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© St. Petersburg Times, published January 15, 2003
Here we go again. An athlete's eligibility is at stake and the NCAA yawns.
USF says basketball player Raphael Toren, a talented walk-on guard, played 31 games for a pro team in his native Israel and received only "actual and necessary" expenses, which is allowable to maintain eligibility, with a penalty.
Toren's penalty should be a seven-game suspension, USF says. The NCAA's maximum penalty is eight. Toren sat out his ninth game Tuesday vs. Southern Miss, yet the NCAA still hasn't made a ruling.
Steve Horton, USF associate athletic director for compliance, said part of the problem is language interpretation. Toren's agreements with his pro team are in Hebrew.
For instance, Horton said there is concern over a word translated as "reward," which the NCAA said could be a monetary incentive, which would make Toren ineligible. The NCAA also wants additional verification of some facts.
It's important to be diligent, but the NCAA needs to expedite. Horton, who dealt with a similar case last season involving Mike Bernard (who sat out eight games), said Toren's expenses were so minuscule, he was paying to play.
"The only compensation he received didn't even add up to his expenses," Horton said.
The NCAA rakes in millions because of student-athletes like Toren. It needs to apply more personnel to eligibility issues.
USF hired two lawyers to help resolve the matter. They hope Toren, 20, will play Saturday at Memphis. "It's a shame," director of basketball operations Brad Greenberg said. "The kid came all this way on his own dime for this to happen."
YES, NO, MAYBE: South Sumter had a dynamic linebacking duo this fall in Ben Moffitt, who had 141 tackles, 11 sacks and was offered scholarships by South Carolina and N.C. State, and Earl Everett, one of the nation's most sought recruits.
Moffitt committed to USF in November, and Everett attended two games this fall. However the good friends likely will split up. Everett's final five schools: Florida, FSU, Miami, LSU and Nebraska.
South Sumter safety Sam Miller visits the weekend of Jan. 24.
YES, MAYBE: Defensive lineman Allen Cray committed Sunday and former Lake City Columbia teammate Cliff Magby could join him. Magby, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound safety, was offered a scholarship by USF last year pending a qualifying test score, said his high school coach, Danny Green.
"He sat out the fall and retested and got the score. He should already have been down there in school but his test got red-flagged by the NCAA," Green said. "With the new sliding scale, he might be qualified with his old score."
LOCAL FLAVOR: Commitments Trae Williams and J.B. Garris were two of the most electrifying local players this fall. Williams (5-10, 180), a kick returner for Durant, rushed for 1,355 yards but likely will play cornerback at USF. Garris (6-1, 180) was an option quarterback for East Bay but is expected to try receiver initially.
CLOSING IN: Rivals.com reported Jesuit's Aaron Fryer, who visited this past weekend and is rated the nation's No. 29 running back, loved his visit and favors USF and Boston College ahead of Duke and Pitt.
-- Pete Young covers USF sports. He can be reached at (813) 226-3346 or via e-mail at young@sptimes.com .