Published Thursday, March 25, 2004 NCAA says Fulmer not only coach to talk about Alabama
By ELIZABETH A. DAVIS AP Sports Writer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. The NCAA committee that put Alabama on probation for recruiting violations did not review any of the information Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer told investigators, an NCAA official said Thursday.
Other coaches from the Southeastern Conference also came forward to report problems they saw at Alabama, said Wally Renfro, spokesman for NCAA President Myles Brand.
Assured of confidentiality, Fulmer told an NCAA investigator in 2000 about some improper dealings he knew or heard about involving Alabama boosters and recruits.
Summaries of those interviews were made public in January through federal court proceedings in Memphis.
An attorney for two former Alabama assistant coaches has used that information to bolster his accusation that Fulmer was part of a conspiracy to bring down the Crimson Tide football program.
But the information gathered from Fulmer was never presented to the NCAA Committee on Infractions, Renfro said.
The NCAA has been reluctant to talk about any of the sources used to gather information about Alabama, but Renfro discussed Fulmer's involvement because much of the information has already been made public.
Some of Fulmer's information provided tips, which the NCAA had to verify.
"None of the information provided by coach Fulmer was presented to the Committee on Infractions. That's true of a number of the witnesses," Renfro said. "In fact, we had to get corroborating information in order to use it. Which we did, and that was presented."
Renfro said other SEC coaches were sources for the NCAA. He wouldn't say how many but added some provided extensive testimony.
"We had information from a number of sources, quite frankly a number of coaches, all of whom were concerned about what they saw as a real recruiting issue around activities in the state of Tennessee," Renfro said.
The NCAA placed Alabama on probation in February 2001. Two of the major violations included a booster giving former prospect Kenny Smith $20,000 and Alabama booster and Memphis businessman Logan Young paying $150,000 to lure Albert Means to Alabama.
Young was indicted on federal charges for his involvement. The summaries of Fulmer's interview were part of the documents Young sought from the NCAA for his defense.
Some of the documents were distributed to reporters by Tommy Gallion, the attorney representing former Alabama assistants Ivy Williams and Ronnie Cottrell.
Fulmer's testimony includes information about Smith and Young.
Names of some coaches possibly involved have been previously reported.
Arkansas coach Houston Nutt acknowledged publicly he was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in Memphis.
Former Florida coach Steve Spurrier wrote a letter to then-Alabama coach Mike Dubose in 2000 threatening to tell the NCAA about alleged recruiting violations, according to documents containing Alabama's response to the NCAA charges and released in 2001.
And former Auburn coach Terry Bowden notified the NCAA of allegations that a booster paid Smith to sign with Alabama, according to the documents.
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