Coach Defends Himself in NCAA Recruiting Violations

(Memphis) Byron De’Vinner, a summer league football coach called into the sports talk show “Head to Head with Matt Wyatt and Richard Cross” to clear up, what he calls, rumors.

“It’s time now for me to clear the air, to clear my name,” De’Vinner told the hosts.

Two of Devinner’s players from his summer league team are at the center of NCAA investigations.

Javon Robinson went to play football at Auburn, but he’s now ineligible because a counselor at Wooddale High admitted to changing one of his grades.  Will Redmond is currently under investigation for accepting gifts from a Mississippi State booster.

“Will Redmond was a kid that was basically taken advantage of by the booster and by the assistant coach,” De’Vinner said in the interview. “Was there benefits there? Yes, but not as far as what others are saying.”

De’Vinner is the only connection in the two investigations, but says he had nothing to do with the violations.

Dr. Jim Whelan is a professor of psychology at the University of Memphis. He says NCAA rule-breaking is nothing new. Most Tiger fans remember the fiasco surrounding Derrick Rose, his SAT test, and the vacated wins. Whelan says for some student athletes benefits often outweigh the risks.

“If you could use $100, if your family could use $100 and I say you do ‘x’ and they think, ‘boy, this could really pay off for me, then that benefit becomes real,” he said.

To listen to the entire interview, click here.