So... do we know what the actual "reprimand" entails yet? Or will we ever know?
Woody On Feb 5, 2009 9:03pm, Oliver Barry <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Lane Kiffin reprimanded by SEC > UT coach accused Florida's Meyer of recruiting violation > > By Joe Biddle • THE TENNESSEAN • February 5, 2009 > > > Read Comments(39) Read the comments!!! Very funny! > > > > It didn’t take long for new Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin to land in hot water. > > Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive issued a public reprimanded to Kiffin Thursday for violating the league’s code of ethics. It was a result of remarks Kiffin made at a breakfast meeting in Knoxville attended by a reported 1,000 Tennessee fans. > > > > > > > > > > Kiffin accused Florida coach Urban Meyer of breaking an NCAA recruiting rule. The controversy involved Tennessee signee Nu’Keese Richardson, who had previously verbally committed to Florida. > > “I’m going to turn Florida in right now in front of you,’’ Kiffin said Thursday morning. “Nu’Keese was here on campus and his phone kept ringing. One of our coaches said, ‘Nu’Keese, who’s that?’ He said, ‘Urban Meyer.’’’ > > Kiffin insinuated Meyer’s action constituted a rules violation. > > “I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn’t get him,’’ Kiffin concluded. > > In Nashville, Kiffin stood by the statements he made in Knoxville, but was unsure if the alleged telephone call from Meyer constituted a rules violation. > > “Someone just told me on the way in it is not a violation,’’ Kiffin said. “I said what I said this morning, but we’re excited to have Nu’Keese on our team. He’sa great player and we signed a great class. > > Following the SEC reprimand, Kiffin was more contrite. > > “I've been made aware by the Southeastern Conference that my comments this morning at a breakfast with our donors violated a conference policy,” he said in a statement. “In my enthusiasm for our recruiting class, I made some statements that were meant solely to excite those at the breakfast. > > “I apologize to Commissioner Mike Slive and the SEC, including Florida AD Jeremy Foley and coach Urban Meyer. My comments were not intended to offend anyone at the University of Florida.” > > While Kiffin’s pep rally type speech pleased Knoxville and Nashville audiences, it caused an uproar at Florida. > > “There was no rule violation and we have confirmed this with the Southeastern Conference,’’ Florida SD Jeremy Foley said in a statement of his own Thursday. “It is obvious that Coach Kiffin doesn’t know that there is not a rule precluding phone contact with a prospect during an official visit on another campus during a contact period. > > “His allegations are inappropriate, out of line and, most importantly, totally false,’’ Foley added. “It is completely unfair to Urban Meyer, our coaching staff, our football program and our institution.’’ > > Soon after he was hired at Tennessee, South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier publicly asked whether Kiffin had taken and passed the NCAA test on recruiting rules. The test is mandatory before a new coach can get involved in the recruiting process. > > Slive’s reprimand reiterated the importance of knowing and following NCAA and SEC guidelines. > > “The phone call to which Coach Kiffin referred to in his public comments is not a violation of SEC or NCAA rules,’’ Slive said in his statement. “We expect our coaches to have an understanding and knowledge of conference and NCAA rules.’’ > > But despite backpedaling on the remarks, it was clear Kiffin was not apologetic for signing some high profile recruits away from SEC rivals. > > “We were able to take two kids who committed to Florida, who just won a national championship, another kid that was committed to LSU, which won a national championship two years ago, as well as a number of other great players, and to turn them to come to Tennessee is a remarkable job,’’ Kiffin said. > > “The message is to the whole country that it doesn’t matter where they are, it doesn’t matter who they like or where we are on their list, we are going to get them.’’ > > Top recruit signs late: As if on cue, Louisiana high school star cornerback Janzen Jackson announced early Thursday that he wouldn’t honor his commitment to LSU and instead signed to play at UT. > > Janzen (6-1, 185) is rated a five-star recruit and the No. 2 cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com. He is the only five-star recruit in the Vols’ 2009 class. > > Reach Joe Biddle at 615-259-8255 or e-mail [email protected]. > > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
