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Moffitt's Wife Must Pay County

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By BRETT McMURPHY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 8, 2008

Updated: 01/07/2008 11:44 pm

TAMPA - Shauna Moffitt will be required to reimburse Sumter County for the time she spent doing her husband's schoolwork, but she will not face any other discipline, Sumter County property appraiser Ronnie Hawkins said.

Moffitt said she did nearly every paper for her husband, University of South Florida senior linebacker Ben Moffitt, during his five years at USF. She provided copies of six assignments to The Tampa Tribune she said she wrote on her computer at the Sumter County appraiser's office, where she is a data specialist.

"My only interest is that the time she did those things, the taxpayers paid for it and she'll pay it back," Hawkins said.

Shauna Moffitt's annual salary is $34,918, said a spokesman with the Sumter County appraisers office.

"She told you she wrote Ben's papers, she told me she wrote them, I'll make sure the taxpayers don't pay for it," Hawkins said. "There's not anyone sitting looking over people's shoulders. We do the best we can.

"If taxpayers paid for her ... we'll recover those costs. If it took her five hours on the assignments, I am going to recover five hours worth of salary. I'll get every nickel back."

Hawkins said Shauna Moffitt "is not a poor employee. She works. But since she put this out in a public forum, I have to react."

USF officials wouldn't confirm they are investigating Shauna Moffitt's allegations of academic misconduct, though Vice Provost Ralph Wilcox said the university takes "any allegation of cheating very seriously."

In a written statement, Wilcox said Monday, "USF has policies and procedures in place to address such allegations if they are supported by sufficient and sound evidence that suggests wrongdoing. Since it would involve an individual student's records, we are bound by law to keep any such investigation confidential."

On Monday, a Sumter County Circuit Court judge denied Ben Moffitt's request to gag his wife from making comments to the media. In a motion filed late last week, Moffitt's attorney accused Shauna Moffitt of "making false statements to the press as to Ben Moffitt's contact and financial support since the parties' separation."

Shauna Moffitt's comments, the attorney wrote, are "affecting the orderly administration of justice ..." He doesn't refer to the academic cheating allegations.

Ben Moffitt has asked a judge to award both him and his wife "temporary parental responsibility" of their two children, Trevor, 5, and Rylan, 3, in addition to settling a visitation schedule.

A hearing is set for Jan. 15 in Bushnell.

Jones Likes Challenge Of Reviving SMU Program

DALLAS - Staying at Hawaii would have been the easy choice for June Jones. It was the challenge of rebuilding a tattered football program that led him to take the coaching job at Southern Methodist, which stumbled to a 1-11 record this season.

"Where you are now excites me because the only way is up, and I am good at going up," Jones said Monday.

The introduction of Jones at a booster-packed news conference ended the nation's longest college coaching search this year. It had been 70 days since Phil Bennett was dismissed with four games left in the season.

Jones' decision to leave Hawaii came after an extraordinary bidding war that even involved Hawaii's governor.

Leigh Steinberg, Jones' agent, said the coach accepted a five-year deal worth about $2 million per year. He said Hawaii offered about $1.6 million per year.

"In 30 years representing athletes, I've never seen the emotional reaction from a state like Hawaii," Steinberg said.

FSU Tight End Transfers To Tallahassee CC

TALLAHASSEE - Florida State starting tight end Charlie Graham is no longer enrolled at the school. Graham, a redshirt sophomore who started 11 games, has transferred to Tallahassee Community College, according to school officials.

Graham did not play in FSU's 35-28 loss to Kentucky in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 31. He was one of 25 scholarship players to not make the trip for various reasons, the majority due to their involvement in an academic cheating scandal.

Also, FSU reserve offensive lineman Tyler Graves has requested his release so he reportedly can transfer to Pearl River (Miss.) Community College.

Scott Carter

PLAYER CHARGED: At Union, S.C., a player at a small North Carolina university and his wife were charged with murder in the stabbing death of his former girlfriend, a high school cheerleader in South Carolina.

Pernell Clayton Thompson, 20, and Yolanda Dee Thompson, 19, were being held Monday at the Union County jail, accused of killing 16-year-old Marisha Jeter, police said.

KANSAS: Cornerback Aqib Talib and left tackle Anthony Collins, the first position players to make All-American at Kansas since 1973, will pass up their senior season and enter the NFL draft.

TEXAS: Tight end Jermichael Finley said he'll leave school early to enter the NFL draft. Finley caught 45 passes for 573 yards and two touchdowns as a third-year sophomore this season.

Tribune reporter Adam Emerson

contributed to his report.

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