow, he and C.J. Spiller had been friends for several years," McCloskey said. "For Tim Tebow to call him or go to his home or write him a letter is not something out of the ordinary. They're close friends.
"Because our coaches were not involved (in Tebow's visit) and the fact (Tebow and Spiller) have this relationship, it's explained away. That was our position. That was also the SEC's position."
Spiller said Tuesday that he invited Tebow to his final home basketball game on Jan. 31.
Spiller said Tebow was the only UF player there that night. Had another UF player been present who was not a friend of Spiller's, it would have been an NCAA violation.
"I invited Tim to come," Spiller said. "It was my Senior Night and I asked him if he could make it. He's my friend. It sounds kind of stupid to me that that could be a violation. He's like my best friend. To me, he didn't violate any rules. He just came to see his friend play his last (home game) on Senior Night."
Tebow committed to Florida in December and enrolled in classes at UF in January. Spiller said he and Tebow talked often during the recruiting process, but Tebow never pressured him to sign with the Gators.
"We always joked about it," Spiller said. "He always told me to go where my heart was. That's what he did."
Spiller said he talked to the Clemson coaches earlier this week and they did not mention turning UF in for a possible rules violation because of Tebow's visit.
"They didn't say anything about that," Spiller said. "They talked about me coming up there this summer. I don't see why they'd do something (over the Tebow visit)."
Spiller said he heard in February that the Florida State coaches might turn UF in over Tebow's visit, but had not heard anything since.
"People have different points of view on things," Spiller said. "I just don't see how (Tebow) violated any rules."
Michael C. Weimar/The Gainesville Sun
CJ Spiller rushes for a first down in the Union County Tigers 23-21 loss to the Ocala Trinity Catholic Celtics Friday, October 28, 2005 in Lake Butler, Fla.
Robbie Andreu/Sun Sports Writer
hat is being presented as breaking news in South Carolina turns out to be old news and a non-issue in Florida.
Citing unnamed sources close to the Clemson football program, the Anderson Independent-Mail in Anderson, S.C., reported Tuesday that the Florida football program sent quarterback Tim Tebow to spend time with Union County star running back C.J. Spiller on Jan. 31, the day before national signing day, to urge him to sign with UF, a violation of NCAA rules.
The newspaper said sources added that the matter had been forwarded to the NCAA for investigation.
The reality is this: UF officials learned on Feb. 1 that Tebow had visited Spiller, investigated the situation and on the same day forwarded the information to the Southeastern Conference and the issue was resolved months ago.
"I asked our coaches about it and I sat down and talked to Tim Tebow about it," UF associate athletic director for compliance Jamie McCloskey said Tuesday. "We reported the information to the SEC. We did not feel there were any (NCAA) violations and the SEC agreed. The conclusion is it's a non-issue."
McCloskey said Tebow's friendship with Spiller, which goes back to when they were both freshmen in high school, and the fact the UF coaches were not aware of the visit, cleared UF of any possible wrongdoing.
"In talking with Tim Tebow, he and C.J. Spiller had been friends for several years," McCloskey said. "For Tim Tebow to call him or go to his home or write him a letter is not something out of the ordinary. They're close friends.
"Because our coaches were not involved (in Tebow's visit) and the fact (Tebow and Spiller) have this relationship, it's explained away. That was our position. That was also the SEC's position."
Spiller said Tuesday that he invited Tebow to his final home basketball game on Jan. 31.
Spiller said Tebow was the only UF player there that night. Had another UF player been present who was not a friend of Spiller's, it would have been an NCAA violation.
"I invited Tim to come," Spiller said. "It was my Senior Night and I asked him if he could make it. He's my friend. It sounds kind of stupid to me that that could be a violation. He's like my best friend. To me, he didn't violate any rules. He just came to see his friend play his last (home game) on Senior Night."
Tebow committed to Florida in December and enrolled in classes at UF in January. Spiller said he and Tebow talked often during the recruiting process, but Tebow never pressured him to sign with the Gators.
"We always joked about it," Spiller said. "He always told me to go where my heart was. That's what he did."
Spiller said he talked to the Clemson coaches earlier this week and they did not mention turning UF in for a possible rules violation because of Tebow's visit.
"They didn't say anything about that," Spiller said. "They talked about me coming up there this summer. I don't see why they'd do something (over the Tebow visit)."
Spiller said he heard in February that the Florida State coaches might turn UF in over Tebow's visit, but had not heard anything since.
"People have different points of view on things," Spiller said. "I just don't see how (Tebow) violated any rules."