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Ex-Marshall Coach Denies Allegations

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The Associated Press

Published: August 21, 2008

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Former Marshall football coach Bob Pruett has denied allegations he was involved in an academic scandal or made athletes lie about a jobs program that drew NCAA sanctions in 2001.

One of the former players who accused Pruett in a sworn affidavit has since recanted his statements.

Pruett gave a sworn deposition in May in a federal lawsuit filed by David Ridpath, Marshall's former NCAA compliance officer.

Former strength coach Mike Jenkins said in an earlier deposition that Pruett assured the football staff at a spring 1999 meeting that several players would be eligible for the 2000 season because they were assured of perfect grades in a physical education class.

Pruett indicated he never said that.

"I don't know why he would give this statement ... unless he just misunderstood or misremembered," Pruett said.

Pruett "vigorously" denied Jenkins' contention that Pruett and others on his staff initiated the academic fraud.
Volunteer assistant strength coach Bruce McAllister gave seven athletes copies of final exam answers before the actual test was given. The NCAA's 2001 report said when McAllister's action was exposed to other students in the class, the professor gave everyone an A in the course.

Pruett said McAllister came to his home and said he gave the test.

"I said, 'Well, you can't be with our program, you've put our program in harm's way,'" Pruett said.

ALABAMA: The administrative assistant for Coach Nick Saban used athletic department stationary to recommend probation for a man convicted of smuggling a small amount of marijuana into a state prison.

Glenda Edwards faces possible disciplinary action from the university.

Athletics spokesman Doug Walker said Edwards admitted to using department stationary to write the one-page letter to St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Charles Robinson.

NEW MEXICO: The NCAA put the program on three years of probation and cut five scholarships as punishment for academic violations involving two former assistants.

The sanctions imposed by the NCAA's infractions committee went beyond the university's self-imposed penalties, which included two years of probation and fewer scholarship reductions.

The NCAA concluded that the former Lobos assistants in 2004 improperly helped three recruits obtain academic credits through correspondence courses they never completed at Fresno Pacific University, a fully accredited college in California that offers online degrees.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE: Quarterback Justin Burke will transfer to Louisville, Cardinals coach Steve Kragthorpe said.

RULE CHANGE: The NCAA banned the horse-collar tackle from college football.

Following the lead of the NFL, the NCAA will assess a penalty this season when a runner is yanked to the ground from the inside collar of his shoulder pads or jersey.

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