Knoxville, Tenn (WVLT)- The trainer who helped guide UT freshman running back Bryce Brown through the recruiting process told WVLT that the NCAA has not contacted him in an investigation regarding the star recruit's eligibility.
The exclusive interview with Brian Butler came just minutes after Tennessee head football coach Lane Kiffin said after practice Tuesday that the NCAA is investgating Tennessee freshman running back Bryce Brown.
"Bryce never did one thing wrong during his recruitment," Butler told Sports Overtime's Darryl Hobby. His parents were very particular about getting everything done right."
Kiffin said there is an eligibility issue, but it's not academic-related, nor did it have anything to do with the VOLS'' recruitment of Brown.
Television station KAKE in Brown's hometown of Wichita, Kan., cites a source who says that the investigation is focused on Brown's trainer, Brian Butler, and that Brown has done nothing wrong. The investigation allegedly involves a summer tour that Bryce made to schools with Butler. This source says the investigation will not affect the running back's eligibility at Tennessee. Full story
Until the investigation is closed and Brown is cleared as eligible, he will not play in any games. If Brown played and was found to be ineligible after the fact, UT would have commited a major violation and have to forfeit all games in which he played. Given the NCAA's reputation of being slow to decide, Brown may be forced to sit for the opener against WKU.
At worst and Brown did forfeit his amateur eligibility, his college career would be over before it began.
Maybe I'm delusional, but I just don't see the NCAA taking away someone's eligibility for something that happened when a kid was 15. I would imagine they would be sued if they did so, since it would certainly damage his football career.
Besides, you know how many kids have had someone pay for a football camp because the kid's family couldn't afford it? Not to mention, you could assume this would effect Arthur Brown, Bryce's equally-hyped older brother who signed with Miami in 2007 and who was a senior the year this occurred.
It's also safe to assume that Lane Kiffin and UT will get drug through the mud through this even though multiple sources say it has nothing to do with UT's recruitment of Brown. I'm sure Chris Low is writing his own ignorant piece as we speak.
Hopefully, the T still stands for Teflon and none of this sticks to the VOLS or Brown in the end.
