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As college football continues to evolve, programs are continuing to adjust to the many new rules. During a media event Friday, HBCU North Carolina Central's head coach, Trei Oliver, spoke about possible tampering with one of his players by the Virginia Tech football program. The Hokies released a statement on Saturday (via a report from ESPN's David Hale), discussing the allegations brought forth by Oliver.
“Virginia Tech released a statement Saturday saying this was the first time the issue had been raised and that the school would investigate,” wrote Hale. “‘This is the first time the issue has been brought to our attention, and no concern has previously been shared with us through any formal channel,' the team said. ‘Virginia Tech takes all NCAA rules seriously and is committed to conducting our program with integrity. We are reviewing the matter internally and will address any findings appropriately.'”
Oliver's allegations could be referring to former NC Central star running back J'Mari Taylor. He said the player involved has since transferred to Virginia, and that does fit Taylor's description. In any case, it would be interesting to see just what the investigation unfolds. The Virginia Tech football team is still working their way back to respectability under the leadership of head coach Brent Pry. Now, this latest turn of events could end up being much more than just a coach talking to another player on the sidelines.
New player movement rules cause questions for Virginia Tech football, others
With the advent of so many new player rules, particularly regarding player movement, it's clear that the rules involving transfers and other player related movement still need major refinement. Players from lower-level Division I schools, along with Division II and HBCU universities, routinely get poached by higher Division I programs, such as the Virginia Tech football program. This likely isn't the first time a player from an HBCU is illegally contacted, and it certainly won't be the last.
Can Oliver and other HBCU head coaches, as well as their coaching staffs, help stem this flood of recruiting and transfers before it gets worse? Or is this how things will be from now in college football? For those less regarded programs like NC Central, more regulation will be needed in order to ensure the integrity of the sport moving forward.
