A fellow Big Ten coach is being accused of tampering by one of his colleagues.
Per a report by John OโConnor of the Richmond Times Dispactch, Richmond coach Russ Huesman has accused Maryland boss Mike Locksley of tampering.
The player involved in all this is, of all people, a kicker.
Sean OโHaire (no, not the wrestler) kicked at Richmond last season. Now, he plays for Maryland. Per Huesman, foul play was involved.
“Maryland tampered with our kicker and gave him $50,000,” Huesman said. ” They came in, they tampered. The kid had zero interest in transferring, they offered him money. It happens all over the country and there’s nothing the NCAA’s going to do about it.”
The last sentence is probably accurate.
Tampering in college sports is kind of like underage drinking: Everybody knows it happens and everybody is equally sure that nothing will be done about it.
Penn State AD Pat Kraft told a story two Decembers ago.
โWe were in Las Vegas for Oluโs [Fashanu] award he was nominated for the Cambell Trophy,โ Kraft said. โAnd on our way there we got an email of 8 athletes one of which was our own, who was not in the portal, and an agent was saying โHey are you interested in them?โ Was just shopping athletes around, I was not very happy and went to the NCAA officials there.โ
The likely realityโ especially in the age of name, image and likeness as well as the transfer portalโ is that most schools are guilty of tampering.
With that said, plenty of Penn State fans will get a kick out of Mike Locksley being accused, especially considering his quarrel with James Franklin almost six months ago.
