The star Auburn quarterback Cam Newton will likely face greater NCAA scrutiny after a series of allegations by Kenny Rogers, a recruiter with financial ties to an NFL agent, that could affect Newton’s eligibility.
Rogers and his lawyer said Thursday on ESPN Radio in Dallas that Cecil Newton wanted “anywhere between $100,000 and $180,000” for his son to sign with Mississippi State, a violation of NCAA rules. Rogers said he called a Mississippi State booster to attempt to broker the deal.
Rogers, a former Mississippi State player, said he came forward with the information about Cecil Newton’s knowledge of the deal, in part, because Newton had told the news media that if Rogers was soliciting money, he was acting alone. Rogers said Newton’s attitude toward his son’s recruitment was “it’s not going to be free this time.”
Rogers said Mississippi State did not agree to pay for Newton. When a specific request for money was made to a pair of Mississippi State coaches at a Hilton Garden Inn in Starkville last November, one of the coaches said: “No. No. I don’t want to hear that.”
ESPN.com reported that Rogers’ account of Cecil Newton asking for money was corroborated by Bill Bell, a former Mississippi State player who Rogers called in an attempt to broker the deal. Bell told ESPN.com that he spoke to an NCAA investigator this week.
How Rogers’ accusation affects the younger Newton’s eligibility becomes the biggest question in college football. Newton is the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. Auburn is ranked No. 2, behind Oregon, in the Bowl Championship Series standings.
Rogers said he had no contact with Auburn and had no idea whether Auburn paid for Newton’s services.
”The solicitation of cash or benefits by either a potential student-athlete or another person on their behalf is not allowed under NCAA rules,” Stacey Osburn, an NCAA spokeswoman said Thursday. She was speaking about NCAA rules and not specifically about Newton.
Asked what the punishment would be in those cases, Osburn said: “That would depend on the specifics of the situation. It would be like any other rules violation. It would depend on the level of responsibility of either the student-athlete or the university as well as the scope of the violations. We look at a number of factors for all of our rules violations.”
If the NCAA provides Auburn with evidence that Newton or his father broke rules, Auburn would have to decide on Newton’s fate.
Rogers’ lawyer, Douglas Zeit, said in a telephone interview Thursday that the NCAA has reached out to Rogers, but he has not sat down and interviewed with them.
Zeit said a meeting will likely take place next week.
”I think we have a responsibility to talk to them, and we’ll make arrangements to do that,” Zeit said.
John Bond, who alleged last week that Newton was being shopped to Mississippi State for a “specified payment,” told multiple news media outlets that he would speak to the FBI on Tuesday regarding Newton. His lawyer, Phil Abernethy, declined to confirm the meeting.
Zeit said the FBI had not reached out to Rogers. An FBI spokesman declined to comment Thursday.
The revelations ratcheted up the drama of Saturday’s game between Auburn and Georgia and whether Newton will play. All week, the Auburn coach Gene Chizik has been defiant in his defense of Newton, characterizing the news media reports as “garbage.” He has repeatedly said that Newton would be eligible to play. He and Auburn did not return a text message seeking comment Thursday night.
Speaking generally, Osburn said that knowingly playing an ineligible student athlete could make a school “subject to harsher penalties down the road.”
Newton has become one of the biggest stories in college football. His future could affect four of the biggest events left this season – the Iron Bowl between Auburn and Alabama on Nov. 26, the SEC title game on Dec. 4, the Heisman trophy ceremony and potentially the BCS title game.
One factor is that the NCAA will have to determine the credibility of Rogers. The NFL Players Association issued a disciplinary complaint to Ian Greengross, the agent for whom Rogers opened a joint bank account under the name “Greengross Athletic Management Enterprises,” according to court documents obtained by The New York Times.
A statement released by Greengross’ lawyer said 15 of the 17 allegations in a disciplinary complaint against him involved Rogers. The NFLPA said those included that Rogers “misrepresented to prospective player-clients that he was an NFLPA employee, a club official and an official from a testing service in an effort to recruit them.”