College football notes: Former Auburn players say they were paid to play
Four former Auburn players have told HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel they received thousands of dollars while being recruited by or playing for the Tigers.
Stanley McClover, Troy Reddick, Chaz Ramsey and Raven Gray told HBO for Wednesday night's episode that they received cash payments — in book bags, envelopes and even handshakes. Ramsey played at Auburn most recently, in the 2007 season.
"While HBO confirmed to us they have no proof that any of these claims are true, we contacted both the NCAA and Southeastern Conference as soon as these allegations surfaced," Auburn Athletics Director Jay Jacobs said in a statement. "We have engaged outside counsel to investigate this matter and will spare no resources to find the truth."
Tommy Tuberville, Auburn's coach during the recruitment of all four players, declined to comment Wednesday. He is now the head coach at Texas Tech.
McClover said he "felt totally obligated" to play for the Tigers after getting money — he wasn't sure how much — in a book bag.
"I literally almost passed out; I couldn't believe it was true," the former defensive end told HBO. "I felt like I owed them."
McClover said he later received $7,000 from an unidentified Auburn booster for a 1973 Chevrolet Impala and would get sacks of money, typically $300 or $400, after games. He said he got four bags totaling $4,000 after logging four sacks against rival Alabama in 2004, when he was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference player.
The Associated Press reviewed a copy of the hour-long program. Efforts to reach the four players were unsuccessful.
Former Auburn defensive end Quentin Groves said he was never aware of McClover or any other teammates receiving improper payments.
"I just think it was totally and utterly ridiculous to go and say something like that about the school that gave you so much and then be mad because of selfish reasons," said Groves, who is now a Raiders linebacker.
Groves said HBO contacted him and at least nine other former Auburn players for the report. Asked whether he was ever paid at Auburn, Groves responded: "Never. The only thing I got from Auburn is great memories and the Auburn (career) sack record."
McClover's 2004 teammate Junior Rosegreen, who also went to Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said McClover bought the car with money from a Pell Grant and that it didn't cost $7,000.
"That is bogus," said Rosegreen, who called McClover "a damn storyteller."
McClover, who spent two years at Auburn before turning pro after the 2005 season, also said he received cash during "money handshakes" with Louisiana State and Michigan State and received sexual favors during a visit to Ohio State.
In a statement, Michigan State spokesman John Lewandowski said, "Our compliance office was never alerted to this alleged handshake."
Ohio State spokeswoman Shelly Poe said the school had no comment because "the report is so far back and so many years ago, and he's just coming forward with it."
Joe Alleva, LSU's vice chancellor and athletics director, said the school would not comment but added that LSU "vigorously enforces NCAA and SEC rules, and we work diligently to educate boosters on NCAA rules compliance."
Reddick, an Auburn offensive lineman from 2002-05, said Auburn urged him to change his major so classes didn't interfere with football and that when he was unhappy and threatened to leave, an unidentified coach asked him to come up to his office for "some mail."
"I followed him up to his office and he gave me an envelope," Reddick told HBO. He said it contained "about like $500" and that he received two or three more payments that season and six or seven as a senior.
Gray, who missed the 2008 season with a knee injury and never played for the Tigers, said he received $2,500 to $3,000 from what he described as an Auburn representative when he was being recruited out of junior college. Ramsey said he was paid $5,000 to $6,000 while at Auburn.
BCS threatens Fiesta Bowl
The head of the BCS put the Fiesta Bowl on notice Wednesday: "Follow the letter of the law" or lose its place in college football's lucrative championship system.
BCS officials challenged the Fiesta Bowl to persuade them that alleged corruption behind the firing of longtime CEO and President John Junker was just a blip and will never happen again. Otherwise, the BCS said, it can kick out the Fiesta Bowl altogether.
"They know that if they want to do business with us, they need to follow the letter of the law," BCS executive director Bill Hancock said. "If they fail to do so, they do it at their own peril."
Around the nation
Ohio State: Coach Jim Tressel apologized Wednesday for letting people down and acknowledged that some might view him as a cheater in the wake of NCAA violations that resulted in a five-game suspension.
Tressel declined to discuss the investigation into the rules violations during an almost hour-long news conference. He introduced linebackers coach Luke Fickell as his replacement for the games he'll be suspended.
Michigan: New coach Brady Hoke will average $3.25 million annually — almost five times more than he made last year at San Diego State — if he fulfills the six-year contract signed Monday, Athletics Director Dave Brandon said Wednesday.
Hoke will be paid $2 million this year, and his base salary will increase by $100,000 each season. Hoke will earn a $1.5 million "stay bonus" after his third year and another $1.5 million if he is still there in the sixth season of his contract.
This story was originally published March 31, 2011 at 5:56 AM with the headline "College football notes: Former Auburn players say they were paid to play."