Orgeron Acknowledges Contacting Recruits

Well now, that didn't take long.

Ed Orgeron acknowledged Wednesday that he was contacting Tennessee recruits on Tuesday night, shortly after he became a member of Lane Kiffin's staff at USC.

"Yes, I did call recruits to clear up any questions they had," Orgeron told the Los Angeles Times. "In my knowledge, I followed the rules correctly."

Did Orgeron offer Tennessee recruits scholarships to USC?

"I'm not going to get into that," he said, adding, "I make tremendously strong ties with families in recruiting. I always try to guide them in the right direction and provide information to them to help some young men who are wondering, 'Coach, what can I do? What are my options?'

"All I did was present their options. Families call me. I call them. I had answers. I gave them answers to their questions."

NCAA rules prohibit an institution from contacting a student-athlete enrolled at another institution without permission from the current school.

The father of Kingsburg (Calif.) High quarterback Tyler Bray, a Tennessee recruit, said his son was in a room when Orgeron made his pitch by speaker phone.

"He didn't think it was very cool," Jeff Bray said of his son's reaction. "You're in the middle of all this turmoil and they're trying to pull players. . . . My understanding was a lot of [the players] got very angry and voiced their anger on the phone."

USC athletic director Mike Garrett was asked about a possible violation by Orgeron.

"I don't even want to get into it," Garrett said. "Are you kidding me? It doesn't even make sense."

Orgeron's acknowledgment that he was contacting players came after Kiffin's opening statement at his news conference.

"Our No. 1 thing that we're going to do is have a dedication to running a clean, disciplined program," Kiffin said. "And that will start from today and we'll continue through that the whole time we're here."

Perhaps his proclamation came a day late.

Comments

[Clay]

There is no way you can cut it, it was clearly a violation of the rules. Orgeron, the dishonest scum, knows it too. Calling early enrolees is against the rules, and calling recruits (like Brandon Willis) is against the rules, because we are currently in a deadp period where contact by coaches is prohibited. Kiffin & Co. are all trash - his dad included.

[Matt]

Lane's dad (Monte) used to be a class act, especially early on in his career.

It's too bad some of that class and dignity didn't filter down to his son...but it looks as if anymore that Monte is content to clean up after his son's messes.

Sad, really.

[Purple People Eater]

This will not end well for USC.

[Scott]

If the recruits had questions, you would think they would call Orgeron, not the other way around.

[rick]

kiffen & company are all back stabbing two faced garbage mike hamilton is getting what he deserves he done fulmer wrong they should give fulmer hamiltons job and let him hire the new coach